Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1891-01-10
THEIR BETTER DAYS.
"Reminiscences of Well Known Politician
OF South Dakota.

kota has some very queer character
among its citizens, men and women VIII
have seen better days and at time.
years ago were prominent political and
social figures in their localities. During
territorialhood a few drifted here with
federal appointments in their pockets
while others who had run their cours,
at their homes and saw position anC
power slipping frem them, sought thi:
new Eldorado hoping TO better theii
conditions. A few may have succeeded
but in the main competition has beer
greater than they expected, and were
it not for the former positions they oc.
cupied they would be forgotten in the
hum of busy life incident to this portion
Of the west.
Few OF the e~x-governors have held
their W and are political leaders today.
Gov. Mellette, the last OF the line under
territorialhood, and the first governor
elected under statehood seems to be the
most successful. He came here from
Muncie, Ind, as register of the Spring.
field land office, and has more than held
his own. Ex-Governors Edmunds. Faux
and Pennington reside at Yankton. The
former is a banker and rich, but has
long ceased to take much interest in
politics. Faulk and Pennington have
not grown rich. The latter came from
North Carolina in the 70's, but did not
catch on as he might. Ex-Governor
Ordway, after a stormy administration,
drifted back to his old New Hampshire
home. Ex-Governor Church is at Seat.
tie, practicing law. Tho only ex-gover.
nor now active in South Dakota politics
is Mr.. Mellette.
The same condition prevails with
many who came here with commissions
in their pockets. John Il. Raymond,
ex-United States marshal and ex-dele-
gate in congress is dead. Ex-United
States Marshal Burdick is holding ar
inferior position in the postoffice de-
partment. General Harrison Allen who
held a like position some years ago, is a
disappointed politician in North Da.
kota. Gilbert A. Pierce, an ex-gov-
ernor fell heir to a short term United
States senatorship in North Dakota, but
it looks as if the Legislature of that
state would not r~e-elect him. Elk.
receivers and registers OF United States
land Offices in South Dakota lie around
thick, but with one or two ex.
captions they exert very little
influence in the affairs Of the
state. Other men of and fresher
blood are the present leaders. In this
new country there seems to be a sur
vival Of the fttest. This army of ex-
something is not devoid Of ambition,
and do not let modesty keep them from
asking office. Some years ago their
success was more marked than it will
ever be again, and many of these will
have to be content to close their lives
with the records they made many years
ago.
But there are other characters acre
who did not wander into South Dakota
backed by a guaranteed livelihood from
the start. Many Of these were promi-
nent business men and politicians years
ago. In this city two of these charact-
ers are to be found. James Dowd is
n of them. Old settlers
of Sioux City and South
Dakota will remember him. At one
time he was general traffic manager of
the old Southern Dakota railroad,
under c. II. Wicker's management of
that line. lie was then a prominent
business factor in this pet enterprise of
Sioux City. Later on he drifted with
Fred Evans to Pierre. and had charge
of his bull train freight business into
the Black Hills. Today he is a porter
in the Locke hotel in this city at Sl2
per month"; and board.
Another character in Pierre is j.
Ashley Jones, a brother of General
Jones, of Dubuque. Some years ago he
was president of the Winona and st.
Peter railroad, a man of wealth and
power. This road has become the glgan-
tic northwestern system in Minnesota
and South Dakota. Fifteen years ago
Mr.. Jones came within three votes of
being elected United States senator
from Minnesota. Today he lives in a
a v dug into a hillside in this city, and
is a physical and financial wreck.
On a homestead in a dug out in Camp
bell county lives a lonely old man by
the name OF Benson. Years ago he was
a bright and wealthy lawyer in West
Virginia, a member Of the Legislature of
that state for several terms and promi-
nent in the political councils of his
party. The one word whisky" tells
the tale.
IL is only now and then the public
catches glances of these lives. They
are hidden because of their failures.
In success men take pride
in their biographies, but in failure they
attempt to hide as much of the past as
thev can Manv man ara residipp in
humble homes in our states whose lives
are romances, who figured conspicu-
ously during the civil war or led in civil
life. But they have drawn the curtain
over the past, and only occasional
glimpses can be gained OF what was
once a matter Of pride.