The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1898-11-04
RRIEE MEMr.nA. h-:..
A WORD BEFORE ELECTION.

South Dakota will be called upon to select county and state Of
dcers for the coming two years. A more important contest
than the one just closing has never been fought in the politi-
cal history of South Dakota, and the voter may we'll ponder
over the issues at stake before he casts his ballot. This is
the duty of every good citizen, regardless of party! AS chi-I
zens and taxpayers of this county and state our interests are
Identical. What benefits one benefits all and it is vitality
important that officials be chosen who will look after the
wants of the COMMON PEOPLE of the state! "Under God
the people rule is the mot to of South Dakota. Let it be
an actual condition and not a theory,
But coming down to state issues The UNION calls upon
all into whose hands this paper may fall to consider a few
facts, South Dadota has seen two years of silver admin
tstration. To-day it has as a result the Iowa railroad law,
sustained by the courts. This had been promised for seven
years, but not until a silver legislature was elected in 1896 was
it secured, 1t viii be sustained by the United States SUI
prcn1e courts and go into effect-a glorious victory for the
people over railroad robbery! Ever since the admission of
South Dakota into the Union the state debt piled higher each
day, each hour, until the people realized that it's growth must
cease. Two years under a silver state administration has
seen that debt not only stop growing, but it has been REDUCED
$377, 900. For the first time in the history of the state the
corporations have found their equals in a silver governor and
railway commissioners and the record made calls for the en-
dorsement of every South Dakotan who has the interest of the
people at heart.
What Of the republican ticket? The UNION will only
speak the truth, for there in plenty of truth to tell. The
republican candidate for governor Kirk G. Phillips) denied
that the railways and other corporations should bear their
their just share of taxation! He was nominated by railway
cappers at the Mitchell convention and railroad money is be-
ing spent to secure his election. AS treasurer of South
Dakota during the past two years he has received as interest
on state money deposited in banks over S35,OO0 and appro-
prlated this money to his own use. It is the PEOPLES
MONEY and belongs to the state-but is in Kirk Phillips
pockets instead. and HE HAS NEVER U IT! The
republican candidate for secretary of state CIV. H. Rodd1e)
stands convicted Of having un!awfully taken several hundred
mittee at Pierre. Though the attorney general has ruled
that Roddle had no right to the money, he still holds it and re-
fuses to return the funds unlawfully taken.
The rest of the republican state ticket was also named at
railroad ticket. Over 100000 of corporation money has been
spent to elect the republican state ticket. Are the corpora
tons spending this money to elect men who will serve the tax
payers OF South Dakota, or are they spending this money to
secure a state administration to do their bidding? Think
the matter over. If the election of the republican ticket
will best serve the interests of the corporations, how can it
serve the interests of the taxpayers of this state? The is
sue is, Shall the railroads or the people rule in South Dakota,
and there is no getting away from it, Elect the republican
ticket and you do the railways bidding! Will you do it?
Ihe voters OF Pennington county are so familiar with the
present administrator of county affairs that little more need