The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1904-08-05
ANOTHER VERSION
Mr.. Aldrfcl writes to Mr.. Doc.
Icy and Refresles the
Latlcr's Memory
Big Stone, s. D., August 2. 1904.

Big Stone, s. D., August 2, 1904
William F. Rabbit, Milbank, s. D.
Sir: Your favor dated July 25th, but mailed
the afternoon of July 27th, and received at Big
Stone July 2Sth the day after last week q Head
light wac printed, was received by me upon my
return Sunday morning, after weeks absence.
1t was addressed to me personally and therefore
was unopened until my arrival.
Pursuant to your plans this gave the other
county papers an opportunity to publish be-
fore could DO so, and gave your personal organ
| an opportunity to comment in it's usual style
upon its non-appearance in this paper last.
week.
publish your letter, for what it is worth, in
this weeks Issue. 1t is conceded in advance
that You and Mr.. Liggett made the working
agreement which you claim. This hae never
been disputed, but you are indebted to your
imagination rather than to your memory for the
alleged facts you put forth.
The real and actual occurrences are eubetan.
TALLY as follows: Sometime previous to the
convention Of 1900 you and another gentleman
drove out to Mr.. Liggett's houee in Alban to
confer with him. This was done on your own
motion and before Mr. Ligget had heard of
your candidacy. Mr.. Liggett never wrote you q
letter in his life.
You did not find hi at home, but later when
he was in Milbank one day, Mr.. Runge told him
that you desired to see him and directed him to
you. You at that time proposed to MIR. Liggett
that you and he enter into an agreement that
whichever one Of you had the lowest vote on the
first ballot in the coming convention should
withdraw in favor Of the other.
Mr.. Lggett declined to make the agreement
at that time and you pressed the after, stating
that Mr.. w. c. Hicks, who was also a candidate,
wanted to make such agreement with you,
but that you preferred to go in with Mr. Liggett
if possible. Mr.. Liggett still declined, and it
not until after several subsequent meetings
that the arrangement was mutually consented
to. You say it had my approval, but l never
knew of it until it had been made.
You also in error in saying that you had
the pledges Of the Aban delegation. Mr.. Moser's
statement to you was that unless Mr.. Liggett
was a candidate. they would probably support
you.
After making this agreementwith Mr.. Liggett,
on the day Of the convention you approached
several country delegates, who were personal
friends of both Mr. Liggett and yourself, but
who were supporting Mr., Liggett, and told
them that you had no possible chance of being
nominated. and that MIR. Liggett had clear
majority, but that you would appreciate it very
much if they would give you a complimentary
vote on the first ballot, which they kindly con,
| sented to do.
The result Of the arat ballot was to give you
| a few votes more than Mr. Liggett had, and>true
| 10 his word, and much to the regret Of his
| friends he withdrew in your favor.
| The "dirty politics" referred to in the item
| in the Headlight lay in these two facts, one Of
which your letter entirely ignores. First, that
you yourself took the initiative IN securing the
agreement with Mr.. L,ggett: and second, that
You deliberately and knowingly made false
statements to certain Of Mr.. Liggetts sup
porters, to cause them to give you what they
| thought was friendly courtesy, but what you
knew at the time to be the votes, which, under
your mutual agreement, would decide the nom
ination.
Doubtless in the Chicago barrel.h house pre-
| cincts this sort OF thing is merely good pol
itics, but in the green felds and suDehlne of
South Dakota we call things by their right
names, and that is what Mr. Gamble did in con-
versation with me Immediately after the con-
vention.
am sorry that you take advantage of his
absence to refer to him as your ''close personal
and political frend.' Never speak il Of those
who are gone, William.
l say nothing Of your double dealing with the
Bentley faction at this convention. Their
anathemas were loud and deep, and II they
cared to testify, some interesting evidence
could be brought out.
Today, in your thirst for power, you
fighting men who stood b., you in 1900 In spite
Ofmisgiving, and men who dragged you through
to victory in 1902 in spite OF your personal and
political record. When Mr.. LiggeGt discovered
your petfdy in 1900 he still stood by his word of
honor as a man and gave you his hearty support,
and in 1902, when your personal habits had made
you a by word and u reproach to the party which
had elevated you to your present position, Mr.
Liggett, with the rest of us, still shut his eyes.
held his nose-and swallowed.
write you thus frankly because your letter
| seems TO demand it. The republicans Of Grant
colnty ought to appreciate all You have done
for the party, and doubtless would If their atten-
tion were called to it. Little did the rank and
file Of Grant county republicans dream, as they
lay in their peaceful and virtnons couches when
your feet first struck the right Of way at Twin
Brooks. that one was among them who would be
able in time to accomplish wonderful works, one
who would be able to restore to the ranks OF
the grand old party such confirmed populists
and democrats as F. b. Roberts, Geo. Middle.
brook, j. B. Stone and others too numerous to
mention. FOR all this you have our thanks, and
yet we feel that possibly, in view Of the position
of many good ctizens. that IT is wrong to do
come things which you have done, that your
ambition to become the dictator Of the repub-
lican party Of Grant county ought not 70
be encouraged.
II we should bring forth from time to time
certain facts which would appear to eupport us
in this view of this case l trust you may feel
that it is done in order to give the people :
chance to choose with their eyes ,eu, and Tor
the best interests Of the county - well % the
party. Yours truly,
IRwIN D. ALDnIcM.
Protection Our Proper Pcruaa-
nent Policy
ic tho t{tlo ~ <h<~ ~A~~.A !.