Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1908-04-30
$3,92O,OOO.O0
TAX STEAL
CraWfofd's Violating Of BIS Pledge
Was an Endorsement Of the
$780, 10000 Tax steal

OF insurgency has deigned to notice a
point brought out in the Indictment
recently issued against Mr.. Crawford
by the ROosevelt-Taft State League.
Although the document was sent
broadcast over the state about a month
ago, this is the first time that the
subsidized organ has mentioned it.
1t Is really astonishing what little
incident will constitute the voice of
the people" when a politician who has
betrayed his constituents and has sold
his birthright for a mess of pottage,
is listening for some sort of an ex-
cuse with which to ease his con-
science.
Replying to the charge that Mr..
Crawford changed front with regard
to the gross-earnings law, the Sioux
Falls Press affects to think that 1t
is creditable to him that he did SO,
and it endorses his explanation p
which was as follows:
Il vote for this bill on the ground
that since voting before have re-
ceived q communication from people
OF my district requesting that / vote
for this bill. That feature Of the
bill relating to the exempting Of all
the lands of any railroad company
paying under the grcss-earnings sys-
tenn. from taxation, is against my
judgment, but / do not desire to set
up my judgment against the only ex-
preston | have from my district on
this subject"
Mr.. crawford's change of front is
commended on the ground thot he
was needing the voice of the peo-
pie" but what are the facts?
The gross-earnings law was enact
ed In 1888. The railroad interests ex-
pended fully 100000 In "persuading'
the legislature that such a law was a
righteous one, and 1t seems to have
done the business.
This law was odious to the people.
The Northern Pacific railroad was a
gigantic corporation. 1t owned every
strip forty miles wide across the ter
rit0ry OF Dakota. 1t objected to
paying taxes on this land. and so it
patched up the grosS-earnings pro-
position WHICH EXEMPTED IT'S
ENTIRE HOLDINGS OF REALTY
From TAXATION.
Honest Abe" Van Osdel, sharing
the feeling against the imposition, in
troduced q bill in 1885 to repeal the
pas sage. Another bill was introduc-
ed two years later. and it passed the
lower branch of the Legislature. but
was stolen before it reached the up
per branch
This brazen course of the represen-
tatives of the railroad companies
aroused public indignation and every
where In the territory the failure OF
the legislature to repeal the gross
uv-vxfvH Ir~r Il,
following year t1SSS) Mr.. Crawford
was nominated for the council. The
people of his district had taken quite
an interest in the railroad laws, and.
with their minds directly on the
grOss-earnings law, the members of
the convention which nominated Mr..
Crawford adopted the following reso-
luton:
Resolved. That all classes of prop
erty in the territory should bear
equal share Of taxation"
There was not the least doubt
about what that resolution meant. 1t
was direct blow at the gross-earn-
ings law, and was SO accepted. THE
LEGISLATURE WHICH CONVENED
THE FOLLOWING JANUARY RE
PEALED THAT LAW BY UNANI-
NOUS VOTE.
But the railroads at once got busy.
Their high-priced lobbyists wers
hastened to Bismarck Excitement
ran - high. 4 iunketing trip was pro.
bribery and .treachery and selling
out" and violating pledges were rife.
For days the tension was at a high
pitch: The columns of the daiIy press
were toeming with reports Of plots
and counter-pl0ts.