Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1899-08-25
COMMUNICATED.
LENNox, s. D., Aug

v . I
EDITOR PRESS: In recent copy of
the Argus Leader the writer noticed
a virulent attack on Judge Kennedy
Of this county which doubtless
eminated from the puppy Tomlinson
who barks, snarls and snaps at strong
mems heels. This attack is doubtless
inspired by fear that Mr.. Kennedy will
be successful in the coming judicial con-
vention and hence appeal must be made
to the prejudices Of men by charging
the Judge with expressing those with
whom he deals. The chief fault which
the man of the AL. sees is that Mr..
Kennedy has succeeded in accumulat-
ing.a good share Of this worlds goods
by means, not precisely commendable.
The writer has been acquainted with
Judge Kennedy for many years and
has had ample opportunities to learn
the character of the man through his
dealings with men, and challenge the
Argus-Leader to find a man who can
point to single act wherein the judge
has overstepped the bounds of business
integrity and honesty as much as by
one single hairs breath.
Notwithstanding the utter un-
foundedness of this attack Mr.. Ken
nedy has not seen fit to enter into any
controversy with the AL; knowing
the statements to be false and also
knowing that those who are acquainted
with him know them to be such, he
makes no reply But as q citizen and
neighbor, I believe the exact facts
should be known, in order that none
may be deceived and the true purpose
of the Argus-Leader may be shown.
The one sin that the Argus-L Leader
sees in Mr.. Kennedy is that he has been
fairly successful in business and that
he has failed to give the AL. an exact
account as to how he has acquired his
property.
To those who know Mr. Kennedy
and who have had business transac-
tions with him no answer to such un.
just charges is necessary. It is only
euch as know him only through the
foul repor,s circulated by his enemies
who may be deceived If the Argus
Leader would take the pains to investi-
gate Mr.. Kennedy's business life, it
would very shortly retract its silly at
,acks upon his character.
A man who came 10 this county as
the poorest, who had faith in itssuccess
as farming locality, who therefore
when men of less accurate foresight
were deserving as fast as they could
procure the means to take their fami-
lies away; man who through all the
reverses incident to early settlement
and to which our county was especially
subjected. stuck to it and invested and
risked every dollar of his earnings in it;
who was one of the earliest settlers and
from that time has labored as persis-
tantly as any man in the county, such
a man ill deserves condemnation.
Mr.. Kennedy cast his fortunes with
that of the state. When others refused
to risk dollar in the soil he risked
every dollar he had. Had the farm
land in this county proven failure as
it did in other counties in the state, tho
Argus-L Leader would be left with no
grounds for. cruising the judge for
having been successful in accumulating
property. His calculations, however,
fortunately for us all, proved correct.
The state prospered and our county
proved itself to be the banner county
in the state. We all prospered with it
in proportion as we had faith in it and
in proportion as we had rlsked. Mr..
Kennedy had risked most end there
lies the whole criticism.
It is true Mr.. Kennedy has found it
necessary to rent his farms but no man
can say that he has ever exacted one
cent that any man however white and
just would not have taken. Many OF
his tenents have been with him as long
as twelve or fifteen years and more OF
them have bought the land which they
so long rented and know him to be the
most liberal and helpful land owner in
the county and no complaint is ever
heard from them We do not know
that Mr.. Kennedy is aspiring for polit-
ical honors, but it seems right and high
ly proper that no man who has lived a
STRAIGHTFORWARD, unassuming, useful
and upright life should be criticised for
no other reason than that he has been
successful. Mr.. Kennedy has shown
that he stands for the people on every
vital question that may come before
the next supreme court; upon the rail
road and liquor questions he is with
the people. This seems to be what the
Argus Leader does not like. Mr.. Ken
nedy has shown that his sympathies
are with the people and everv time
that questions of importance have been
before them he has stood out strongly
advocating their interests. This the
people, especially of this locality know
and should he come before them in the
next judicial campaign. we feel safe in
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