Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1897-04-09

good part of this coal never finds its way
to the asylum IS a matter Of general be-
lief, and there are some that assert that
asylum coal is hauled to Gayville. Violin,
Mission Hill.. Utica and Yankton; that
some of it is hauled here and sold. Sew
eral suspected parties have left for parts
unknown during the past few weeks, but
there are others implicated in the matter
whom the Governor might and doubtless
will assist in ferreting out and bringing
to justice
1t seems that the discussion of the
Yankton coal bin has started a stampede
from that city, the presumption being
that when the investigating committee
gets to work there will be no testimony
to fix the guilt for coal distribution
where it properly belongs. But murder
will out. The asylum has not had q
going over for several years and if it is
not rotten to the core 1t will be an ex.
ception to anything the Republicans in
this state have had the management Of.
But aside from the unlawful distribution
of coal which is implied in what has
heretofore been said the asylum authori.
ties are guilty of extreme bad manage
ment for having given to contractors
bonus of ten cents ton for buying
asylum coal. In it's article upon the
asylum the Yankton Herald says:
"Messrs. Loonan and Smith showed
the writer the letters which they had
received relative to the making of the
contract which they have with the latter
and through them We learn that the
price for coal at the mine is Sl.2O,
freight $3.50, making $3.70. which the
coal costs the local dealers. The state
pays $3.50"
The question arises why did the board
of charities and corrections allow con-
tract of this character to be made by
which they virtually made gift Of
seven hundred dollars or more to the
Yankton coal sdeaers, They should
have contracted directly with the mine
owners and saved to the state the margin
paid to the local middlemen.
The recent meeting Of the new board
of regents.resulting in its determination
to bring or an immediate contest in the
courts to secure control of the books and
papers now in the hands Of the old board
is positive proof that the Republicans in
this state deserve to have applied to them
the old Bourbon adage, "Never resign an
office, nor die while holding an office y
The legislature submitted an amendment
doing away with the old board of regents
which was adopted at the late election by
the people by vote of three to one
The old board has been stencil in the
nostrils of the people of this state for
years. Through the quarrelllng
and the mismanagement which has at
tended the operations of these fellows and
their predecessors, the schools have well
nigh been ruined. The whole state re-
jolced that this corrupt crowd had been
got rid of, but 10 and behold, the old
board notifies the heads of the various
educational institutions that the new
board are 'pretenders." Was greater
brass ever exhibited? 1t is said the old
board have expended five hundred dollars
for briefs on which to 60 into court.
Why 50 much money to retain possession
of Offices which pay but five dollars per
day while actually engaged in work and
travelling expenses. Is there a steal in
the educational institutions? The old
board claims that the amendment was
not properly printed; also that the Joint
resolution adopted by the last legislature
had no clause submitting the amend
ment to the people. The record shows