Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1908-04-30
THAT "sEcRsT COMPACT"

Il
\ A friend who recently heard one of
Mr, Crawford's speeches, writes as
| follows:
| MIR. Crawford is again talking
about the secret compact but he
has not produced the proof which he
says his friend, Gamble, has found at
Washington. He was challenged by
| X. s. Person more than two months
ago to produce the evidence which
he says Is in existence, but he asks
| the people to take his unsupported
statement Notwithstanding Mr.. Per-
sons denial and challenge. It must
be apparent to all that Mr.. Crawford
does not intend to tell the truth about
this matter"
Perhaps the particular proof"
which Mr.. GamDIe has run across is
in the form of a letter from Mr..
Crawford, extracts from which were
printed in the Watertown Daily Pub
lie Opinion not so very long ago.
In 1896, after serving in congress
for number of years, Major John A.
Picker declined another nomination
in order to stand for the senate.
Crawford was nominated to succeed
Picker, but both Picker and .Craw-
ford were defeated. Picker then
sought the office OF commissioner of
PSAoioho, Dul, ne WALTZ
ed TO be appointed commissioner of
Indian affairs. In this he was like
wise disappointed. AS a last resort
he asked that his former private Sec
rotary, l.. H Bailey, be appointed to
a land Office position at Huron, and
the question was referred to Mr..
Crawford, who protested in the fol-
lowing language:
Major Picker has received numer-
GUS and long continued honors from
the republican party. Before the adj
mission of South Dakota into the
union, he occupied a good salaried TO-
sition as special agent of the interior
department. From the beginning of
statehood In 1889, continuously to the
4th OF March, 1897, he was one of the
congressman from this state. Mr.
Bailey was for four years the occu-
pant Of one of the land offices at
Pierre, and he had good clerkship
at washington during the last con-
gress and up to recently"
But Mr.. Crawford didn't stop with
this much of nrotest. He went a
step further, in which he disclosed
the arrangement in the state for the
disposition OF the federal patronage
Here is another paragraph from the
same letter:
Mr.. Kttredge. national committee
man; Mr.. Gamble, who was a candi-
date along with me last year for con-
gress; Mr.. Elliott, chairman of the
state central committees; Mr.. Rings
rud, republican candidate for govern
or last year, and myself, all Jointly
endorsed two gentlemen for the po-
sition or register and receiver of the
United States land Office at Huron
Inc gentlemen endorsed for these
A.
washington Times, at Wessing ton.
and John Westdahl of Huron. They
were agreed upon by the above named
parties as personal favor to me and
for the purpose OF harmonizing. as
far as possible. two factions in Beadie
county"
But MT. Crawford continued a little
further, showing other reasons for
carrying out the understanding:
I protest against any change being
made In the ARRANGEMENT agreed up-
on as to these land Offices. for the pur-
pose OF making place for Mr.. Bailey.
As reside in this county and
expect to remain here permanently
and have been identified with the ar.
rangement OF the land office here. !
do not think 1t will be fair to me at
all to interfere with them now"
The two gentlemen named in Mr..
OTdWlOEuS ictltE as having been
agreed upon were appointed, proving
that the compact between the persons
named (Kittredge, Gamble, Elliott.
Ringsrud and himself) was carried
out In every particular.
Commenting on Mr.. Crawford's du-
plicitv in seeking at this late day 10
hold Kittredge wholly responsible for
the disposition of federal patronage.
when as q matter of fact. Mr.. Craw.
ford was member of the quintette
which dispensed II. the Watertown
paper. In reproducing Mr.. Crawford's
letter. concluded its remarks az fol.
lows:
$50, 1t appears from these signed
statements set forth by Mr.. Crawford.
that the things which he has recently
been so strenuously denouncing. were
put through at his special interces-
sion. although Major Pickler has al.
ways held Mr.. Kittredge responsible
for the defeat Of Mr.. Bailey, and in
this contention he has been outwardly
supported by the present governor.
who has presumably been laboring
under the delusion that his written
protest against Bailey's promotion to
the place would never become known
to Major Picker and his friends. It
Is simply case of duplicity ON the
part OF Mr.. Crawford, and will no
doubt be q revelation TO Major Pick
ler."