Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-09-20
Mr.. MATHEWS RECORD,

| ton.
Brookings Sentinel: The Grand
Forks News has published what it Is
pleased to call Mr.. Mathews record in
the last legislature, but which is col
lection OF misleading statements cal
cuiated to deceive, and which the demo-
cratic press OF the territory are catching
| up with the desperation with which o
drowning man catches at the proverbial
straw. The News says:
Mathews was nominated for delegate
| on platform fixed up to catch farmers
votes, low tariff, anti-usury and anti
| monopoly, Mathews, besides having
been In Ordway's capital commission
| deal, was president of the council in
1887, where he packed the railroad com.
mIttee against the people, and made o
record. Let the people Of Dakota Judge
from his record, whether he ia tor or
| against their interest,
just 80. No one is more willing to
go before the people on his record than
is MIR. Mathews. AS to the fret charge,
that OF being member of the capital
| commission. the published record of
that commission proves Mr.. Mathews to
nave been an honest member, and IN no
way connected with any job, if there
was one. AS to the second charge, the
| committees on railroads and on ware
houses and grain grading were approved
by ID. u, Loueks, president OF the farm.
ers alliance, who was by courtesy of the
councll gwen the privilege OF the
floor during the entire session.
Then follows series of charges as to
his action in the legislature, where we
| take up and dispose OF in the order in
which they are made:
Voted egainst the Ward and Renyille
county bill. ~
This bill was simply for county di-
vision. and was opposed by many per-
| sons from the counties affected.
Voted against reducing salary Of pub
lic examiner.
On this bill Mr.. Mathews took the
door and made the motion for the. re.
dnction of the salary of the examiner
from $500 to $1,000, which was adopted.
(See Journal
Voted for refunding premiums paid on
bonds to public institutions.
These premiums rightfuliy belonged
to the institutions for which the bonds
were sold and this bill was simply to
cover defects in the original bill in two
or three instances, and met with no op-
position. passing the council by vote
OF IL to L.
Voted against the Weiser grain bill.
No. 1876. giving free and open market.
Mr.. Mathews vote upon this biii was
approved by the leading representatives
OF the farmers alliance and by the char
man of the committee on warehouses
and grain grading, Mr., Sheldon, of Day,
who also voted against the bill.
Voted for the telegraph tag bill which
was opposed by the farmers as favorable
to monopoly.
Tnls bill originated in the house, and
was considered just measure. Ii ia q
false statement that it was opposed by
the farmers as favorable to monopolies,
ss the records show that only four votes
were recorded against il in the house,
and but two OF these were farmers. 1t
passed that body by vote of 38 to 4.
Voted against the Tower City normal
achoel. while voting for every south Da.
kota grab ct the treasury.
Mr.. Mathews, in common with ma
lority of the legislature, was opposed to
the establishment OF any more territorial
institutions OF the kind either north or
south, and is to be highly commended
for his action, as such an institution was
entirely uncalIed for at that time,
Voted for an cot to provide for acquir.
ing title to lands occupied by the raii.
road companies, a railroad grab.
This bill merely affected the manner
OF securing right OF way for railroads,
and the strongest representative of rail
roads in the council voted against it,
while the farmers voted for it. 1t is alb
solutely false to say that it was any thing
in She nature OF grab for railroads.
Voted for repeal of section 427, chap
ter ~ OF fhe penal code. This was the
only Law on the statute book Furnishing
usury.
The bill originated in the house, where
1t was passed by vote of 80 to 10, such
men as Speaker Crosse and Burnham
Dodds, Glendenning, Harkins and
others voting for 1t. the majority OF
those voting for it being farmers. The
law has always been dead letter, and
the repeating fit wes fully endorsed
by all the farmers In the Legislature.
Voted against the seed-lIen law, a bill
enabling farmers whose crops were
burned up on the Missouri, to borrow
seed.
The bill was obnoxious to the best
farmers in the council, as may be illus.
trated by an amendment offered by Mr..
Sheldon, OF Hand, who moved that the
title be amended 30 az to read IAN act
to protect railroad corporations, bankers
end others who loan seed to unfortunate
farmers"
Voted against council bill 179, regu-
latlng warehouses for grain. This was
better for the farmers than the hughes
bill.
On that bill Mr.. Mathews voted with
the chairman OF the committee on wate-
houses and grain grading, MIR. Sheldon
OF Day, who was representative of the
farmers alliance, and opposed the bill
because not in the interest OF farmers.
DodRed the vote on the Mitchell
oonrt removal bill. on final passage.
Before that. voted with Mitchell against
Yenkton.
The above statement is absolutely
false, as the journal shows that Mr..
Matthew's was paired with Mr.. Sheldon,
OF Day, on the passage of that bill.
Voted to locats soldiers home in an
inaccessible part OF Dakota, which
caused the friends of the home to vote
down the bill.
The soldiers homs bill, which is re-
ferred to here has been ..spproved as to
the loct,tion OF the home BY the Dakota
department OF the q. A. r.
Voted for jupketing committee to the
asy and penitentiaries and for pay
ing them full mileage instead OF actual
expenses.
The appointment OF this committee
HRs considered q business necessity. ani7