Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1907-12-13
Take Your Choice.


men before the people of South Dako-
ia contesting for the republican nomi-
nation-through the mediumShip Of
the June primarieS-for the United
States senate. These men are Cover
nor Coe l. Crawford and Senator A. b.
Kittredge. There is only one ques-
tion for the people to decide, and that
is, which man will, in the important
office to which they both aspire, rem
der the best service to the state?.
In the deciding of this question, no
leaning of personal preference should
be taken into account. Neither
should promises for the future be CIV
en- any great weight, except as they
may indicate the position of the can
didate on issues that are of interest
to the people. The real measure by
which each man should be tested is
the actual work that he has done, and
questions of the day
Taking this for a standard, let US
see how the two men who wish to be
chosen to represent the people at
Washington com pare. In other words,
what does each stand for?
There has been in this state, for a
number of years past, a strong move
ment in the direction of political re-
form. 1t eliminated in 1906, in a COM
plete Overturning of things political
as far as the state officers were con-
|cerned. The state election of that
year was pitched battle between
the people and the long established
political machine, and the people won.
This victory for the people placed Coe
|. Crawford in the gubernatorial chair.
1t also placed men who were in sym
pathy with the people, and with the
new governor, in the state legislature,
Legislation.
This being the case, the credit or
discredit for whatever laws were en-
acted by the reform legislature of 1906
belong to the reform administration,
Of which Governor Crawford is the
head. Let us see what some Of the
laws enacted by the last legislature
are:
A State primary election law.
A law prohibiting corporations from
making con ntributions for campaign
purposes.
A law making secret lobbying for
corporations and special interests a
crime.
A law giving the board of railway
commissioners power to examine the
books and accounts of public ware
house men.
A law fixing the maximum passen-
ger rate in the state at 24 cents pei
mile.
A law compelling railroads to put
in connecting tracks at junction
points, and to make joint rates.
A law making railroad companies
liable to employees for damages caused
by negligence of co-employees.
A law limiting continuous hours of
service of railway operatives TO six.
teen hours.
A law abolishing free passes over
the railroads of the state.
These are part of the things for
which Governor Crawford stands, and
which the reform administration
which he heads has given to the peo-
Pile. A search of the records Of the
Estate legislature during the years in
which that body was dominated by
Senator Kittredge fails to show any
thing in the line of reform legislation,
though much was attempted. The
iron hand of the big senator was al
ways at the throttle, and whatever
was not in line with his personal views
was promptly choked off.
In other words, Coe I. Crawford
stands for reform and the true sover-
|eignty of the people, while A. B. Kit
tredge stands for boss rule and the ad-
vancement of his own personal inter
ests.
| Take your choice.