Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1906-11-02

l IdhOld WIN "NS !"
Price on the stump or read OF him as
a soldier, statesman and a Dakota
boomer.
The Colonel was a son Of Governor
Hiram Price of Iowa, and was Col
onel OF the 18th Iowa Infantry during
the war in which he made a splendid
record.
He had been much in official life
before coming to Dakota Territory,
but the pioneer days had no terrors
for him. He could rough 1t or he
could don the evening dress OF a dip
lomat with equal satisfaction and
pleasure. He was at home anywhere
and a boon companion, jovial and ell
PERTAINING, and as a traveller had seen
much of the old world.
He took great delight in political
campaign work and was a fluent
speaker and was self satisfied that
there were few better or even as good
speakers il the old territory as him
self.
The writer enjoyed the friendship
of the gallant Colonel and while he
was serving as a member in h last
territorial legislature at Bismarck,
we watched him when he began his
famous speech by which he expected
to carry the vetoed soldiers home bill
over Gov. Church's veto, but he never
finished that great effort, as the fol
lowing explanation will show:
Judge Aikens, now of Sioux Falls,
but then a member of the House
from Canton, was leading in the fight
to secure the establishment Of a sold
iers home at Hot Springs. Pierre
wanted the home, and a great many
old soldiers were opposed to the es-
Establishment of a home at all, and
were active in trying to defeat the
measure.
DR.. Stewart OF Hot Springs was the
champion of the Home bill, and to
him more than anyone else is due the
credit for the location Of the home
where it is. "Old Shady" Lucas used
to tell how he got the home years
after, but Lucas never cared much
for the truth anyway, as he had no
connection with home fight whatever.
He stole the popularity of the act to
boost himself.
The home bill vas vetoed by Gov.
Church, and he had considerable help
from veterans in the legislature who
claimed that there never would be
any need or a veterans home In Da.
kota. The veterans were younger
then than now, and couldn't sea the
days of old age and infirmities and
sickness.
The bill was passed in the lower
house, and then came the Governors
veto.
Judge Aikens realized that the only
safety for the success of the bill was
in a quiet, earnest effort without
speeches, but Col. Price who was a
strong friend of the bill, wanted to
show his colleagues that he had trav-
eled all over Europe and had visited
soldiers homes everywhere and told
Judge Aikens that he was going to
make a set speech on the question by
which he hoped to sweep all opposi-
tion aside. Judge Aikens reasoned
with and told him that a long speech
on the question would produce OPP
position from those backing the veto,
and the defeat of measure was almost
certain. This made no change In the
Colonel'S opinion as to his ability to
defeat the veto, besides he wanted to
tell his farmers alliance friends how
much he had seen in his travels.
Judge Aikens told him fatty that he
shouldn't make that speech. and the
Colonel laughed.
The question of the passage of the
bill over the veto came up and Judge
Aikens was getting the measure in
shape for a vote when: "Mr. Speak
er,n said Col. Price, and he began his
talk that was to save the bill In his
opinion. The Colonel told of his
travels through Germany, Austria,
Turkey, Italy, Spain and was getting
in shape to tell about the wonders of
the old soldiers home In Paris, when
Judge Aikens, who sat within two
feet OF the speaker, looked up in his
face for a moment with that peculiar
depression for which he is noted when
the limit Of endurance is reached,
and said, "Oh, Rats" loud enough
for the house and gallary to hear.
The effect was instantaneous. The
Colonel stopped, and looked at the
Judge In blank amazement, then at
the speaker and sat down. Every
body smiled and waited for the next
move. Judge Aikens called for a vote
and 1t was taken and the soldiers
home bill was saved and passed over
the governors veto by a very narrow
margin,
The success of the bill did much to
relieve the Colonel Of his embarrass-
ment, although he chad it in" for the
Judge for a long time.
During a session Of the territorial
legislature at Bismarck when Judge
Keith of Sioux Falls was speaker of
the House, an interesting event took
place on the floor under a sscaM of the
house, It was during the passage
of a bill demanded by the Farmers
Alliance, and at a critical moment an