Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1908-04-30
INDICTMENT
CONDENsEl
Charges That We're Formally Dtsuqlt
Against Crawford Many Weeks An
Rut Not Yet Answered BY him

Coo /. Crawford, in his speech a.
cepting the nomination for thu ta,r,
torial council at Harold, October 1
1888. pledged himself to the followia,
platform resolution:
Resolved, That all classes Of mn,
perty in the territory should bea,
equal share Of taxation"
He went back on that pledge, went
back on the platform, and went baet
on the convention which NOMINATED
him, by voting for the iniquitous
gross earnings bill, by the terms Of
which the Northern Pacific was N
lieved of paying taxes on vast hold.
ings of realty. The record of Mr.
Crawford's vote may be found a
pages 160-61, council journal of prp
ceedings. The vote was cast March
s, 1889.
According to the official record Il
the proceedings of the territond
council Of March Z, 1889. Mr.. Crax.
ford. two days following his vote 70
exempt from taxation every altenate
section of land embraced in the Nor
thern Pacific land grant, voted
against the antitrust bill. as shown
by the council journal, pages $685.
The same bill came before the South
Dakota senate in 1890 and Senator
kittredge voted for it and Mr.. Craw.
ford again voted against it. (See
page S14 of the senate JournaL)
In 1889, the territorial Legislature
by unanimous vote, repealed the
gross-earnings law. When the rail
road company awoke to the situation
it FASTENED it's lobbyists to Bismarck
and sought to have the law re-enact
ed. 1t provided free junketing trip
| for such of the members as would
| accept its hospitahties. Mr.. Crawford
| took the trip. Soon thereafter MI.
! Crawford voted with the railroad
company, as planned by its Lobbyists,
| to re-enact that unjust law. His vote
| is recorded in the council journal OF
| March 5, 1889, pages 760-61.
The last year OF Mr.. Crawfords
/ service as member of the senate
| beard of assessment was one OF
| especial subserviency to the Interests
| of the railroads. Mr.. Crawford was
| present at the meetings of the board
4 only when railroad assessments were
under consideration. and then ne
| moved and voted in several instances
for heavy reductions of railroad
valuations, as clearly shown by the
| record of the proceedings of the
board for 1896, pages As and AZ. With
in sixty days after retiring from this
public Office Mr.. Crawford became
the state attorney for the Northwest
erri railroad.
In 1890 the lower branch OF the
South Dakota legislature paA;ed
memorial to congress for consul,
tutional amendment to elect Unlted
States senators by popular vote. II
was known as House Bill 81. Inc
same day March 81 that it passed
the house, it was presented 10 tne
senate and was referred to the com.
mittee of the whole. The following
day it was reported back wltnouu
recommendation and the report was
adopted upon the motion of Coe l.
Crawford. and the bill was thus put
to sleep. (See senate journal, page
S21.l There was no other vote IN
the senate on this memorial, and no
attempt was made by Mr.. Crawforo
to have the same passed. This IS tne
memorial which Mr.. Crawfords
anonymous literature accuses sen
1
During the seven years following
the retirement of Mr.. Crawford from
the state board of assessment and
equalization, he frequently appeared
before the board to ask for reductions
| in railroad assessments, or to preven'
material increase of such assess
ments. His position as formel
member. OF the board necessarily h llss
weight in considering railroad valua
tons. for his own record as a mem
Der of the republican party and office
+ holder under it was in line with hi
pleadings as a railroad attorney ant
lobbyist. And yet Mr.. Crawfor
seeks to create the impression tina
| railroad valuations for the purpose Q
taxation were determined by Senate
Kittredge during all those years!
Coe I. Crawford voted against tn
bill ito establish and maintain
Soldiers Home in the Territory c
Dakota" The proceedings with RI
!. gard to this bill are found on page
45O-54 Of the council journal of 1Ss
In 1885, Abe Van Osdell intro
iuced bill to require railroads t
ray taxes upon their lands the sam
pay. namely. upon their assesse
valuation. The bill was defeated an
/. it gave rise to general discussion
. Two years later bill to repeal tn
gross-earnings law passed the lowe
branch of the territorial legislatul
Only to meet the fate Of being a
stracted on its way to the uppt
branch. This set the praries of tn
, Dakotas afire with agitation. and
, q result legislative conventions a
opted resolutions demanding eQu
taxation. The convention whit
nominated Mr.. Crawford at Harrol
! October 4. 1883, passed q similar res
; luton. The legislature which CO
! vened In 1889 unanimously repeale
J The law on January "a. Forty day
later, on March 5, after the NortheI
{ Pacific had provided great frt
junketing trip. MIR. Crawford voted
is recorded On pages 760-61 OF II
? council journal