The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1908-06-04
YES, LET 1T COL

YES, LET II GO!
The past is gone and we r living
In the present" shouted one OF Mr..
C~rawford's newspaper apologlsts some
weeks after reading the famous In
dictment" issued against Nh. Craw-
ford some time Ago..
The facts set forth in the Indictment
were SO forcible as to cause the cham
pions of Crawford to pause. II re
Quired some time for them to ecoye
their breath, but when they finally
got to breathing again they rushed
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 turn
ed his back upon his solemn nedge,
matters as stale as that remain
WefI, suppose we do! Suppose that
we admit, for arguments sake, that
q man may reform in twenty years.
What then? Have we Alright to ex-
pect that when a man makes that sort
of a plea we shall find his acts subse-
uuent to those complained OF to be IN
accordance with the rules of honorable
transactions? Assuredly we ave h
right to assume such to be the case.
So let us pass on down the pathWay
reformer's later life. What do we
End? Why, simply that from the year
1898 to the beginning OF 1897 he was
USING his official position position
to prevent an increase Of railroad
valuations for the purpose OF taxation.
And to this ar~raignnlent the re
former himself pleads that times
we're so very hard that the railroads
met with great difficulty in meeting
f khoi~ oarof lin a. Ncvnan Cac 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 for
his official conduct IN extending spe-
cial favors to the railroads.
1t is true that the farmers of South
Dakota were also experiencing troub-
Ious times during the financial de
preston that overlook the country IN
1893. 1T is true, too, that9the
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 a little further along
and then lot what we Ind. We be
hold Mr.. Crawford drawing a pr1nceiy
salary from a greatrailway corporation
and we behold him ~annearing 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 ard was
but doing it's bidding. Let the past
curry it's 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
appearance in court-be it remember.
ed that KittTedge was never on the
regular a rolls OF any corporation
company. 1t was right and proper fol-
Crawford to draw a salary from rail
roads as a lobbyist, but it was an evl
dence of wickedness for Kittredge TIC
touch a dollar of railroad one fol
trying lawSuits!
So let us pass down to 1901, when 6
vacancy was created in the United
States senate by the death of Senator
]. H Kyle. Mr.. Kyle's body had mo-
yet become cold when MIR. CRAWFORD
began organizing a campaign to sue
state attorney for the Northwestern
railroad to inaugurate a system o
telegrams and communications be
seeching the governor to appoint him
Every lawyer in the state represent
ing the Northwestern was urged t,
get action-quick action. Every sher
iff carrying a pass issued by MIR. CraW
ford. was asked to rush letters and tel
egrams and petitions to the governor
praying for Crawford,s appointment
%portunities offered through ~railroa,
connections were brought into pla,
to boost Crawford into the senate
While still on the Salaried list OF
railroad he was good enough fer
s~enatorshipt But that was sever
years ago!
But let us proceed further along
away upin Walworth county. what
What's this thatswe behold as late a
1903 n 1894, yea, even later stu
in 1906, Why, that's nothing to Abe
c~ofne8 excited about, We merely fin
Mr.. Crawford. who, since we last sas
him. has become a genuine ~srefoflner
irving to beat Uncle Sam out OF iiv
quarters of land nsing young me,
scarcely out of thei teens as TOO
for the purpose. 1t isn't mueh-onl
such little matters as the subornin
of perjury, But inasmuch as M
Crawford has really and truly srt
formed we suppose we shouidn
mind a little thing like that!
Let Us pass ON. Now we are s.
jOurnlng IN IHe capllal Glue sLeas
state of South Dakota. We hehol
Mr.. Crawford, who has attained to tn
Yosition of a reform governor, u
ing his personal and political infi'
ence to rehabilitate a petty CRATER
fnd him connecting a scheme for til
appointment of a committee to do
little job OF embarrassing in orde
that the aforesaid -rafter may max
q ~presentable annearance upon his r
turn to Washington. It was q big JIG
for SO small a matter, but it was fairl
snecessfuI, so far as it went. But tn
was more than a ear ago. But Il
us proceed further. Let us come dow
10 August. 1907. when the state boar
81 assessment was laboring with itse
% increase railroad valuations. tx
as not forget that Mr.. Crawford ha
Nrnfnrmad p What do we ObSeTYe