Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1895-07-25

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10 Governor sheldon, himself fShannonl,
DR.. MeLonth, the Board % Regents, and
BrO0kiaGs college, hut lalied ~ fad one
in the whole list calculated to throw light
upon this subject, so near the hearts OF
the people, but are mainly devoted TO
vIiliTying the actions OF the Governor, in
language so vile and unfit to appear in a
family newspaper or public prints OF any
kind that we shall make no quotations
from them, referring those who desire 10
Sc how low it is possible to stoop in the
editorial profession TO that paper,
We find, however, in the Sioux Falls
Press an article dated Huron, July 18th, |
purporting TO be statement OF j. W.
Shannon, President OF the Board OF Re
gents, which Is at least in more ehaste
language and in which he claims TO
rsake some explanation regarding the
difficulties existing between himself and
other members OF the board and the Gov
ernor. that we deem worthy OF criticism. |
In this statement. he starts out with
the assertion that the Governor appoint !
ed him to the regency without his know
ledge and against his wishes, while it
was welI-known by friends of both the
Governor and Mr.. Shannon that he was
contemplating the appointment for so me
time. We have been.insormed by then
Senator Adams but now member OF the
board that be was with the Governor
and Mr.. Shannon on several occasions
when the matter of Shannon's appoint
ment was talked over between them.
Shannon says: II alw ays believed DIR.
McLouth to be- a good man and great
educator. A tremendous assault was
made on McLouth at the time, and |
have every reason now TO believe that
he 1.-THE Goyernor) named me on the
board distinctly because he counted me
a friend of DIR. McLouthl The facts were
as Mr.. Shannon well knows that DR.. Nc
Loulh had just passed through an in
yestigation by a senatorial committee
and exonerated OF charges that had
been preferred against him, and it was
the policy of the Governor to then give
him a full opportunity and hearty sup
port, in hopes that he might t9 able to
redeem his reputation and the reputation
OF the school, and appointed Mr.. Shannon
because he believed him an honest man
in sympathy both with the aGministra-
ton and the school, and not because he
was specially a friend OF DR.. McLouth.
Again, he SAYS: But it so came in
current events that the government
seemed TO need the political support of
the Brooking5 enemies OF the doctor. In
consideration for their kindly offices. he
says he promised those people that Me-
Louth should 60"
Who says, does Mr.. Shannon hope to
find people to believe that Governor
Sheldon is foolish enough to make such
a break as that? Besides. will the gen
tleman please paint out some time or
place where the enemies OF McLouth have
lent political support to the Governor?
Certainly il was not in the Yankton con-
v%ention, as they were doing everything
in their power to try and defeat him.
In Brookings County, he ran behind
his ticket-said to be the result of Ell
emies OF McLouth voted against. Then
we ask again, where did the political
support come in that Bro. Shannon
talks about? "The din, he says, shook
the friends OF the doctor on the board SO
that practically all consented to the
measures looking to his retirement, and
the doctor. appraised OF the situation.
promised that the resignation should be
handed in at the January, 1895, meet
ing. The resignation was there and ac-
cepted, to take effect at the close OF the
current schoo year. Under the arrange
ment, DIR. McLouth would have been out
next month, all on p~eaceable, kindly,
digniied terms, ready for the instalIment
OF his successor. But the Governor was
inpatient and began to charge the
board with bad faith, and TO swear that
he would have n board that would do as
he told them. Naturally such men as
Elder Jordan, Hale, Eggleston, FTnne-
rud, etc. resented this"
lie says: "a sort OF short shrift meet
ing was called. Refusal to recognize res
ignation OF MeLouth, as filed, developed
and he was ordered by the Governors
forces TO practically withdraw his resig-
nation aud present it to the trustees.
This he did promptly and there it isnow.
The regents have no control over it."
A hall truth is worse than an untruth
and President Shannon fails to state
that the resignation properly belonged
with the board OF trustees and not with
the board of regents, or that McLouth
new er presented to the board OF trustees
a genuine and unqualified resignation,
but purified it by saying when his snc-
eessor should be appointed and qualified,
evidently hoping to prevent in some way
the appointment oil a successor.