Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1908-04-16
State Debt Increased S312,000.00 Dur
Ing the First Year Of Governor
Crawford's Regime.

In tne adjustment OF the nnanc1al
affairs between North and South Da-
kota, when the territory was admitted
into the union as two states, it fell
to the lot of South Dakota, which con-
tained the greater number of public
institutions, to assume bonded debt Of
ne small proportions.
But the South Dakotan has ever been
loyal to state pride, even at the cost of
personal privation, and this spirit at
strides toward material prosperity. In
1895 this ambition and pride received
. great shock through the perfdy of a
trusted official, when the state treasury
was looted and about a half million
dollars stolen.
That this blow was keenly felt was
manifest at the following election, when
the voters voiced their displeasure of
the breach Of confidence and the ap-
parent connivance of the then political
machine to prevent the just punishment
of the offender. At that election pop
ulist administration was elected, the
history of the state during the four
years following being one of unsettled
conditions.
Meanwhile the republican party be-
came recognized, new leaders came to
the front, and the people of South Da-
kota in 1900 again expressed their con-
fdenee in the Grand Old Party by re
turning it to power.
Financial Condition Jan. /, 1901.
The republicans took up the .reins of
state administration of Jan. 1, 1901,
and found in addition to the shortage
caused by the defalcation of the state
treasurer six years before and still IN
settled, bonded debt still unpaid of
over 100000 One of the slogans
which seemed to meet with spontan-
eous adoption by every department was
ECONOMY and Debt Paying" For
six years the policy earned for the re-
publcans of the state the honest pride
in the party of the rank and file, and
the admiration of all citizens interest
cd In the progress of the state. Dur
ing those six years the Taylor defalca-
ton was made good and every penny
of the bonded debt paid, the last dollar
being paid during the administration of
s. H. Elrod as governor, the accomplish
ment of this result being matter of
great pride not only to Gov. Elrod
but to the party and the people.
This was in 1906, the year when the
"reform' wave swept over the state,
the slogan being taken up by the old
element of the party still smarting
under the rebuke administered by the
people in 1896, and gathering about
them the remnants of the old popuist
party and the democrats, began the cry
of "reform" In spite of the splendid
service the republican party had been
and still was rendering the state, the
disgruntled office seekers made virulent
attacks on the so-called machine, y
and by innuendo sought to besmirch
for personal advantage the party to
which they professed allegiance. Enough
people were misIed by these false cries
to give them victory, and the so-called
'fnachine" turned the state over to
the Crawford administration on Jan.
1, 1907.
Following the record of the new ad-
ministration for the first year Of its
service, what do we find to commend 7
No honest citizen, informed Of the re-
cord, expected the Crawford admins
tration To exceed in splendid achieve
nent the record of its immediate pre-
dscessors, but many expected, and con-
Adently expected, that it would do as
web. Instead it has shown the grossest
Of Incompetence and extravaganza, Mt
ter disregard for the interests Of its
constituents, and no high scnce of re-
spowibiliV in the character of its
appointments.
Extravagant Appropriations In 1907.
The new administration did not enter
upon the duties inspired with the re-
sponsibility of statesmanship but rather
eook hold with the appearance Of an