The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-09-16
CLOSE FIGURING IN SOUTH DAKOTA.
A Poor Field for Political Prophecies This
Year-The Canvass In the State.

South Dakota was one OF the States that
Bryan carried In 1898, but II was one which
gave him the smallest plurality, isa votes.
There were at that time $4,000 electors In
South Dakota and the disparity between the
two parties on the Presidency. automatically
expressed. was twenty-three one-hundredths
81 1 per cent. There has been only one State
election since. the result OF which threw very
little light on the political sentiment OF the
State. for while the Fusion CANDIDATE for Gov
ernor was elected by a plurality OF $40 votes.
the Republicans elected the other State officers.
This year the difficulty OF any prophecy upon
the result OF the election in this close State Is
Increased by the fact that during the last four
years there has been a heavy Immigration into
South Dakota, and I is this big influx OF new
voters that make pred ctious din ult.
south Dakota Is a farming State rerins az
cellsnt opportunities for immigrants from those
Fu- pean countries which are similar IN ci-
matte conditions 20 II. and since 1900 thee has
b en- a steady inflow OF Germans, y andinavians
and English and Scotch immlgrnnt@ into South
Dakota. The conditions OF suffrage In South
Dakota are VERY favorable 10 newcomers. Only
six months residence in the STATE and only ten
days residence in a voting Trecinct ar" required
a. a condition Of suffrage. and aliens who have
declared their intention to become citizens are
qualifsd to vote, Under these circumstances
there are a considerable number Of voters in
South Dakota of whose probable political action
no safe prophecy can be made. as the margin Of
majority on either side is very small. and new
ldNlblA AAl' Ohf 'ohAAA 81 ANhA ' va
dhera are hfty-two counties in South DakotR)
would completely change the result.
Practically there are three 'gh's in progress
In South Dakota, one on ,Pre~idental electors;
one on Governorshlp and one on the United
States senator hip, The term OF r. 7. Petit
grew, first elected in 1850 and reelected In 1895.
GUS fi.sht to succeed himself having the sup
port OF some former REPUBLICANS. Though
elected bv r 'puhlicans, he afterw ard Joined he
silver part and still later allied himself with
tn PouuIi-ts. The Republos0s OF re State.
are making "A vigorous fight to defeat
him for reelection. and in some parts OF the
shadow The fight for Presidential electors. FIR
Governor the Republicans have nominated
Charlie Herried. aud the Democrats. with
nomir nted b. Hen. Gov Lee has been
nominated by the Fus .onists for Congress and
against him tho Republican, have renominated
Charles n. Burke. one OF their, present mem
vacancy there are two Representatives in Com
gross frow South Dakota chosen by the State
a. lsrGal Eben Martin Of Deadwood The Demo-
cratic candidate for the other vacancy lsJoseph
South Dakota is not only a close STATE, but
IN xed" Sta'A in lis politics. IL has two United
Pettigrew). who acted with the Democrats in
oil important matters in the last session. and an
other. Ky'e. who Is a Populi-t, and a candidate
again { Gen. Weaver for the nomination to the
and invariably votes with the Rcpulllcans.
These are hut two illustrations OF the REGULAR
political divisions which exist In South Dakota.
and which are accounted for f. rart by the fact
that the state Is a new" one. not ONLY In re-
speci TO the date Of its admission a. such. but
because constant changes have been made since
foreign immigrants and others immigr nts
from other States. South Dakota has four cleo
t0ral votes AID II will he no surprise to some
persons II Mckinley received two OF them and