Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1893-07-21
The Leader.
IN A DELIRlUM OF ANARCHY.
Sioux City Tribune.)

|
\ mobilization of its effective voting cont
lingent is certain to require all the skill
and energy of the leaders. During the
past few months the best efforts Of the
men in charge have been unavailing tc
cover up the short comings of the party
aud hide its rascalities from public view.
In years gone by the jobs perpetrated In
the name of craftsmanship were SO art.
fully disguised, or carefully arranged
that exposure seldom followed, but the
past six months have resulted in a series
of revelations that strike alarm to the
sodden consciences of the great Ali Babas
of the party.
There has been large number Of bank
failures in the state, and not in single
case has word of warning come from
the bank examiner. although the state
pays that official a high salary for the
|express purpose Of protecting the people.
The Tribune adverted to this fact a
month ago. since which time a dozen
state banks have gone to the wall, but
Examiner Meyers passes these insolvent
institutions and allows the depositors to
be robbed. Banks IN Armour, Plankin.
ton, Chamberlain, Hot Springs and other
important places have gone down, carry
ing with them large sums placed with
them by confiding public.
The Plankinton bank held some eight
or ten thousand dollars Of state money
belonging to the Brookings Agricultural
college, and the replacement of that sum
depends entirely upon the quality of,the
treasurer's bond. Here is pretty kettle
of fish. The state hires public examin-
or, pays HIM u big round SALARY. to see
that state banks are solvent or close them
up. but so derelict or incapable is he that
even the state funds are stolen by the
thousands. A few months ago the Diggs
bank at Millbank failed. taking with it
some $1,000 Of state funds, and here
within three weeks down goes another at
Planklnton with $4,000 ofstate funds.
In each case the republican organs assure
the public that the bondsmen will make
the state whole. They thus attempt to
dose the public with paregoric, but the
wakeful public eye is not disposed TO
sleep.
That the chief Justice of the state
should be president Of u broken bank,
which is reported to have gone down
with heavy deposits and not expected to-
pay to exceed twenty-five cents on the
dollar, is u heavy blow to u political
party, now rocking in the troughs of dis.
aster. 1t is indeed beautiful object les
son. but were it not that this mans re-
is almost u foregone con-
clusion., it would not convey the moral
that 1t does. There are also grave
charges in The press OF the state as to a
misuse Of the 100000 appropriated to
give the state y standing ut the worlds
fair. In reciting these charges. news
papers and, men Of all political parties
take part. The measure was republican,.
the commission is republican and the
state is apparently determined 70 hold
the republican party responsible for the
misuse of the funds.
The increase of expenditures and ap-
BY the last legislature forms
4 strong count in the bill Of indictment
against the party The general appro.
priation bill OF 1893 exceeded that OF 1891
by S8G. .264. while extra appropriations
swelled the amount to S273, l43. This
handsome BODY of men increased the per-
Quisites of the state officers in the sum Of
SIG, 1O6, which was an indirect way of in
creaslng the salaries of officers whose pay
is fixed by the constitution of the state.
The increase was to each as follows;
Governor, 5000; secretary of state. $3.50;
state auditor. SO, 900; treasurer. $3.50: at
torney general. 1886: commissioner Of
school lands. 81. 157; state superintendent
Of schools, S452; supreme court, S., 030.
In addition to this it created several new
offices as useless ms they are expensive.
created solely to give places to u swarm
Of fellows who had expected jobs from
the federal administration in case Of
election.
The commissioner Of school lands is |
out with Il statement that in certain
counties there have been irregularities in
the loaning Of school funds and because
Of these irregularities he proposes TO stop
further loans. He states he has 800, 900
On hand. This republican official is a
banker. and his sudden determinations to
add to the money stringency by refusing
10 obey his oath of Office, has a dubious
ook to it. Under the law of the state il
county commissioners make unsafe loans
the county so loaning is held responsible,
80 that the fund is secure in any case.
But Banker Ruth thinks this is a good
lime to hold up the public money and
pervert it from its constitutional use.
There are plenty of bankers in the state
who need ready cash at this time. and
wiling to pay we'll for deposits, so it is
quite easy for Ruth to come to their aid.
lne eXCuSC tlOC SuuItluS Oil lOduS Is IOO |
hin to deceive anyone, except Il republi-
IAN camp-follower, who lives on official
,arrion.
AS if to complete the decentralization,
yhe ragged army of pap-suckers is torn
Dy internal dissensions. The Aberdeen
News is recognized as the mouth piece of
Ex-Governor Mellette. 1t is for a gold i
standard, high tariff and the force bill.
It is ''agln' Pettigrew, Pickler and peace.
out loud for Mellctte, Mccoy and Nc
Leod. The Sioux Falls Press in it's
of Pettigrew is like Danton Ill
his admiration Of audacity. The great
'evolutionairc declared for First auda-
'ity; again audacity; third audacity,
oujours L audacity.' The Huronite
md Mitchell Republican are on the fence,
waggle. The editors hold down
'ederal jobs and the republican senator is
lever 10th to swing the AK, so these edi-
,ors try to be awfully good, and smile.
These molders of public opinion dare not
xpress one of their owl, They smile
as they speak OF Lucas, and
ay Yes, Il single gold standard is good
epublican doctrine" then they turn
heir eyes toward Pettigrew and Pickler,
S they catch the glance Of these heads !