Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1897-05-28
]. TOML|NSON IN 1896.
He Shows the Republican Party Of
South Dakota to be Gang of
Thieves of the Worst Type.

duu uouuCN W I'D AAAA ~ OOhSS ASOOS
from which we will give few extracts
that will show the kind Of being he is.
The first one we quote will be relative to
the neglect of Governor Sheldon, in that
he did not make Taylor produce all cash
on hand in the Governors presence be-
fore approving his bond, the reading of
which will cause smile to come over
the face of those who read his paper
during the last legislature, when they
remember that that sheet teemed with
abuse Of Governor Lee for weeks, be-
cause he required the producing Of the
cash on hand before approving Treasurer
Phillips bond. 1t will be remembered
by the readers of the Leader" that his
abuse of Governor Lee was of the worst
Of law for SO doing, but did it to EN-.
barrass the Republican party in general
and Treasurer Phillips in particular.
The following is his own language on
the subject given under his own heading:
''NEGLECT OR CONSPIRACY"
''At first this loss did not become ap-
parent. The sums in the treasury ran
from $780, 900 to S4OO, 900 and SO long as
he did not default on the warrants there
was no open evidence that he could not
produce balance when needed. Under
the peremptory provisions Of the law
Taylor should have produced all cash on
hand in the Governors presence before
the latter approved his second bond in
January, 1898. Had he'done so small
shortage might have been discovered and
the state saved further damage. But
Governor Sheldon was his fellow poll.
tlcian and did not press him. From this
time his descent was rapid, despite the
efforts of his political guardians to
shield him from exposure and to warp
the laws to aid him. His final plunge
into the penltentiary was inevitable.
though had these big politicians and
officials done their duty by warning the
people of his condition and desperation,
the last grand looting of the treasury in
December would have been prevented
and the people of South Dakota would
have saved S2OO,OOO."
Note what Tomlinson says IN the
above. The law requiring the Governor
to have the cash counted in his presence
is peremptory. Had Governor Sheldon
followed It he would have saved the
state 5000, 900, yet he sent out lelegraphic
reports to the daily papers of St. Paul,
Minneapolis, Sioux City and other points
abusing Governor Lee for doing Just
what he abused Governor Sheldon for
not doing. But there is one consolation
about the matter, the editors of these
papers have learned the truth o: the
matter, and il justice to their readers,
have published articles denouncing their
Pierre CORRESPONDENT as liar and his
dispatches as scurrilous.
Under the heading 1.-The States Dis.
grace" in his original manuscript before
US, he speaks as follows:
"For the loss of S344, 900. the wrecking
Of its credit, the doubling of its taxes,
the state of South Dakota has to show
only nominal punishment Of its chief
betrayer. coupled with the entire escape
Of his guilty associates and the recovery
OF only one.ha.f the state money,
"But it has one other heritage from
this great crime. 1t finds that its trusted
oficiala rho mon ,.hono - hos <lol;rb<oI
to honor, whom it has blindly followed,
have long been defying its laws to fill
their own pockets. 1t finds that the men
who have from the beginning of state
hood controlled the Republican party
have not only made themselves senators
and governors, and land commissioners,
and judges and other high officials Of
influence and profit. but have crowded
around the treasury to illegally absorb
its funds; have used their power to place
and keep in Office a treasurer who would
freely lend them the states money and
advance with the public funds their
private schemes; have. while refusing to
repay these lawless debts and with full
knowledge of the inevitable damage to
the state, refused to warn the people of
approaching disaster, but have used
their information merely to force the
criminal politically; and when the ca
tastrophe approached have silently sat
by and with Indifference watched final
looting Of the treasury more outrageous
than the first.
''It finds that its lesser officials, elected
and sustained by these dominant poll.
ticians, have neglected to pursue the
fleeing fayorite until the chase was hope
less; have carried on bogus and inten-
ionally fruitless Investigation controlled
by the defaulter's debtor; and to cover
thi noed1ess escano of the chief crimina al