Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-04-23
The aoLp GUARD

A Democrat D~isc0urses Upon Ma ters
Which Row Interest the People of
.Dakots. Regard SIS OF their Politics..
Yankton April 23-To the Press and
Dakotaian: A glance at the political
horizon OF Dakota just now reveals 8
canopy fringed with the dark outline OF
an unfortunate and deeply to be re-
gretted political storm OF no mean pro-
portions in the democratic party. The
unseemly spectacle is presented of o war
waged by Governor Church and his army
of ofioe-holding followers, upon Hon.
M. h. Day, and the rank and file of the
party who are inclined to accord to him
a place among the true and tried leaders
OF the party, and entitled to recognition
and respect as such.
For what reason this vindicttve and
relentless war upon Mr.. Day and his
friends is 30 ~iercely waged is not clearly
apparent to me, nor can L understand
the motiye which prompts it. The fact
is painfully apparent, however, that Mr..
Church and his Office. holding allies are
streaming every nerve and exerting every
influence OF their command. to crush out
by fair means or foul, every vestige of
opposition to his imperial dictation.
Mr.. Church seems to forget that he was
sent here simply to assume and perform
the duties of his Office and not as @
political boss to control and shape the
policy Of the democratic party of this
territory by a shameful and dlsgraceful
abuse of the power of hie high Office.
1t is one thing to be the impartial chief
executive of this great territory. and it
is quite another thing to prostitute the
power of that high office to the dirty
cess. pools of political wire- pulling and
caucus and convention Manipulation,
that he may become the political boss
and dictator of the party, no matter at
| what cost to the party.
Mr.. Church has no doubt the I'M.
questioned right to exercise all the pre-
negatives of the private citizen,
to express his opinions and il
need be aid the party by his
counsels, and beyond this he has no
right to go, but should be satisfied to
ill the measure of his usefulness as gov.
ernor, pure and simple. To undertake
to control or dictate the action of hie
party by the aid and active interference
of his Office holding strikers, as he has
done and is doing, ia unwarranted, dis
graceful and tyranical, and will not be
submitted to by the "old guard OF the
party, and democrats who are not fstten-
ing at the public crib through his aid o.
at his demand do not take kindly to thil
high handed meddling and interference,
on the part of the governor and his army
| of a%ppointees.
They believe in local self government
that the people have q rightto formu-
late and carry into effect their own pure.
ly local measure, without interference OIL
dictation from the governor and his
army OF Office holders. They believe in
home rule-that Dakotaians shorld rule
Dakota-snd that the attempt. of the
| governor to override the will of the
party, or to control ita action by freely
and unsorupulously using all the power
OF his high office to that end, ia not only
| discreditable and disgraceful, but abso-
Iuteiy tyranical.
AS o democrat / want to ask-what Ii
the measure of Mr.. Days o%ffense, that he
should have called down upon his head
the malignat wrath OF Gov. Church
and his horde of appointees2 Has
he not declared publicly il
favor of the denomination OF
President Cleveland? is 1t for this that
he and his army of friends-who have
borne the anner of democracy alott in
Dakota for the past twenty years-is il
for this they are to be ov%erwheimed By
the men who fatten at the public crib
He is a declared and open divisionist
and in espousing and adherlng to this
principle he has but kept abreast witt
the declared principles of the dem
ocrsoy of Dakota for the past eighteen
or twenty years. Is it for this that he
and his friends--the sold guard" of the
party in 80 many Waterloos of the pas
ia it for this that the mandate has
gone forth from the camp of the Hes.
slans. led by the governor in person
Eshat Day must be crushed ssand an
initiated?
Mr.. Day has openly declared that be
is in favor of home rule-thst all ap.
pointments to Office in Dakota should bs
made from among the people of Dakota
La it for this that Church is pursuing bin
with snch malignant venom, and
driving ali of his appointees in office te
do the same thing?
Two years ago Mr.. Day was our stan.
dard bearer for delegate in congress
The "old gusrd"-always true and
steadfast and heroic-rsllied to his sHp'
port. The party numbered but few. ii
fact, outside of the "old guard" True
some Of the deserters, like Ordwa,
johnson, had some back, but they onl.
did so that they might continue TO fgh
Day and the "old guard within tn
party, and they are amcng the Unurcl
strikers now. Day took the banner @
the party and organized for battle. 81
made a personal canvass Of the territory
and the sold guard" worked with hir