Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1908-06-04
YES, LET IT Col

III the pEeSeul, SHOulGu Va AhA'
Crawford's newspaper apologlSts some
weeks after reading the famous In
dictment" issued against Mr.. Craw-
ford some time ago.
The facts set forth in the indictment
were so forcible as TO cause the cnah-
pions of Crawford to pause. 1t re-
quired some time for them to recover
their breath, but when they fnally
got to breathing again they rushed
about admonishing the people TO for
get what occurred so long in the past
That, in effect, was the burden OF
Regent Ericson's virtual plea OF guilty
and prayer for mercy. That was
twenty years ago when CRAWFORD t9In
ed his back upon his solemn pledge,
they said in substance. Why not let
matters as stale as that remain
buried?
Well, suppose we do! Suppose that
we admit, for arguments sake, that
q man may reform in twenty years.
What then? Have We right TO eX-
pect that when a man makes that sort
of a plea we shall find his acts subse
quent to those complained of to be in
accordance with the rules OF honorable
transactions? Assuredly we have the
right to assume such to be the case.
So let us pass on down the pathway
where we may get glimpse OF tnis
find? Why, simply that from the year
1893 to the beginning of 1897 he was
USING his official position--a position
to which he was elected by the people
to prevent an increase OF railroad
valuations for the purpose Of taxation.
And to this arraignment the re
former" himself pleads that times
were SO very hard that the railroads
met with great difficulty in meeting
their operating expenses and that IN
Justice to them their valuations should
have been reduced. This, in effect,
Is the only explanation" that Re
former" Crawford has ever offered Tor
his official conduct in extending spe-
cial favors to the railroads.
1t is true that the farmers OF South
Dakota were also experiencing troub-
lous times during the financial de-
preston that overlook the country In
1893. 1t is true, too, that the farmers
were frequently unable to meet their
expenses. 1t is likewise true that
they often had to let their taxes run
until threatened with the sale OF their
premiseS for delinquencies. We
haven't noticed that Mr.. Crawford
manifested any inclination to reduce
farm valuations during that period
when he was pleading for reduced
railroad assessments.
But let us pass little further along
and then note what we find. We be-
hold Mr.. Crawford drawing princeiy
salary from a great railway corporation
and we behold him anDearing time and
again before the state board of assess
ment, using his political and social
and personal influence to keep down
railroad valuations for the purpose OF
taxation.
He admits the truth of this charge,
but pleads that he was in the employ
of the railroad corporation and was
but doing its bidding. Let the past
bury its dead, he says, In effect, why
censure him for doing what he was
paid to do?
True, he has severely arraigned
Senator Kittredge for an occasional
ed that Kittredge was never on the
regular pay rolls OF any corporation
whatsoever-to represent a railroad
company. 1t was right and proper for
Crawford to draw a salary from rail-
roads as lobbyist, but 1t was an evil
dence of wickedness for Kittredge to
touch a dollar Of railroad money for
So let us pass down to 1901, when
vacancy was created in the United
States senate by the death of Senator
J. II. Kyle. Mr.. Kyle's body had not
yet become cold when Mr.. Crawford
began organizing a campaign to sue
ceea him. He used his position as the
state attorney for the Northwestern
railroad to inaugurate a system of
kilograms and communications be-
seeching the governor to appoint him.
Every lawyer in the state represent
ing the Northwestern was urged to
get action-quick action. Every sher-
If carrying pass issued by Mr.. Craw-
ford, was asked to rush letters and tel
egrams and petitions to the governor,
praying for Crawford's appointment.
All the force, all the power, all the OPP
portunities offered through railroad
connections were brought into play
to boost Crawford into the senate.
While still on the salaried list of
railroad he was good enough for
senatorship! But that was seven
years ago.
But let us proceed further along
away up in Walworth county. What?
What's this that we behold as late as
1903 and 1904, yea, even later still,
in 1906! Why, that's nothing to be-
come excited about! We merely find
Mr.. Crawford, who's since we last saw
him, has become a genuine ''reformer"
trying to beat Uncle Sam out of five
quarters OF land, using young men
scarcely out of their teens as tools
for the purpose II isn't much-only
of perjury But inasmuch as Mr..
Crawford has really and truly re
formed" we suppose we shouldn't
mind little thing like that!
Let us pass on. Now we are So
journing in the capital of the great
state of South Dakota. We behold
Mr.. Crawford, who has attained to the
position of reform governor. us
ing his personal and political infiu-
ence to rehabilitate a petty CRATER
find him connecting scheme for the
appointment Of a committee to do q
little job of whitewashing In order
that the aforesaid ~rafter may make
tol 10 M ~ hfo
turn to washington. II was big job
for so small matter, but II was fairly
successful, so far as 1t went. But this
was more than a year ago. But let
us proceed further. Let us come down
60 August, 1907, when the state board
Of assessment was laboring with itself
TO increase railroad Valuations. Let
reformed" What do we observed