Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1907-01-03
CHARGEs PREFERRED AGAINsT sENAToR GAMBLE

The charges against Senator Gamble of having Lad his son, Ralph, car
rd on the pay rolls of the United States senate while in attendance at
school some hundred miles from Washington have assumed definite form
by a compilation of the facts and figures, herewith reproduced, by L.
Campbell, a democrat residing in Sioux Falls. They appear irrefutable,
yet Senator Gamble declares he will Tot dignity them by an answer and
his organs seeks to dismiss them with the statement that the fncident has
been threshed out before and consequently disposed OF. This disposition
may be entirely satisfactory to Mr.. Gamble and his friends, but the main
point at issue is whether the people of South Dakota, through their rep
resentatives in the legislature can afford to return to the senate a man
against whom such a serious charge is preferred, at least without an inves
tigation of the same. Already statements are made in the eastern journals
that Senator Gamble has lost his influence among his colleagues, not only
by reason of the attitude he assumes in regard to the charges, but by the
pettiness of the alleged transaction. 1t is not sufficient that his friends
set up the same defense as offered by the poor emigrant girl, SO unfTtu
nate d to be a victim of mans perfdy and become the mother of an ilg
himate child, that it was a little thing to make such a fuss about.
Other people do not look upon it in that light. He must dignity the
charges by a denial and by a demand for an investigation. Il Graft is graft
as much in the case Of illegally securing a few thousand dollars to secure a
relatives education as in accepting a block of Credit MobIier or Standard
Oil stock from lobbyists. Senator Gamble may stand secure in his immac,
ulateness and feel that it is not necessary for him to refute any charges
against his character, but he also stands IS the endorsed candidate Of a
great political party of a great state and this party and state can not
afford to return to Washington ass senator, a man against whom will be
pointed the finger OF dersion and contempt. 1t is a most creditable
action to suitably prepare a son for ifes battle by giving him a thorough
collegiate and university training, but the thousands of parents in South
Dakota who are doing this very thing by the practice of rigid economy at
home, will hardly approve of the education of a politicians son with the
unearned money of the public, The Reporter does not say that these
charges are true in fact hopes they are not but it has to admit that they
bear an ugly look and feels that it is due to Mr.. Gamble, to Mr.. CANDLES
son, to the republican party and to the State of South Dakota that they be
uIsparingly investigated. If proven false, the parties guilty Of placing
them in circulation should be punished to the extreme of the law; if true,
then Robert j. Gamble has oulved his usefulness to the state and nation
and should be retired into obsecunty. Reform was the banner cry of the
faction in control of the last republican convention which endorsed Sen
Gamble and it remains for them, if reform is needed, to commence, at
the fountain head Of the body political and clear the skirts of their choice
for senator of any scandal there attaching.
Below will be found the result of Mr. Campbelrs personal investigation
with his closing words:
for the consideration of the public and It's for. the people of this state
to instruct their public servants as to their duty in this matter"