Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1908-04-30
CRAWFORD'S DUPLICITl
Some Of tho Things Which CraWfort
Has Done, but which lie Blames
Senator A. B. Kitredqe For


double damage liability bill in the
last territorial council and Kittredgs
voted for 1t in the first state legis
lature. Yet Crawford says that Kilt
redge Is responsible for the states
failure to have such q law prior tc
1907.
90
Mr.. Crawford himself fixed the
valuation of railroad property from
1893 to 1897. inclusive, and for years
thereafter he used his personal and
political influence in endeavoring tc
keep down railroad assessments. YET
Crawford blames Kittredge for rail
road valuations during all these
years.
During the six years preceding the
election OF Crawford to the governor
ship, the state wiped out q bonded
debt of over 100000 besides making
up a deficit caused by the Taylor de
falcation, and reduced the net debt
Of the state to less than quarter Of
a million dollars. During the firsa
year of Mr.. Crawfords administra
ton, taxes have been abnormally
high and the net debt has been in
creased by over 100000. Yet Craw'
ford contends that he is responsible
for economy in administrative affairs
and that the former "Kittredge" ad.
ministrations were unduly extrava
CANT.
Nv.oy xyfnr !
antitrust bin in 1889 and again id
1890 Kittredge voted for it In 1890
and 1t became a law. Yet Crawford
says in his speeches that he has
always been against trusts and com
binations and that Kittredge has
always been for them.
law partner, led the fight in 1906
against the submission of the primary
petition and Gamble himself wrote
many letters urging his friends tc
oppose the same. Yet Crawford was
mainly instrumental in reelectine
Gamble in 1907 and is now trying tc
hold Kittredge wholly responsible fol-
the failure of the legislature to sub
NIT the question.
Among those who stood out against
the submission of the primary pro.
position in 1905 was Senator Wagner
of Hanson county; yet Wagner re.
celved the endorsement OF the Craw'
ford element for the federal attorney.
ship as a reward for his influence tc
be exerted in behalf Of Crawford
senatorial ambition. Crawford now
denounces Kittredge for what Wag
ner did.
In the legislative session of 1890
Mr. Crawford moved the adoption OF
a committees report with regard to
nemoralizing congress to elect Unit
ed States senators by a direct vote
report was equivalent to an indefinite
postponement of the bill, as the sen,
ate journal indicates. Yet Crawford
in his speeches tries to make 1t
appear that he has invariably
been in favor of electing senators by
popular vote and that Kittredge has
always been opposed to 1t.
Senator Gamble was charged with
a species of petty grating at Wash.
ington and legislative committee.
chosen by Mr. CrawfOrd's friends, ad.
Mr. Crawford endorsed the white
washing thus administered Yet
Crawford charges Kittredge with a
desire to screen grafters.
Mr.. Crawford was charged by the
land department with attempted
land-grabbing and the department ot
justice of the Roosevelt administra
ton, after a thorough investigation,
declared in an official report that Mr..
Crawford was palably engaged IN an
effort to defraud. Yet in Crawford's
interest it is attempted to create the
impression that Kittredge has sought
to protect land-grabbers.
The assessment of farm lands was
increased by Mr.. Crawfords state
board of assessment in 1907, over
the valuations of the previous year.
by more than twenty-six million dol.
lars, or five millions more than the
total valuation of all the railroad pro
perty in the state for the same year.
Yet Crawford goes about the state
denouncing Kittredge for high farm
taxes and low railroad valuations.