The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-03-26
From a Staff Corresnondent.

From a Staff Correspondent.
Sioux Falls, S. D., March ca" Once
upon time,'' as the story books say,
the political campaigns in this state
were conducted in the good old-fash-
Toned way. That is to say, there was
no campaign proper until the parties
had duly met in convention and pre-
sented their candidates and platforms.
Then, in the fall, generally after. most
of the heavy farm work was ont of the
way, the spellbinder and the organizer
toured the state. Candidates went the
rounds to meet the people. Headquar-
tiers were opened by the party commit
teemen and speakers from abroad were
bb eWse In be na Tas 5s ah orc taks
procession and the barbecue were fea-
lures of these strenuous rallies.
Now all this is changed in South Da-
kota.N 1t is no longer a contest be-
tween the parties. There is but one
party-the republican. At the last elec-
ton the democrats cast only 24,G2
votes for g ey Hs1 while the republl-s
ton of republican factionalism and all
the differences revolve about the poll
cies and methods of government Of the
dominant party. Most Of the cam
paigning therefore naturally comes be
fore and not after the conventions of
the parties. A nomination is equivalent
to an election. Who shall administer
the affairs Of the state, enjoy the re-
wards and emoluments of party politics
biennial period are matters which are
conclusively settled and put away be
fore the campaigns i'll other states are
| under way. .-.-
Greek Meets Greek. s
This change from the battle of the
| parties to the battle of the factions has
in no wise diminished the strenuonsnesSs
of the engagement. The average South
Dakotan must have his political excite
ment ard it is question if he doesn t
"get more for his money! under the
present order of things than under the
old. Boiled down, it is the same old
| fight, anyway-the offices. The ms
want to stay in and the ''outs' want
to get in. = ~,
For month or more now the cam
paign Of republican factionalfsm has
been in progress. All the evidences OF
the average campaign are to be seen
the candidate: appealing to the people
from the public platform, the country
band, the male quartet, the thoro organ
| ization down to precinct committeeman
the printing and circulating of cam
paign literature and the pleasantrles
between the newspapers of the fac
lions. it might be supposed there would
be less of charge and cOuntercharge
than under the former system. This Is
not the case, however. The republican
hand is lifted against the republican
head with a menace and fierceness sci
dom outdone when the parties lined uE
their champions for battle.
= machine Defends and Attacks,
+ Both sides-the machine and the anti
machine men-are confident of CONTROL
ing the state convention. The leading
Representatives of both speak with such
candor and positiveness that little room
is left to doubt their sincerity.
The machine men seem to be the
easiest in mind, however. They recall
the claims, never realized upon, of the
"insurgcnts two years ago. They
point with much satisfaction to the rec
| ord of the four years of administration
under Governor Herreid, the choice Of
the machine. and the first year of Gov
ernor Elrod' IS term. They defy the
"outs - to point to a case Of maladmin
istration or scandal in office. They in
sist that Governor Elrod and all thu
first terlners are entitled to renomina
tiGn. They do much more than this
They aggressively attack the record il
and out OF office OF Mr.. Crawford, an(
of Mr.. Hall and others who would over
throw the machine. But, tho entrenchet
in office and flushed with the success o:
many campaigns, they are not taking
any chances in the work in hand. They
are looking to every loophole. Every
foct of 1ebatable territory is receiving
tho personal attention of some master
hand. -s-}
War on the Bosses.
The insurgents are waging their cam
} paign against alleged bossism and cor
poration influence in the affairs of tn,
state. Their methods are largely educa
tional. They have some of the bes
public speakers and their writer's hav,
prepared much literature for the voters
Their campaign is more or less of hap
hazard affair, effective in some place
and absolutely unorganized in others. I,
this respect they are at great disad
vantage. ..#.
Machine men frankly concede tina
, their opponents are stronger than the,
were two years ago. Mr.. Crawford, the;
say, is no stronger, but Senator Gambl
had added some strength in the south
t eastern part of the state. But the,
) are less and less disturbed by the coali