The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1893-03-24
THE MANOR AND THE MONEY.

paper is, founding his homily Oh the tact
that the iair ASSOCIATION, of which we
were not even a member or stockholder,
but while we We're acting temporarily
as secretary, some two years ago,
licensed, gambling on their grounds
This action of the association is not a
question at issue in the present contro-
versy, but whether it was right or
wrong, wise or foolish, one fact stands
out prominently, this money went into
the treasury Of the association imme
diately upon it's collection. But one Of
the disagreeabie features on the part of
the mayor is the fact that he has kept
the money which he received for months,
no public record shows how much he re-
ceived or from whom or when he receiv-
ed 1t, nor did the people know he was
receiving 1t, and not until the matter was
aired IN the newspapers did the collec-
lons become too heavy for him TO carry
around any longer. Just what disposi
tion will be made of it remains to be
seen. The attempt of the Mayor to un-
load the matter on the council is a quee-
tion between himself and that body
which may be settled between them, as
there are no records so tar as We can tiud
of any action having been taken by the
council IN this matter. No one knows
positively the total amounts received by
the Mayor or what he intended doing
shrouded ia dark lantern mystery
which at least gives rise 20 suspicion Of
crookedness. Upon entering upon this
Investigation we were not aware that
any money had been paid the mayor, and
did not make the charge until we had
positive evidence Of the fact in all aftida-
Wit from one of the parties to the transac-
tion, and upon investigation we found
that this money had not been turned into
the city treasury. How long it
would have been retained or what dis
position would have been made of ii If the
matter had not been opened up it is not
for us to say. To take the most chari-
table view of the transaction-t is that
the money was taken for the benefit of
the city-it has certainly been long
time finding It's way to the treasury, par
ticularly so when no one knew that the
collections were being made. When the
line of policy which the mayor claims to
have been following is carried out in
other cities, it Is generally done openly
and above board in the way OF fines i'm
posed by the proper officers, and the mon
ey paid into the city treasury. We have
yet to learn of an instance where the
mayor constituted himself the agent
and banker for gamblers or other out
lawed institutions in order to keep them
in the city. Let us see what the fruits
OF this POLICY would be if the mayor was
inclined to have IN itching palm. He
goes to the gamblers and gets whatever he
can out of them by granting them permis-
sion to continue their bushes without
police interference. No law states hov
much he shall collect or what he shall
do with the collections, and he is at liberty
to turn over to the city as much or rs lit
tie rs he deems best. IF he thinks he is
entitled to portion Of these collections,
or ali OF it for that matter for services rem
dered there is none to say him nay. The
whole thing would be breeder OF cor
ruption. and the community that would
tolerate it would richly deserve the evils
that would inevitably follow. The child
ish whine Of the mayor that we should
have opposed his taking this money be-
fore would have some force il the trans
action had been made public, but with
the very admirable manner IN which he
had covered it up it took considerable
digging to find out even what we have
unenrthed, and we can assure him that
we gave him the facts just as soon
as We obtained them ourselves. II there
was any delay in the matter it was simp-
" owing to the fact that he had SO sue
cessfully covered up his tracks that it
was next to impossible to get at the truth,
and he should not be too harsh with US
for this. His lnsinuation that this ex-
posnre was insiigated by any member Of
the council or any other person is with
out the slightest foundation, and his
bravado bluster about libel suits Is %
harmless a. It is senseless. A b,rd who
has had TO change his entire plumage
and don another dress il single day
would not look we'll II court suing for
the lnsa ~ Z fAw feathorn ThA naAynr