Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1903-12-10
CA. CRANE TALKS
Chairman Of Republican State Cen
trail Committe Interviewed
at Deadwood
An Authoritative Statement Re
garding His Political
Attitude

While OH his recent trip to the Slack
Hills Frank Crane was interviewed bya
Deadwood Pioneer Times reporter and |
the following interesting column was
the result:
IL am not a candidate for governor
and am not going to be" said Frank
Crane, chairman of the republican state
central committee and clerk OF the SUI
preme court, while in Deadwood yester-
day. You have authority to make
this assertion for me, he continued. Il
have never denied the report before,
although understand it has been go
ing some weeks. | was rather back
ward about saying much OF anything
about it for fear someone might tell me |
had not yet been accused OF being
candidate. You are at liberty, howes- |
er, to quote me at this time.
4 Il am satisfied with the position that
lhold at present, as clerk of the SUI
preme court. Although there is not as
much money in it as there is i'll the
office of governor, the governor has
more troubles to contend with than the
clerk of the supreme court and guess
it is about standotf.
MIR. Crane said he and Mrs, Crane had
come to the Black Hills simply for
visit with Mr.. and Mrs. Phillips, and
that there was no politics under con-
sideration. When asked concerning the
various persons in the eastern part OF
the state spoken of as possible candl- /
dates for governor, Mr. Crane said: ''Ihe
boys over in our part OF the state have
been joshing Arthur Keen. OF the Jour
nai-Worid, published at Huron, for
announcing Coe Crawford for governor.
The fact the journal World has never
quoted Mr. Crawford as declaring him
self for the office, while at the same
time the paper has been advancing his |
name for the position, has occasloned
some amusement in consideration OF the |
fact that they are almost touching ea-
bows and the paper could readily ob.
tain Afr. Cruwforl's affirmation or de.
,lial. However, see by the Argus
Leader, since have been In DeadWood
that Nit. Crawford il soon to hold u
public meeting at Huron. at which
time he will declare himself
When asked If there we're any other
candidates in the field, Mr.. Crane said
Col. A. j. Green hud been mentioned
by some OF the papers. "Dut ! do not
know whether Uncle Joe is going to be
candidate or not" Mr. Crane further
observed. "Our Uncle Joe hiss been
and is making money in the land busi
hess and do not know that he is ready
for a change just at present.
aAs matter of fact 1t is rather early
for any announcements to be made. A
man may loom up now and obscure the
political horizon, aud when the spring
sun comes and the robins begin to nest
the thing may be entirely different.
"There is not much politics being
talked over the state. The people are
too busy making money. South Dako-
ia has never been as prosperous as at
present and do not believe the people
have ever been SO we'll satisfied, politi-7
caily md every other way. AS for the
chances of the republican party, l do
not believe the party has ever been
stronger in the state. = s 81
Mr. Crsae says he has not heard much
of the capital fight about Pierre and he
does not believe there is much agitation
OH either side at present. The people
of Pierre, as well Us those all over that
part of the state, are succeeding in
business aud are absorbed with this to
the exclusion Of capital removal or.
political questions.
aIt is singular that South d D,kota has
escaped the financial aud stock crashes
that have occurred iii the east" LII
speaking Of business conditions y Mr. :.
Crane said: sThe only industry III the
state that has been affected is the live
stock industry. presume this is ow-
ing to the drop III the price OF cattle. It
is diiiicn.t to believe the figures given
representing the great volume Of busi-
ness transacted III land within the state
during the last two years. Trainload
after trainioad OF people have come
into Pierre, and, although | have not
4 been at Chamberlain. l understand the
same condition IL true there. 'ahese
people have come into the state to pur-
chase or flle on land. and many hund-
reds Of thousands of acres have been
/ involved.
Speaking Of his home town, " ater-