Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1898-10-07
PETTIGREw.

Sen ATOR PETTIGREW.
Hot Springs has reason to feel most
kindlya and STRAIGHTFORWARD Senator Pet
tigrew for the splendid work he has
done toward securing the National
Sanitarium for this place. No one can
ever doubt his great hustling qualities,
and the success that usually follows
his efforts when he goes after anything
for his constituents. In that capacity
Senator Pettigrew stands with few SUI
periors. For that reason he was &C
corded a good audience Monday night.
But the audience was not as enthusi-
astic rs many that have before assem-
bled in Hot Springs to hear political
discussions. The trouble seems to be
that the Senator unfortunately has
very poor health and has become dys-
peptic and cross-ways toward every
thing. Nothing goes right any more
according to his notions, and he is
about as rantankerous as is possible to
become and it seems to be we'll in line
with the fellow who was sferninst the
government If corporations, monop-
olies, trusts, etc, have about got con-
troll of everything, as Mr.. Pettigrew
seeks to make people believe, he is
about as guilty for it as any one IN the
state, for everybody who has lived long
In South Dakota knows very we'll that
until about two years ago Pettigrew
was about the biggest political boss
the west yer knew of and whatever he
said went. He dictated oven down to
a good many county conventions.
When he was at Pierre looking after
his reelection to the U. 8. senate in
1895, he was with the representatives
of the railroads most of the time,
and roomed with the Northwestern
railroad attorney. In fact he didn't
seem to have much use for anybody
but the railroad people, just as he had
always done in his long political ca
reer. He was elected, returned to
Washington, and then he says that he
telegraphed to some member of the
legislature to 'spass a railroad bill" It
may be that he did, but it was purely a
grand stand play, for it was entirely
out of harmony with his previous
course-and associates. The republi-
can party was tired of Senator
Pettigrew's dictation and his methods.
In fact such men as Judge Palmer,
Loucks, Mellette, and other honest,
foremost men of the state had never
liked Pettigrew's methods and his po-
litical course, and had nearly always
opposed him. Finally in 1896 when
Pettigrew had SO much difficulty in
even being elected as a delegate to the
National convention he realized that
his political bossism was coming to an
end in the republican party, and that
it was an opportune time for him to
make a change. Then he walked out
of the st. Louis convention and joined
the other party, hoping that then he
might continue his lifelong methods
OF dictation-and he is meeting with
pretty good success, for everything he
says goes in the democratic party, just
as it used to in the republican party.
But they will tire of that kind of rui.
ing and will turn the cold shoulder on
him, or quit the party, just as Loucks
has done-and, by the way. he quit this
republican party on account of Petit
grewism.
Personally this writer enjoys Senu-
tor Pettigrew's acquaintance and
friendship: we admire his tireless ener-
~ and his wonderful success in secur.
ing special legislation for his constitu-
ents in the way of public buildings
appropriations, etc. He is IL shrewd,
sharp schenler, who knows pretty we'll
how to meet those of his own class in
the U. s. senate. But politically his
ways have been varied and his methods
long ago questionable. He is IL shrewd
manipulation ever in his speech-mak-
ing, and his political practices for
years availeth him upon the stump.
He knows how to catch the unwary.
Pettigrew is Il smoothe politician in
deed-and is mot to be sneezed at"
4 II JNV1yr11N A W. 49,