Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1908-04-30
$3,g2O,OOO.OO
TAX STEAL
CraWiOrd's Violating Of His Pledge
was an Endorsement Of The
$500, 10000 Tax Steal

At last one of the recognized organs
Of insurgency has deigned to notice a
point brought out in the Indictment
recently issued against Mr.. Crawford
by. the Roosevelt-Taft State League.
Although the document was sent
broadcast over the state about a month
ago, this is the first time that the
subsidized organ has mentioned it.
1t is really astonishing what little
incident will constitute the voice of
the people" when a politician who has
betrayed his constituents and has sold
his birthright for a mess of pottage,
is listening for some sort of an ex-
cuse with which to ease his con-
/ science.
Replying to the charge that Mr..
| Crawford changed front with regard
to the gross-earnings law, the Sioux
is creditable to him that he did So
and 1t endorses his explanation, !"
which was as follows:
81 vote for this bill on the ground
| that since voting before I have re-
| ceived communication from people
| or my district requesting that / vote
| for this bill. That feature of the
Dill relating TO the exempting of all
| the lands of any railroad company
| paying under the gross-earnings sys-
tenn, from taxation, is against my
| judgment, but | do not desire to set
up my judgment against the only ex-
preston have from my district on
this subject"
Mr.. Crawford's change of front is
commended on the ground thot he
was needing the voice of the peo-
pie" but what are the facts?
The gross-earnings law was enact
ed in 1883. The railroad interests eX-
pended fully 100000 in "persuading'
the legislature that such law was a
righteous one, and 1t seems to have
done the business.
This law was odious to the people.
The Northern Pacific railroad was
gigantic corporation. 1t owned every
alternate section of land within a
strip forty miles wide across the ter
ritory Of Dakota. 1t objected to
paying taxes on this land. and so it
patched up the gross-earnings pro-
position WHICH EXEMPTED ITS
ENTIRE HOLDINGS OF REALTY
FROM TAXATION
Honest Abe" Van Osdel, sharing
the feeling against the imposition, in
troduced bill in 1885 to repeal the
gross-earnings law, but 1t failed of
pas sage. Another bill was introduc-
ed two years later, and it passed the
lower branch of the legislature. but
was stolen before it reached the up
per branch.
This brazen course of the represen-
tatiyes of the railroad companies
aroused public indignation and every
where in the territory the failure of
the legislature to repeal the gross
earnings law was denounced. The
Inc
was nominated for the council. The
people of his district had taken quite
an interest in the railroad laws, and.
With their minds directly on the
gross-earnings law. the members of
the convention which nominated Mr..
Crawford adoNted the following reso-
luton:
Resolved, That all classes of prop
erty In the territory should bear
equal share of taxation"
There was not the least doubt
about what that resolution meant. 1t
was direct blow at the gross-earn-
lngs law, and was so accepted. THE
lEGISLATURE WHICH CONVENED
THE FOLLOWING JANUARY RE
PEALED THAT LAW BY UNANI-
But the railroads at once got busy.
Their high-priced lobbyists were
FASTENED to Bismarck Excitement
ran high. A junketing trip was pro-
vided for the members. Reports of
bribery and treachery and selling
out and violating pledges were rife.
For days the tension was at a high
pitch. The columns Of the daily press
We're teeming with reports of plots
and counter-plots.
The fight against the re-enactment
OF the law was fierce. Crawford
wobbled first one way and then the
other-but the railroads finally got"
him. Mr.. Crawford himself and those
who got" him know how it was done.
AS means of easing his consci-
ence, 1t is said that Colonel Billiard,
who then represented the railro; q
interests In Mr. Crawford's district
"petitioned" Mr.. Crawford during the
thick of the fight to change front.
hence the explanation" which Mr..
Crawford offered and which is APP
provingly quoted oy his Sioux Falls
WHAT DID THE REENACTMENT
OF THE GROSSEARNINGS LAW
MEAN? Well tell you in few words.
1T MEANT THAT A STRIP OF
LAND EQUIVALENT TO A COM
PACT AREA TWENTY MILES WIDE
DRIED AND FIFTY MILES LONG a1N
BELONGING TO THE RAILROADS
COMPANY, WAS EXEMPTED FROM
TAXATION--AN AREA AS LARGE
AS NEW JERSEY AND LARGER
THAN DELAWARE AND RHODE
ISLAND COMBINED. This tract
contained about 4,4S0,0 900 acres
or SEVEN THOUSANDS SQUARE,
MILES. II assessed at only five dol
lars an acre. its valuation would be
$50. 400, 900. or A MILLION MORO
THAN THE TOTAL RAILROAD AS
SESSMENT TODAY IN SOUTH DA-
KOTA. The law stood from 1883 to
statehood. q period OF seven years.
IL the average assessment was only
twenty-five mills on this valuation.
the total amount Of taxes for the sew
en- years would have been $500, 600. |
That seems to be about the sort
OF tax steal that Mr.. Crawford en-
dorsed when he listened to the voice |
OF the people" from his district as
against his pledge to the convention |
which nominated him to stand for |
equal taxation and against the mach |
nations of railroad corporations. |
The excuse which the insurgent or
gan In Sioux Falls offers for this
bare-fAced theft In the matter Of |
taxes Ii one that Mr.. Crawford him |
self seems especially anxious to keep
IN the back-ground--at all events. he |
Is not setting II forth in his speeches.
The people OF South Dakota would |
like to hear from the governor. Does
he. or does he not, wish the defense"
~ XAk L.