Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1904-05-20
A MODERN REVIEW OF
OLD TINE POLITICS
Sam ElrOd Jumped Into PrOmi-
nence Away Back in TerritOr-
ial Days And Made a Mark
Then That Makes Him
Governor Now. 5

| Z d I y d.
The following political review is
taken from E. G Torrey's notes pub
lished in the Minneapolis Journal:
The campaign in South Dakota so far
as the republicans are concerned is all
over. Governor Herreid's plurality two
years ago was about $1,000. Mr. Elrod,
his successor, may have 80, 900 plurality
this year. This, too, in total vote Of
100000 or thereabouts Congressman
Burke, in his speech before the state
convention, said 35, 900 was none too
high an estimate Other party leaders
agree with him.
Before statehood and for some time
after it, everybody was republican in
South Dakota. It is about the same
thing now. The republicans have an
overwhelming majority. All that has
70 be done is to get out the vote The
republican committee needs do little
in this direction. The vote will be out
because of the campaign for the yemov-
al of the capital and because it is
presidential year. South Dakota has
had it's campaign in the canvass made
by Mr.. Crawford and in the efforts of
the organization men to checkmate him.
Aside from the capital removal fight,
the so-cailed campaign to come ought
to and probably will be pretty tame.
Disappointed as the Crawford men
were, not one left Sioux Falls who did
not feel that splendid candidate had
been nominated for governor. Elrod
was vouched for by every body as 9
clean. safe man, fully deserving of the
honor
It was recalled by Doane Robinson.
the poet laureate and historian of the
state, that Mr.. Elrod made his debut in
politics in territorial days, when in an
old trading warehouse at Pierre in 1884
he seconded the nomination of Mellette
for delegate in congress. Tom Eddy,
the silver tongued, had nominated Mel
lette, and the party leaders, including
Alex. Mckenzie, from all parts of what
is now North and South Dakota. were
there. Elrod was the protege of Mel
lette and came from Indiana with him.
Their friendship was Of the closest sort.
Mr.. Robinson says that Elrod's speech
was the event of the convention. He
was speaking for his best friend, and
he cut loose in Methodist camp.meet-
ing style that fairly took the conven-
ton by storm. He was strong Meth
odist even then, and he was but two
years from college, where he had
proved himself handy man in debate.
In his zeal for his friend he had laid
aside all embarrassment and dif6dence
as he would his coat and gave the vet
Grams of the political game q genuine
electric shock, while the spectators
who came to be entertained were
thrown into a fever of delirium. It
was great day for the young man
from Clark.
No less spectacular was his appear
ance in the so-called rump statehood
convention the following year in the
old opera house in Huron when he
nominated John E. Bennett for chief
justice Of the supreme court. He was
in the rear of the hall when he began
speaking, but with voice keyed to q
high pitch and arms flying above his
head he moved unconsciously down the
aisle until he reached the platform.
Then, without pause he turned and
moved his way back to the place of be.
ginning. Everybody declared that it
was as good as Methodist campmeet.
ing. Elrod went to the convention
comparatively unknown, but his zeal,
1.-The blind conductor of the will" made
him known to everyone. No one who
heard him make his speech of accept
ance at Sioux Falls last week will be.
lieve that these two pictures are over.
drawn. 9jo.5
Mr.. Elrod was always the faithful
lieutenant of Governor Millette. 1t
was quite natural that they should be
for Harrison for president, all being
Indianians. Mellette at that time was
chairman of the state or territorial
central committee and Elrod was sec.
retary Judge Moody was taken into
the partnership for the spread of the
Harrison propaganda and eventually
the territory was rounded up and at a
convention held at Jamestown ten del.
egates were elected to the national
convention under pledge to vote for
General Harrison for president. Or
dinarily but two delegates would have
been elected, but the members Of the
convention argued that South Dakota
was ripe for statehood and that the
party was committed to it and that as
state it was entitled to eight dele.
gates on the basis of two United States
senators and as many representatives.
That portion of the territory to be set
off as North Dakota was held entitled
to two delegates. making ten in all.
In the movement for division for
statehood Mr.. Elrod seconded every ef-
fort made by Governor Mellette. When
the populist wave set in MIR. Elrod