Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1900-12-20

Colonel Lee Slower, whose picture
is given above, is recognized as one
of the coming men of South Dakota.
To be a prominent candidate for the
United States senate at 80 years of
age does not often fall to the lot of
man and is evidence of ability of a
high order.
Colonel Slower was born on a farm
in Iowa county, Iowa, and had the
usual experiences of a farmers boy
until he was old enough to go to
school. He early displayed those
traits of character which has made
him a leader among men. He was
graduated from the public and high
schools of Marriage, Iowa, and was
also graduated from the law depart
ment of the state university of Iowa,
with a degree of L. L. B. During
the Blaine campaign he took his first
active interest in politics and organ
lied and drilled the twenty-five hun
dred university students as Blaine
clubs and became president of the
marching clubs. He was a delegate
to the national convention of Repub-
lican leagues that year and his name
vas urged by the young Republicans
as candidate, for presidential elector.
Immediately after graduation Col.
Slower formed a law partnership with
Hon. c. x. Seward of WATERFOWL,
where he gained an enviable repu-
tation as a lawyer. He was elected
states attorney in 1892 by the largest
majority ever given a Republican in
Codington county, and was appoint
ed register of the WATERFOWL land
Office by President Mckinley, ON
April, LIST, 1893. When war was de-
clared with Spain, Col. Slower re-
signed his federal position, paying
three thousand dollars a year, and
rendered his services to his country.
He was appointed liutenant colonel
of the South Dakota volunteers, and
as such served during the war in the
Philippines.
When the First South Dakota vol
unteer regiment was transported to
Manila it was divided into two sec
tons. Col. Slower was selected to
command one section which consisted
of eight hundred and thirty enlisted
men, and they were transported on
the st. Paul,
Col. Slower was the only junior
officer that had commanded a trans
port up to hat time, and on arrival
at Honolulu, disembarked his troops
and they went into camp in front of
the old loyalist barracks, being the
first American troops to land in the
Hawaiian islands. The st. Paul
was n of the few transports carry
ing troops about whose passage there
was no scandal and among whose
troops there were no deaths. AS the
rations were not satisfactory, and the
St. Paul carried other supplies, Col.
Slower unhesitatingly ordered several
thousand dollars worth of these sup.
plies issued as army rations. When
these reports were reported to the
general commanding, he called fol
Col. Slower and asked for his bill oi
health, and when it was shown that
no sickness and no deaths had oc.
cured on the St. Paul, the genera
answered, "That is all, sir
Col. Slower commanded the ont.
post where the first attack was mad,
by the Filipinos, where he handled
his troops with great coolness an6
bravery. He participated in ever,
battle and skirmish and was with hi,
troops for one hundred and twenty
five days and nights on the firms
line. In battle, as in camp he was !
model officer, brave and r~esourceful
never asking his troops to 90 wher,
he would not lead the way. A stricr
disciplinarian, he was respected ant
loved by all his command.
The Colonel comes from fghtins