Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1906-05-25

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glorious victory, The state conven-
tion at Sioux Falls will register the
will of the people as expressed at the
ballot box, and South Dakota will
enter upon a new and brighter era
under a system of government that
means square deal for rich and poor
alike, readjustment of our taxing
system and economy in every branch
of government and wiping out of
Elrod S contingent fund.
The campaign was strenuous from
start to finish. The Leader knowing
the character and purpose of the men
who compose the corporation machine
and it's satellites never hesitated to
use plain language in dealing with
the situation. The Leader believes
in telling the truth, and it has follow
ed that course from January 5th when
it opened the battle for the right of
the people to have voice in state
affairs. The first half Of the battle
is won, and when reform legislature
is elected in November, the victory
will be complete. Governor Crawford
can't give the people what they de-
mand unless the people follow up the
May victory with legislative victory
in November, after which the Leader
will turn its attention to the corn
contest in Lincoln county.
~ hi fn
view the battle and discuss some of
the men and the conditions which
the Roosevelt republicans had to con-
tend with, as we'll as matters which
aroused the people to action.
The refusal of the last legislature
to recognize the right of petition
guaranteed by the constitution and a
further refusal to pass resolutions en-
dorsing President Roosevelt in his
magnificent fight for the people
against the corporations, convinced
every republican in the state that
the party managers were hostile to
the President. The governors as
sauit on the primary petition before
it reached the legislature was con-
spicuous evidence of the executives
surrender to the machine and an in
suit to every man who signed 1t.
Then came the insult to the state at
large in the conspiracy to ignore the
best building material in the world
in favor of the rotten sandstone from
Indiana out of which to construct
the state capital.
Contempt for the people and blund-
ers of the machine aroused indigna-
tion everywhere.
Next we have chairman Cranes re-
fusal to submit a report of the stew
when called for and previous
statement that he had burned the
books, formed another chapter in the
long indictment against the men who
had assumed dictatorship in party
These and many other counts in
the popular Indictment of the ma
chine led up to the great victory on
May S, and the magnitude OF the
victory was correctly estimated two
before the final test.
The people had suffered in silence
and stood the political bulldozing OF
this STAINLESS gang too long, then
came the whirlwind and the consign-
ment of the machine to a political
grave dug by their stupidity and ar
rogance.
With despairing howl their hired
organs and hired heelers shouted vic
tory with voice of Boss Tweed and
the purpose Of South Carolina ballot
box suffers, but their bowling did
them no good. The verdict has
been rendered in the election OF near
ly 900 solid citizens, farmers and bus
mess men, fearless and determined to
carry out the expressed will OF the
majority at the ballot box. This
magnificent body Of men led by Gam
BILE, Crawford, Elliott, Hall, Rice,
Keith, Thorson, Cassill, Ringsrud,
Phillips, Ustrud, Ericsson, Payne,
Packard, Everitt, Clark, limerick,
Laxson, Shober, Steere, Wagner,
Richards, and other strong men, will
assemble at Sioux Falls June 5 and
place in nomination a reform ticket,
and it may not be amiss to say here
and now that the man or men who
shall attempt to commit fraud or
rob the people of their rights, will
learn, like flash of lightning from a
clear sky, how determined men can
act. If chairman Crane attempts
to manipulate the convention his duty
as chairman will end instantly.
The Roosevelt republicans or in
surgents, if you please, have carried
the state fairly and honestly by near
ly four hundred majority in the state
convention, against the influence and
money of the north western railroad;
against the influence and money OF
every federal officer in the state, with
but few exceptions; against a hired
and mendacious press brought uI
with promises, post offices and insur-
ance statements: against the influence
and Doodle of the state officials with
hardly one exception; against the in
fiuence ana power OF numerous
dummy candidates in various coun.