Omaha daily bee., 1908-11-02
STATE fltAt Up IN DAKOTA
Democrats Lack Issues as Against
Republican Rule.
HARMONY IN SUPPORT OF vEssEY
CIOsing rally st siauH Falls Reveals
All Factions stafains TOgether
-EIrod Ticket
squarely.

-
-. FALLS, s. D.. Nov. L-(speeial)-
with only a single day intervening until
election the republicans Of South Dakota
are confident OF masking a clean sweep
At the election Tuesday. The democrats
have waEed an aggressive campaign but
they have lacked telling arguments and be-
cause Of The exceedingly prosperous eondi-
tlons In the state have been greatly handi-
capped throughout the campaign.
They have been unable to find an over
shadowing issue which would attract the
voters upon which to base their campaign
but have done their best under the circum-
stances and will have at least to their credit
the fact that on several occasions during
the camp4ign they succeeded by their
clamor in lnomentarily alarming the more
timid republicans.
Their campaign has been waged largely
on the allegations that republican state ad-
minlstrations have been extravaganza but
the republicans have been able to COM
pletely refuts all these charges OF extrava-
gance andsahow that the affairs Of the state
under REPUBLICAN rule have been honestly
and economically administered.
Among other things, the democrats have
used the following figures, representing
state expenditures which they claimed were
supstantiated by the records. in the effort
10 prove their charges Of ex~travagance
made against republican state adminiS-
t~rations.
Record On Appropriations.
Appropriations maze under Governor
Lee, 1897 20 1893, ts2e, IA; appropriations
made under Governor Lee, 1899 to 1901, SeiI.-
$50; under Governor Crawford, 1907 TO 1909,
us72i.oo.
In answering charges OF Extravaganza In
connection with the above figures the re-
publicans have pointed but that 1t is ev-
ident to any fsir-minded person that the
latter item, state expenditures Under Gov
ernor Crsgford from 1897 to 1909, can be
nothing more than an estimate until 1903
shall arrive some two months hence. 1t
also has been pointed out that It Is certain
that the expenditures Tor this period will
be substantially smaller than the amount
claimed by the democrats.
II also is certain, for the state records
make Il So. that the expenditures Of Gov
ernor Leels administration from 1897 to 1901,
as given above, are much smaller than
thes should be, because of neglect to make
appropriations that the following repub-
iieRn administration. was consequently
Obliged TO provide for.
Assuming for the sake OF argument that
the figures presented blythe democrats are
correct and fair. there are other facts to
be taken into consideration, and this the
democrats have entirely neglected to do.
For instance. how do expenditures during
the tEo periods mentioned compare with
assessed valuation7 Are state expenditures
today greater or less than under Governor
Lees administration when compared with
the assessed valuation of the two periods7
The assessed valuation OF all taxable
property In South Dakota increased from
sils,tso .4Ss In 1895 10 sSss, sos, 26S ia lsOs,> an
increase of 40 per cent In ten years. Ac-
eotdinB to- the Figures presented by the
democrats. Z expenditures increased from
ss2s1T4 to- N.7ai,Q1 during the same ten
years. nm Increase OF only o. per cent.
Admitting all that the democrats claim,
state expenditures have not kept pace
with the Increase in valuation by more
than 70 per cent. Or, to put II the other
way, the republican administration Of Gov
ernor Crawford has saved to- the taxpayers
Of South Dakota more than 10 per cent
more than the much Wanted administra.
ton OF Governor Lee, when increased valu-
alton Is compared with expenditures during
the two periods. M
The actual saving Is much more than
that, as can be proven by the records. but
the above 10 the way. 1t figures out even
when the democrats own figures are ac-
oepted. .
olotiAg Rally at sioux Falls.
The harmony which exists in this cam
paign Between the staiwart and progress
sive republican factions. which had two hot
contests in the March ana June primaries,
was aptiy illustrated at the closing repub-
ltc9n rally 81 the campaign at Sioux Falls.
The principal speakers on that occasion
were Robert s. Vessey. republican nomi-
nee for governor. and Hon. John t. Kean
OF tWoonsocket. former lieutenant gov
ernor OF South Dakota, In the preliminary
c%onteRts, Mr.. Wesley was = progressive re-
publican, while Mr.. KeAh always has been
a strong stalwart, In referring TO the fac
tional fight and the duty OF all republicans
at the polls on Tuesday. Mr.. Kean said:
W. republicans had a family quarrel
during this year. but IL has been settled.
and deny the right OF the democratic
party 70 Intervene In It's settlement. Dur
ing my dong association with the rebubll-
can party l have sometimes been de-
fsated. but I am4 stu with the party.
When the verdict OF last June was handed
down by the people themselves, / took
down my political dictionary and erased
from II the words insurgent and stall
wart"
robert S. vSsssy made this declaration
as 10 his position with references 20 the
Eovernorship "a South Dakota Il have
no enemies ~tospgRtsh, am a member
of the repubitcank party and. " elected
governor. I viii try to treat the party
and every Individual right and so serve