Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1904-04-22
CRAWFORD ALREADY BEATEN.
May Become an Independent
Democratic Fusion BOlter
Candidate for
Governor.

|
ford movement is just beginning tt
take force in this state and that tn,
men who are behind this movement are
determined to secure control of the pol
itical machinery Of South Dakota.
There is money behind the movement
and should the effort 10 nominate Mr.
Crawford for governor at the republi
can convention fail, he will become the
candidate of a separate and destincI
organization from the repu blicap party
and enter the campaign upon the plat
form which he has advocated and there
will be funds in sufficient amount al
his disposal to make his candidacy for.
midable.
This is not suspicion. The Catarac,
has the information from source
which cannot very we'll be questioned
and which is reliable.
r. o. Richards of Huron, who is Mr..
Crawford's chief lieutenant, will ex.
pend $4,000 of his own money in the
effort to elect Mr.. Crawford and DR..
Klavenis of Brookings, president Of the
Scandinavian league, will put in as
much more. Mr. Richards is wealthy
and his family are possessed of consid-
erable fortune. He has political ambi.
tions of his own and it is asserted by
people who are in position to know that
he is at liberty to draw upon the larger
fortune for campaign funds.
1t is the plan of the Crawford party
to put the republican party in the state
on record in the forthcoming conven-
ton and to make a herculean attempt
to have MIR. Crawford nominated for
governor. Failing in that he will be-
come an independent candidate and
will have the support of large number
of old line populists in the state. 1t is
also asserted that certsin element OF
the democratic party favors the idea of
indorsing Crawford for governor and
that if this can be accomplished com.
pensation to the democrats will coma
in the way of appointment to certain
state Offices OF democrats who have
espoused the Crawford cause.
Should the republicans show toe
strong front at the convention the idea
of having Crawford nominated by a pc
tition will possibly materialize and the
democrats at their state convention will
endorse his candinacy and not make a
nomination for governor. By follow
ing out this program it will be possible
for ex Senator Pettigrew to endorse the
Crawford move and become once more
identified with the republican party:
This plan will have the support OF
certain newspapers in the state and
will be sprung upon the people soor
after the republican convention is held
in this city next month,
It has been practically announced
that Mr. Hearst will not be nominated
for the presidency by The democratic
national convention and that Judge
Parker, who is said to be the ideal Of
the democratic, trusts will be the nomi
nee. The failure to nominate Hears
will make it possible for q great many
South Dakota men who are now posing
as democrats to indorse the Crawford
movement aud the ombinatlon against
the republicans will be complete. The
Scandinavian republican league is re-
ceiving new members every day.
This is the story which comes from 6
Scandinavian in Sioux Falls and he
probably knows whereof he speaks
He has been asked 10 become member
of the Scandinavian league and for Ger
tain reasons has declined.