Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1908-02-28
CRAWFORD CONFIDENT
Says the People VIII Have
Chance to Express Senti-
ments in Primary.

Chance to Express Senti-
ments in Primary.
In recent interview at Watertown,
Governor Crawford made the follow
ing statement: ~ have no fear about
the outcome OF the June pri-
.naries," said Governor Crawford in
an interview here. "The stalwarts
do not dare propose the repeal of a
single one of the reform statutes for
which the last republican convention
declared and which were enacted into
law last winter. They are forced to
reluctantly admit that these new laws
should be let alone. The people, how
ever, do not forget that the Kittredge
leaders opposed every effort made to
secure these reforms and had nothing
man that ADVOCATED them. They can
not get away from the fact that when
they had control of the legislature in
1905 they suppressed five resolutions
offered endorsing the policies of Theo-
dore Roosevelt and passed none; and
that they killed a fellow-servant law
and arbitrarily suppressed constitu-
tional petition for a statewide pri-
mary at the same time. They cannot
get away from the fact that for ten
years during which they were in con-
troll OF the party organization and the
legislature they did not pass single
law regulating or supervising or cur
failing public service corporation.
after the solid delegations from
Minnehaha, Lawrence, Brown, Ed
munds, Day, Clark and Douglass coun-
ties lined up last winter in the legis-
lature against the two cent fare bill,
the double damage stock and fire bills
and most of them against the railway
tax bill, it is amusing to see them
come out for reduction in freight
rates and for two cent rate as a bid
for votes in the midst of this cam
paign. The new primary law has COM
PEELED them to come at last before the
people for recognition, and they have
a record of servility to corporation in
terests to face.
HIGH TAX RESPONSIBILITY.
s'The attempt to escape by charging
the present administration with ex.
trayagance and complaining of higt
taxes is too thin to stand. All thespe
cial appropriations were recommended
by the old boards appointed by my
predecessor and the mem bers of these
boards appeared in person before the
legislative committees and urged these
appropriations. The stalwart mem
bers voted for all of them, and there
was not a single vote against the gen
eral appropriation bill in either house
Besides this, when the twine plant levy
is deducted which was voted by the
people-the state tax of 1907 is less
than the state tax of 1908, ano 190t
and the state tax of 1907 includes {
one mill levy made to take up a quar-
ter of a million dollars of outstanding
funding warrants, left over by the Ell
rod administration"
In response to an inquiry as to what
kind Of success he was having with his
meetings, the governor said:
Il have made speeches for the repub
lican ticket in every campaign in this
state since 1890 and have had some
great meetings, but I must say that
from the standpoint of good attend
ance and manifest interest in the is
sues have never had meetings before
which compared with the ones / have
addressed during the past six weeks
1t is great campaign and will be 9
hard fought battle, but we shall win
THE MARCH PRIMARIES VITAL TO
sTALwART SUCCESS.
sDo you regard the result of the first
primaries on March 10 as vitally i'm
portant to your success in the June
primaries?
No, not by any means. Should the
stalwarts lose the March primaries il
means their ruin, because the March
primaries and the county and state
conventions following furnish then
with opportunities to manipulate tht
choosing Of delegates and the making
of com binations of large counties, in ;
| situation where there is no issue -botl
factions being foE Taft. But in tn,
June primaries the voter will have th'
chance to vote direct for the party can
didates and the fight will bring out th
full vote and it will tell the story
Senator Kittredge, however, has no
Iyet expressed his willingness to accep
the result of the June primary and t
jgive his support to the nominee VIII
receives the popular vote If he de
clines to do that he will make th
campaign easier for me- conclude,
the governor.
Canton Township Caucus.
There will be caucus of the voter
of Canton township held at the tow