The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1906-05-03

of the convention it was rumored that
Berg was to withdraw his name for
the nomination, the question was,
what is the matter with Berg, and
why does he withdraw, and the ques-
ton all over the state, especially with
his Scandinavian friends, has been
why did he Withdraw? But the ques-
ton has remained unanswered to my
satisfaction, until | recently received
from a gentleman of unquestioned in
tegrity of character a letter, of which
the following is a copy, except the sig
nautre of the writer, which | withhold
for the present:
Gen. S. J. Conklin,
Clark, S. ID.
Dear SIR
In reference to Berg's candidacy /
will tell what l absolutely know. |
was present together with Mr.. Berg,
Senator Kittridge, and Will Morris,
Berg's manager, at a conference in
Sioux Falls, during the last state con
vention. 1t was at that conference
that Senator Kittridge informed Berg,
that they had decided t. turn him down,
and nominate Elrod. Mr.. Berg said to
1T so, III oupSLuiItt 40 lOllO"o.
You know, Senator, that | did not
desire to become a candidate for gov.
ernor, and that it was only at your
personal solicitation that | finally con.
scented to run, with assurance from you
that you and your friends would
help me to a nomination" Sen
ator K~ittridge acknowledged the truth
of the assertion. Mr.. Berg then men
| tinnnl thn fa,t thot ln haI sNnpt mann
ly a thousand dollars in making the
campaign. Kittridge assured him that
he should be reimbursed. Crane, who
was chairman of the state committee
at Pierre, a year ago this winter, as
serted that a thousand dollars of cam
paign Mnd had peer sent to Sphinx
county. No such amount was received
by any republican organization in that
county; and a few weeks prior to his
death Mr.. Berg assured me that he
had never received any money to re.
imburse him. Mr.. Berg died on the
first day of August last"
Mr.. Berg was a man Of retiring and
modest department, of few words, and
of that keenly sensitive nature that
would take to heart any reflection upon
his public or private character. He
could not well explain to the thousands
of men who had known him favorably
and to his w c%Ountrymen as well,
who had proudly anticipated seeing a
Scandinavian, governor of the state,
how he had been wronged and out
ragged. He returned to his duties at
Pierre, but his cheerful smile was gone
and his cheerful greeting missed; he
uttered no word of complaint. In a
few days he was taken sick and re.
turned to his Redield home, and in
a few months from the time he
was dealt that cruel and heartless blow
at Sioux Falls, he died-died beyond
all question in my mind of a broken
heart-broken by the South Dakota
corporate political machine.
TURNING Down OF II PRIMARY PETI-
TON.
The people of this state have all
heard, and you and know, that a pc
tition signed by over 5000 voters, law
full citizens of this state, and bearing
the official approval of the attorney
general of this state and O. G. Berg,
secretary Of state, was presented in a
constitutional manner to the legisla-
ture, asking the legislature to submit
to q vote of the people, the primary
election law suggested by the petition,
as the constitution of the state pro-
vided should be done in such case.
You and | know that a conspiracy
was entered into weeks before the last
legislature met, to turn down hat pc
tition, no matter what shape it came
in; that it was to be defeated at all
hazards; that technical objections
would be raised against it, that the
senators-elect had been canvassed and
there would be a majority against the
petition in the senate if not in the
nouse. You and | know that as soon