Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1898-10-14

VII Cldl0 TuIIuO dIIu lIIt no. OdI pUti.
ter Had Computed the
Interest.
WHAT BECAME OF THE MONEY?
Kirk Phillips received interest on his
deposit of the public funds in his
charge as treasurer of the state Of South
Dakota.
There was filed in the Office of the
clerk of the circuit court of Minnehaha
county on Saturday dispositions of the
officers of the Dakota National Bank Of
this city which establish this fact. For
weeks past the Press has been in pos
session of information which was con-
elusive as to this fact. Every effort,
however, has been made by an un-
scrupulous and daring political machine
now in control Of the Republican party
of this state and county to smuggle
away the evidence and prevent the ex-
posure. Il.
It will be remembered that the Da-
kota National Bank Of this city failed
November 28, 1895. It will also be re-
membered that Mr.. Phillips as treasurer
Of South Dakota at the time Of the
failure had on deposit at this bank q
large sum Of money. Dispositions were
yesterday filed in the Office Of the clerk
Of the circuit court Of this county which
show that Kirk Phillips received on OF
about the first day of every month prior
to the failure Of the bank, intereet on
the average daily balance of this de.
posit Of the public funds in this bank.
It will not do now for the Republican
machine managers to longer equivocate
or interpose half denials. :.
For several weeks we have called at
tention to the fact that Mr.. Phillips
has never squarely and fairly denied
that he received interest on the public
funds. He has said that he never
''loaned" the public funds. He has
said that every deposit was subject to
call at any time" He has said tina,
every dollar of the funds in his hands
as treasurer were during his term in.
stantly and Immediately available. =
These are mere evasions and subter.
fuges. At no time has he said that he
did not receive interest from the banks
on his average daily balances Of funds
deposited as state treasurer. he Of
course intended that the following in
terview given to the Sioux City Journal
should be understood and interpreted
as denial, although it does not deny.
His interview was as follows:
II have never made deposit Of a
single dollar of the state funds for any
special length of time. Every deposit
is subject to call at any time. There
has never been q day during my ad-
ministration of the treasurer's Office
when every dollar was not instantly
and Immediately available. I never
have either directly or indirectly loaned
single dollar of the public funds"
ORIGIN OF THE CHARGES.
It should be remembered that this
charge of receiving interest on the
public funds emanated from Republi-
can sources. Those who opposed the
nomination of the candidates of the
machine and monopoly ring at the
Mitchell convention declared that the
nomination of Mr.. Phillips would bring
ruin to the party at the polls for the
reason that it was generally known that
he had received interest on the states
funds entrusted to him as treasurer. In
the news report sent from Mitchell by
Mr.. Caldwell, formerly of this city, to
the Sioux City Journal at the time of the
Mitchell convention, he stated that this
objection was being strenuously urged
to the nomination of Mr.. Phillips for
governor. However, the iron rule of
the machine prevailed and the Phillips
Burke -Gamble-K Kittredge-Johnson com
bination controlled the convention and
nominated the members of their ring
in open disregard of the warnings and
protests made by the better element of
the Republicans at the convention.
When the charge was generally cir
culated after the Mitchell convention
that Phillips had received interest on
the public funds entrusted to him as
treasurer, and that Secretary of State
Roddle had pocketed the brand fees,