The pioneer-review. [volume] (Philip, Haakon County, S.D.) 1920-current, 1922-03-09
CARLSON & GOFF. Publishers
EGAN'S ATTACK UPON
THE STATE LODGE

George W. Egan, now in the
midst Of his fourth campaign for
Governor Of South Dakota, Is go
ing about the state propoundlng
certain questions for Governor Me-
Master to answer. Among them W.
notice this one:
will he explain why he iGov-
ernor McMaster) PERMITTED the
State Lodge costing $4,000 to
stand without insurance so that 1t
burned, a total loss to the people
then let contract to a Minnea-
polls firm to rebuild il at an ex-
pense Of Sl0O,OOO?'
This is fair sample of Egan !,
questions. 1t is not intended to
be answered by the Governor or
anyone else. 1t is simply hurled
out in large type or big voice
as so much political clap-trap, in
tended to appeal to the prejudices
OF untnlnklnR Folefs.
The State Game Keepers Lodge
did not in the first place cost
$4,000. 1t cost less than $4,000
as the records of the Game De
partment will show. 1t was built
entirely out of one license fees
charged the sportsmen OF the state
and did not cost the general tau
payers a single cent. 1t was not
insured, for the very simple rea-
son that the State of South Da
kota carries its own insurance, and
the law does not permit the in
surance Of public buildings in pri-
yate insurance companies. There
was just as much insurance OH the
Game Keepers Lodge as on the
State House at Pierre, the State
Fair buildings at Huron, or on any
other public building owned by
the state Mr.. Egan knew this
when he asked the question. He
knows also that this policy was
adopted by the legislature severai
years ago to save insurance pre-
miums; that more than $l50,0W
Of saved premiums has accumu-
lated. and the state has had onl.
this one loss of $4,000. Instead
OF being failure, the scheme has
thus far been great success.
The contract to rebuild the
Lodge is for S21 ,50O instead OF
100000. another matter Of record
The contract is let not to a Min
neapolis concern but to the Mar.
shall Engineering Company, i
South Dakota corporation organ
lied and owned by residents OF
South Dakota. 1t is the same con
sern that is putting in the sewer.
age system at Rapid City. and the
same concern that was awarded
the contract for extending the Phi
lip waterworks and installing 6
sewerage system for the City OF
Philip couple Of years ago. Mr.
Leverton. the manager of the con
Germ, formerly resident of Rapic
City, now a resident Of Deadwood
is known to half the people Of
Philip, we suppose. He was ir
town last week. and was mucr
amused at Egan's extravagant am
untruthful statement that the con
tract for rebuilding the Lodge was
approximately five times what il
really is.
Why does Egan make a state.
ment of this kind? Well, in the
first place. his campaign this time
is a wholesale attack upon the
West of the River Country, calcu.
lated to appeal to the prejudices
Of the farmers in the Eastern end
Of the state; SO he lamhasts the
Game Keepers Lodge, the State
Park, the Custer Sanitarium, the
State Highways and every thing
else west Of the River. Then. OF
course, it seemed good idea to
stir up South Dakota contractors
at 4 time when work is scarce. By
telling them that the contract to
rebuild the Lodge had been let to
Minneapolis concern.
Egan is man Of some talents
and IL he could only be honest. he
would make better race