davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1898-10-28
Prostitud.d tho Troop,

When war broke out with Spain and
1t was known that the governor might
appoint the officers of the South Dako-
ia regiment, lie again seriously Of
Tended against discipline, good sense
and good citizenship. Instead of promt-
iy commissioning the officers who had
trained the regiment in time of peace,
who had geivn their time and energy
to keep it together he still kept his pol
itics in view and personal politics at
that. Col. Sheafe was his own APP
pointec, had been n member of the nil
l!tia since its organization and was a
veteran of the civil war. But. Col.
She..fc had been heard to criticise the
governors illegal and narrow actions.
That was enough. He was promptly
dismissed ard Lieutenant Frost, an Of
ticer in the regular army without spe-
cial training and not even a resident of
the state vas named, to lead cut the
South Dakota boys 10 the front. Col.
Sheafe's qualifications were sufficient
ly marked to secure from the president
appointment as a brigadier general.
But the governor of South Dakota re-
him because he would 20 be a
and appointed a non-resi-
dent OF the state. because the latter
WAS his personal friend.
Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1898-10-28
State Paid for Private Work.

When the governor took Office he
employed rs stenographcr Miss Adele
Nelson of Aberdeen. She became thus
q regular officer of tho state. After
the adjournment Of the legislature in
stead Of remaining at the capital en-
gagged on state business MIR. Lee
promptly went to his home in Vermil-
lion and he has been in Pierre on an
average not more than two days in a
month since that time. Miss Nelson
was paid by the state and under all law
her services were to be performed for
the state. But this did not suit the
business governor. He compelled her
against her protest to go down and
live in Vermillion and there to handle
his private correspondence. Miss Nell
son finally resigned on account of what
she states to have been the rough treat.
ment received. The governor had Sc
cured for her a PASS between Vermill'o1
and Picrr>. When she resigned with
out notifying her he notified the rail-
road company to cancel the pass and as
the poor girl was on her way home her
pass was taken up and she wa compell-
ed to pawn her baggage for enough to
take her to her destination. The illegal
employment Of the s~tcnographer to do
his private work away from the capital,
and his smallness in forcing her for
revenge to get off the train or put up
her baggage is Characteristic OF the
business governor"
Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1898-10-28
Has Leo the Eoney?

How much more of the states money
no still holds in his possession is un-
known to anyene but the culprit. the
governor and the public examiner. for
all three have to this momcn stead
lastly refused to let the public see the
report. Observers believe that the
fees belonging TO the state amounted to
about $1,000 and s2S2 having been tlrn-
cd in the balance dee and fraudulently
appropriated by the inspector with the
governors full knowledge and consent
would amount to about $1,000. The
exact figures cannot bc given, but Dow
dell is now travelling over the state
working earnestly for Governor Lees
reelection. II he shall succeed prob
ably the report will always remain
concealed.
Thus the governor appointed a man
whom he knew to he unit. protected
him for months in his Office. though he
knew him to he breaking the law. at
last under public storm allowed him to
resign instead OF prosecuting him as
a delaulter and still protects him and
probably allows him to retain the
money of tho state for his private uses
or those of the governors campaign.
And oil this because Dowdcll is and
has been his warm political supporter.
The state Inns known nothing to fla
grant since the Taylor steal.
In the history of Dakota 40 gov
has yer dared to defy the law
and protect rascality as did the re
form governor in these two instances.
Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1898-10-28
Makes False Claim,

The governor is trying to gain some
credit for the reduction in the debt OF
the state and the consequent b%olstering
of Its credit is entitled to none. He has
no more to do with the raising or dis.
burseinent of the revenues than the
man in the moon. AS a matter of fac:
1t was n Republican treasurer, Kirk C.
Phillips. to whose brilliant manage
ment OF the treasury was due the col
lection of Il half million taxes found de-
lillquent OIL his entrance to office and
two years before Governor Less adj
vent. the refunding of a part of the
debt at low interest, the payment Of all
the heavy floating debt and the raising
of the states credit to a point where
South Dakota a borrow at as low a
rate ms any state in the union. 1t was
q Republican EQUALIZATION board which
levied the sinking fund taxes and or.
dcrcd the bonds to hep aid and all the
motions looking coward reducing the
debt or interest were made by Republic
gems. The only possible claim which
tho Populists can have for the reduc-
tion g in the sixty-iye thousand dol
lars received from liquor licenses, anf
these were merely diverted from The
counties to the state and were offset by
the enlarged appropriations nado by
the Pcpulist legislature. But even were
all of this allowed i. would make no
appreciable diminution. The reduction
during Mr.. Phillips term is more than
six hundred thousand dollars.
Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1898-10-28
Tried to R.pudiate Bond,

Instead of bolstering the credit of the
state Governor Lee tried to ruin it. In
1890 there were issued two hundred
thousand dollars of what we're known
as constitutional bonds" Owing to
an ambiguity in the authorization stat
ute 1t is somewhat doubtful whether
they should be issued for ten or twenty
years. but they were made for the long
er term. AT the last meeting of the
board Of equalization Governor Lee in
troduced a resolution reciting that the
making them for twenty instead Of ten
years rendered them illegal by a tech>
nicality and ordering them to be repu-
dated. Hlere vas no question that
the bonds were bought in good faith or
that the state received the money for
them. But the governor thought they
might be lodged and was willing to nut
the terrible odium on the state Of refus-
ing to pay o debt honestly contracted.
The Republican members made such a
shocked protest at this proposal that
the governor withdrew his scheme
without asking for a vote. Thus this
business governor" the Honest An.
dy" would have wrecked the credit of
this young state and branded its people
as thieves. had he been backed by a
council ct llis friends.
Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1898-10-28
a %Blackmailing SECRETARY.

Secretary Ayres. who is admitted to
be the de facto governor. made his first
open move by te%legraphing to vermil-
lion during the legislative session that
unless the Republicans there would
force their Republican representatives.
to desert the Republican party and
vote for the Populist sinch bills the
Populists in the senate would defeat
the university appropriation.
While his time has been paid for by
the state he has devoted his energy to,
writing articles for the newspapers
traduclng the other state officers, abus-
ing his political opponents and libeling
those fusionists who refused to bow
the knee.
While insurance commissioner Of the
state he allotted the Insurance state
ments among tho various faithful
newspapers and compelled each one
before getting a statement to give him
dollar, while giving affidavit that;
they had not given a cent. He thus
blackmailed these newspapers out, Of
$500 worth OF illegal fees. ,
Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1898-10-28
Would Have vitiated Rail,oad Taxe,

The governor also tried to make what
is popularity known as n grand stand
play, by moving to raise the railroad
assessments to $4,000 a mile. Tho
members Of the board are placed under
oath to assess all property alike and
the courts protect property owners
against extortionate charges. The Re-
publican members proposed to assess
the railroads on the same percentage of
their actual value as that used for Otli-
er forms of property. in this state one
third. They were bound under their
oatlls TO assess the railroads one-third
of their true value. They determined
to find out this true value and called in
the Populist railroad commission. The
latter wore that the roads were woTti,
en- an average $4,000 per mile and quot
ed the decision Of the Democratic fsdcr-
al judge to that effect. The Republi-
can members knew that were they to
assess the roads more than the agreed
percentage of this sum the courts would
estop all railroad taxes and they did
their duty. Thus in order to maize a
grand stand play" for recollection the
governor would have ieopardi.cd the
payment of all railroad taxes. His
hypocrisy in the matter is still further
shown by the fact brought out at the
time that the governor. who is the
richest man in the state. had made at
fdavit to the assessor of Clay county
that the stock of goods in his Ncrnil-
lion store WIS worth only $4,000. while
to the comercial agcncies they were re-
ported us worth one hundred thousand.
Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1898-10-28
Gross Insult to a Veteran

He did more. Owing more than any
thing else 10 the eSertions of Col.
Grigsby. the mar vino had elected Mr..
Lee governor tho government author
lied ,ae raising of a cavalry regiment
in this state. MI. Lee who had been a
vindictive enemy of Grigsby since the
latter as attorney general had refused
to give an illegal opinion to favor Lees
a%pnointecs. not only opposed giving
Grigsby the %co!cnelcy but wired TO the
secretary OF "a a most abusive telc-
gram assaulting Grigsby's character IN
the hope Of preventing the appoint
ment. The war department made a
full investigation and found that
Grigsby's war record, his abilities and
his faithfulness were so shining that
the commission was issued at once.
Angry that anyone but his own choice
should have the appointment the gov
ernor went about the state abusing not
only the colonel. but the entire regi-
mcnt and declared to two clergymcn
tEat Tho cowboy regiment was a dis
grace to the state" At first he denied
that he had said this but when the Sec
ond clergyman wrote giving the coll
versation he confessed by his silence.
He carried his vindictiveness SO far
that when the citizens of Sioux Falls,
proud Of Col. Grigsby and the honor
which he had brought to the state.
banqueted him. Governor Lee. who was
in the hotel where the banquet was
served. grossly insulted the committee
for inviting him to attend. While all
the state were doing honor to the brave
old soldier who having gone through
one great conflict was ready to risk his
life again for the flag. who had brought
more glory to South Dakota in this war
than any other man, the governor of
the state kept to his room and abused
the man whom all others were honor.
tnp
Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1898-10-28
Protected a pefault.r

Al OF these charges were freely made
shrcugh the newspapers during the
saa and winter and the Indignation
grew that the governor refused to COM
pei his inspector to do his duty. Grad
ualiy the storm grew SO severe against
me inspector and against the governor
tnat the public examiner was SEN to
investigate. tIc did SO and reported to
the governor. Eowde! at once resign
ed. proving conclusiyeiy that the
charges were true. But the report was
concealed and all efforts made by the
cubic 10 learn its contents were met
with IN emphatic refusal from Mr..
Lee. Dowdeil, though practically dis
missed. went over the state working
Tor the governors denomination, forced
Sanborn county to send q delegation to
Aberdeen for Lee and wcat there him
self at the delcgation's head aud was
one OF the coterie which manipulated
the convention tor the governor, him
seif sitting ccnsricuously on the pat.
form.
Were The charges true that lie tad
hartered away his testing authority to
TIE agents of the oil company? Tl.oy
we're admitted frankly. Was 1t true
that instead of inspecting oil he merely
COLLECTED the Coos and lie, the agents
stamp what oil ttcv chose? Neither
he nor sry Of his friends have ever &c,
,licd il. Was it irrc that he had put
4? his pocAcd tho fees lclonging TO the
state and was consequently q detaul,er?
The event proved it ticu@h the gov
crnor had by coacraling all ~ataicYen;s
tried TO keen the fact hid IL August,
five months after powdoM had gon, out
Of Office. five months after he had fully
settled according to law. there waa
turned into the treasury on his accom-.
$oS2. For five months therefore he was
a dcfaulter before the law.
Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1898-10-28
Robbed tho Soldiers Home

The friends of the governor have
tried to give the impression that "Hon-
est Andy" is a man Of scrupulous in-
tcgrity. a man who guards the public
treasury from any raids, a man who
watches closely to e that not M dol
lar Of the public money is spent except
for public service. Let us notice ono
instance OF this honesty. On the ground
floor Of the Soldiers Home at Hot
Springs were fitted up recreation rooms
for the crippled and siclsly veterans
whose evening of life thel oval people
of this state wished to make as conl>
Portable as possible. The rooms were
placed on the first floor so that the
weak and crippled veterans could occu>
ny them for reading and amusement
during the day and could thus go from
meals to recreation and back to meals
without having to painfully and Lahore
:ously climb the stairs. But the gov.
ernor's wife in the summer Of 1897 be-
came sickly and desired to take q
course of the Hot Springs baths.
Though she was the wife of the richest
mar in the state She did not go to a
hotel and pay her way as ordinary NOR
.als do but went to the soldiers home.
The crippled old veterans were sumna-
rily turned out of their comfortable re-
creation rooms and made to undergo
the fatigue and distress Of climbing to
the upper stories after every meal,
while the quarters which the affection
and gratitude of the state had arranged
for their comfort were turned e at
state expense into attractive apart
ments for the governors wife. She re-
manned there free of charge for several
months and the old veterans and the
state treasury paid the cost. She and
her daughter were there also for rev.
eral weeks this summer but paid Moth
ing. And Commandant Linn has en-
t~ertained his relatives and friends at
the states expense for long periods.
Thus the shoncst governor" has flched
from the treasury considerable sums
for the illegal maintenance Of his fam
fly and has not %scrupled to impose in,
creased and unnecessary hardships on
the crippled and decrepit old soldiers
to gain comfort and pleasure for those
for whom 1t was his duty to personally
pay attention to.
Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1898-10-28
Fraudulent Raid on tho Treasury

But governor Lee has not shown his
honesty alone in protecting malefac-
tors. He has tried to warp the law out
Of shape to give some OF his retaincrs
soft jobs at the expense of the state.
Many people have wondered why he is
60 bitter at Attorney General Grigsby.
who Travelled over the state With him
during the last campaign and to whose
efforts he owed his election. The reason
is this. When the investigation COM
mission appointed by the governor to
look over the various state Offices,
presented their bills. the state auditor
refused to allow them. on the ground
that the commission was illegally rom
stituted and asked the Populist attor-
ney generals opinion. Hearing this
Governor Lee Wen to Mr.. Grigsby and
asked him What opinion lie would ren-
der. TIe was told that it would be adj
verse, that the resolution authorizing
the commission was clearly in conflict
with the constitution. The governor
insisted that the attorney general
change his opinion and make it favor
ublc and urged the matter as q person.
al favor to himself. Mr.. Grigsby re-
piled that all honest official must HON
estly ccnstrue Inc statute. but was told
t..at Il good law:c. ought to be able To
write an opinion on either side OF q
case. On his continued refusal to
prostitute his oiice merely to enable
some political friends TO draw fat sums
from the treasury he was warned that
he would be politically killed. 1t is no.
tieeable that the whole weight of the
governor and his friends in private
conversation and in the newspapers has
since that time been thrown to injure
Mr.. Grigsby. Thus the reform gov-
ernor" attempted to rob the treasury
for his political friends and has since
then wrcakcd his vengeance on the
man who blocked the steal.
Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1898-10-28
Feathered Their Own Nests.

An analysis of their legislative icc-
ord shows their p%rctense Of reform to
be a transparent mockery and it is
fairly stated that their promises of rail-
road and other reforms are made mere
ly to seduce the vo .ers into giving them
Offices and that having won their cleo
tions they straightway sell out their
supporters and make deals with tho
enemy. Senator Pettigrew has gotten
q grip on the fusion organization to
secure that reelection to the senate
which he found the Republicans would
refuse him. Governor Lee got the gov
ernorship which he icy could have
won from the Republicans. Judge Pal
mer. denied Office for years by tho Re-
publicans. got an election to the legls.
lature and provided for himself . fat
Job Of attorney for the. railroad com>
mission. Mr.. Cherry used his position
as state chairman to force the railroads
to employ him as their attorney to
fight the law he professed to support
and Mr.. Bailey used his position as
county chairman for tho same purpose.
Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1898-10-28
Hcre is a Digest of the Record Made by the populist
Legislature and Administrative and Appointive
Years. A Summary Which Demonstrates Hvpoc.
risy. Fraud. Broken Promises and Dedication.

|duccd the test from no to 105, killed
every bill to reduce interest and regu-
late banks. killed every bill favored by
the labor unions and tried to force
through n to employ child convict
labor, killed every bill to prevent bril-
berry and colonization III elections, pass
ed two nefarious gerrymanders, killed
every gill to tax the corporations and
the rich and while not relieving the
poor mans taxation added to the e&-
'emptions of the eastern Spectator,
created several new Offices while abol-
fishing none. raised the appropriations
much higher than their Republican
predecessors had placed them, and
spent their entire energy in passing or
trying to pass the wicked sfnch bills,
bills designed at the expense of the
treasury to give a large number of their
retainers soft jobs. .,~,
Governor Lee. Mr.. Cherry and the
other leaders resorted to open and
shameless bribery and intimidation to
pass these latter hills. The governor
offered the insurance commissionership
for the betrayal of Kyle to one nj
who refused, and to another who ac-
|ceptcd. His secretary wired to Verrnil,
lion that the university appropriation
would be heaten unless the Clay coun-
ty members would desert the Republi-
cans and vote for the sinch bills. The
governor offered to veto the %ostcopathy
bill IL a Republican senator would leave
his party and vote for the charities bill
to turn over two hundrer Offices to the
IPopulists, he threatened another
tor with a veto of the asylum approprl-
alton IL he would not change his vote
on the same bill.
After the session he vetoed three bills
the osteopathy measure. to reward n
Populist senator who had for pledge Of
this voted for the charities bill. the ap>
preparation for the asylum coal and
dining room to carry out his threat
against Senator Wyman and the bill to
prevent the spread Of hog cholera to
spite his Clay county rival. Senator
Gunderson. who had drawn and push
ed it through.
Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1898-10-28
Claimed unearn.d Credits.

Governor Lee has tried to gain sorc
credit for his conduct during the mo-
hilizing of the troors in Sioux Falls.
Fifteen thousand dollars had to be
advanced and the governor has claim
ed that he raised 1t. AS a matter OF fact
the citizens of Sioux Falls Advanced
$4,000 in order to secure the modifying
N that city, Treasurer Phillips raised
five thousand from his friends and the
governor raised about $4,000. But what
else did he do?
Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1898-10-28
Broke the Militia Law,

O coming into Office he determined
in order to furnish some honorary
Rerths for his friends 10 reorganize the
siiiitia. The Law required that the Of
Ulcers serve out their terms unless they
woald consent to stand aside or unless
they were delinquent. The governor
could not bring the latter charge. and
the officers preferred not to resign.
Bat though they 1erc competent and
faithful they were Republicans and
Uhey were peremptorily dismissed and
fns.ontsts appointed in their places. No
notice was given them The governor
not only violated every rule OF courte-
az. but violated also the r:ain letter Of
Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1898-10-28
Delipcueut Txaminer.

General Taylor, now running for,
state treasurer, but for two years pub
lie examiner. Investigated Dowdell in
March last and found that he was a
defaulter to a large amount. He re-,
fused t omake the fact public and thus
protected a malefactor from prosecu-
ton, though he had been quick to ex-
Pose q technical breach Of law by the
state auditor.
He still refuses to make public his
report showing this dcfalcation or even
to tel! whether it has yet been made
good. but is using Dowdell to promote
his canvass.
Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1898-10-28

the statute IN his haste to ret his
friends into Office. The militia should
be non-partisan and we'll disciplined,
but the governor threw discipline to
the winds and broke the law in the se-
verify OF his narrow personal parti-
saaship. When his action aroused
strong indignation among the militia
and their friends he attempted to
s~tr2ighten the record by stating in a
published interview that the officers
had voluntarily resigned. This was
met with prompt dcnials by the gentle
men dismissed.
Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1898-10-28
Leeis-aturs Perndy.

Now that this little coteries is again
asking for votes, We may fairly exam
inc their records. They promised
stringent railroad legislation for the
farmers and shippers, economy, homes
ty Of administration, laws for labor,
laws for pure elections, repression OF
corporations. reduction In oflces and
careful guarding Of the public money.
They killed sixty-one anti-railroad
bills. killed every one designed to bene-
ut the farmer or shipper and passed
only nj and that passed BY unanimoul
vote. killed every anti-corporation bill
hut the oil measure and In that re.
Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1898-10-28

the law, while Judge Pa,mer's own
sworn statement given later showed
that he had not received q cent.
They used their office for which the
state paid as the political headquarters
for this campaign and allowed their
secretary, whose salary the state is
raying to devote his entire time to his
duties as secretary of the Populist state
committee.
They exhausted tho liberal appro-
priation given by the legislature for
litigation under the new law to en-
plcying extra Populist attorneys at,
highly eXtravagant fees and to making
lunketing trips to Chicago where they.
lived at the most expensive hotels.