Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1910-06-10
VermiIllon, S. D., May 20, 1910.
l.. ID. Smith, Esq,
Hot SprinpS S d.

l.. ID. Smith, Esq,
Hot Springs, S. ID.
Dear Majo.: l had made up my
mind to say Othing about the ElrOd
speeches for publication as intended
to vote for him, believing him to be
the least of the three evils running
for governor, but see he is still re-
ported to be making the same false
Statements about my trying to get
his authority to discharge persons
from the home for drunkenness, and
his refusing to give it, and saying
that | wrote him twice for such
authority and went to Pierre to see
him about it, and his repeated refusals,
and that he told me to send the state
wagon for them when they got drunk.
OF course, you know this is all false,
that | was governed by the written
rules adopted by the Soldiers Home
board, and that these rules made it
my duty TO discharge members for
habtual drunkenness, and that |
consulted only these rules and the
welfare Of the home in determining
whether | should discharge member
from the home or not. Ii l had con-
suited anybody | could not have con-
suited the governor without diScOur-
teSy to the board who were the reSpOn-
81 ible managers of the home and who
were responsible for my appointment,
and for my conduct as cOmmandant
of the Home. l never tried to shift
my responsibility for the enforcement
of the rules onto anybody else's
shoulders If had felt the need Of
consulting any authority beyond the
rules Of the home, | would have gone
to the board while in session and ask
ed them to change or modify the
rules.
never in my life consulted with
Governor Elrod about any authority
to discharge members, nor did l ever
write him on the subject, nor did he
ever write me on the subject, All his
letters to him officially, ought to be,
and probably are, on file in the gov
ernor's office at Pierre. | will pay a
premium for any such letter or letters
written by me to him or by him to
me.
l see by yesterdays Argus Leader
received by me today, that he repeat
ed the false nonsense at ElktOn in
recent speech. Of course you know
| never sent the state team after
drunken men to bring them to the
home to annoy old, worn and well-be-
haved men, but that l did sometimes
take drunken, boisterouS men out of
the home and send them to the city
marshal with the state team.
THOMAS M. GODDARD.
Andrew Il. I'wedt, resident of
Union county, but so close to Nor
way township that the county line is
all that keeps him from being a voter
in this county. Andrew was In town
last Saturday and favored the LEAD
Err with a call and renewal sub
scription. He is a progressive farmer
and a hustler besides.
George W. Egan spoke to large
crowd at Moe Sunday afternoon. He
talked about good citizenship and the
better life through morality and
christianity. He returned from Moe
in the evening, took supper at the
Rudolph, and went to Lennox and
spoke at night and closed remarka-
BILE campaign at Sioux Falls Monday
evening with 24O speeches to his cred
it..
Hallett M. Mills, who is living on
the Cooper farm northwest of town,
IS the gentleman who lost the ele
phant knife in the cemetery where
he was planting flowers Memorial
day. He saw the notice in the LEAD
Err and called Saturday for his big
knife, and concluded that it was a
good idea to have the LEADER and he
became subscriber. Mr.. Mills is
progressive young farmer from Central
Iowa, and has as fine bunch Of
thoroughbred Duroc-Jersey pigs as
can be found in the county.