Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1894-10-27
CUSTER CITY, SOUTH DAKOrA
The Leader, in its extreme ignora,

The Leader, in its extreme ignoran&
Of the course pursued by the CHRoSicLR
during all Of the years OF its existence,
would have the people believe that ~
has been tie champion Of all the IN
famous and fraudulent schemes which
il falsely alleges 10 have been concocfed
by the so called Custer ring in the man
agement Of county affairs, and seeks 10
place this paper in false light az the
defender Of the parties implicated Ia
their creation. Such an accusation
could only be brought by those who are
grossly ignorant of the facts. as to al
who are familiar with the matter, v Is
we'll known that the CHRoNIcLE has It
all times been outspoken against tbe
adoption Of improper methods in the
management Of county affairs, and loud
in its criticism upon the action of coun-
ty officials upon all occasions when In
its Judgment they had exceeded their
lawful authority in tEeir official conduct.
The CHRONICLE does not claim. nor bas
it ever claimed that our county manage
ment has been faultless, nor that those
10 whom its management has been en-
trusted were immaculate, but we have
claimed, and now re assert that. IT'S
UlutldktlhtEl llOct iaNOEnbA~s
with other counties of tho HILLS, of .SoF-,
responding age and similar conditions,
and We insist upon the propr;ety OF
making such comparisons, rather than
making unfair comparisons with the
older settled counties Of The east where
the conditions are wholly dissimilar.
While We realize the fact that a more
favorable showing might have been
l.. l., 81, ~
nomicul methods, and confessing to a
feeling of regret oyer the fact OF the un-
necessary extravaganza that has marked
the management o. the affairs Of our
county. and OF all other counties of the
Hills, We cannot see the necessity Of
publishing il 10 the world in such
manner as TO mislead the people to the
county's detriment, by maguifying the
measure of the evils by which we are
confronted as the Leader is doing, sim
ply TO further party interests. The
Leader accuses us of trying 10 cast odium
upon it, by insisting that its course pur-
sued in heralding exaggerated and ex-
travagsnt statements concerning the
unfayorable financial condition of the
county is detrimental TO the interests Of
the people, and seeks to create the i'm
preston that we are only actuated by
jealousy Of the success Of the Leader
This is about as ridiculous slater ement
as could possibly be imagined, as the
facts, so far az we have been able to OBJ
tain with reference 10 the degree of sue
cess achieved thus far, are of such a
character as to excite our pity rather
than to inspire US with the feeling he
describes. The fact that a number Of
our residents have never seen a copy Of
the paper. and that il is difficult to lind
a copy anywhere In the city outside Of
the Office, is sufficient proof of the ab-
surdity OF such statement. The i'm
preston has now largely obtained in
this community that the establishment
Of the Leader was serious mistake on
the part Of its promoters, as it is con-
ceded to have been. not only detrimental
10 the material interests of the masses,
but positive injury TO the party in
whose interests it was founded, rs evil
denced by the entire absence Of party
converts, and the gradual decline Of the
party since its innitial issue.