The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1908-03-05
How COe |. Crawford Broke His Sol
elm Pledge in 1889 and Voted
for N. P. Deal
Changed His Vote In the Same SEES
sion, Breaking Ills Promise, and
Giving Weak Explanation
How the Northern Pacific, with CraW-
fOrd's Help, Avoided Payment
of Just Taxation

1t has not yet been denied, and 1T
can not be denied-for it is a fact of
record-that the first thing Coe l.
Crawford did in his political career
was to make a solemn pledge to vote
for the repeal of the gross earnings
tax law, that he was elected to office
on this platform, that he went to the
legislature at Bismarck, that he broke
the pledge and voted with the rail-
roads, thus giving thousands OF dollars
OF the peoples one TO the North
ern Pacific road. and that thereafter
he became a paid attorney of the rail-
roads in reward for his perfidy. The
story is an interesting one, and every
word of it can be roven by the rec
ord.
In 1883, Coe I. Crawford was NOM
mated for the territorial council In
the Pierre district. He was a young
Ia who was just starting on his poll
teal career. He was a man of promise
and a good talker then as now. Sew
eral years before a gross earnings tax
law hadxbeen passed by the territorial
legislature. 1t was a law which i'm
posed q tax Of two per cent on the
gross earnings of all railroads in lieu
Of all other x The law was passed
on the insistence OF the Northern Pa
cif1c cad which owned thousands of
square miles Of mi in the northern
part Of the territory. and under this
infamous law, the road escaped tax
alton entirely on all this land. 1t is
said that the company expended
31O0.00e in those free and easy days
to get the law passed.
The people soon began to realize
that the law was robbing them, and
began to clamor for its repeal. Form
er Senator Pettigrew was one of those
who fought for It's repeal In the legis-
house, but was killed in the other.
1.-THE road bought up members like
cabbages in gopen market" said Mr.
Pettigrew in speaking OF this fight.
BY 1888, the people were desper-
ate, and the fight was made on this
issue. The Farmers Alliance became
strong, and 1t was a unit in demand
p u ~ 4GHO0l AAA S. 20 W hA AA
Mr.. Crawford's district the sentiment
was strsng. and the convention which
nominated MT. Crawford adopted this
resolution
ssReselyed that all classes Of pro-
perty IN the territory should bear
equal share OF taxation"
The convention was held at Rar-
rold. Oct. 4. 1888. We ave the COM
plete report OF the convention be-
fore us as we write. Mr.. Crawford ac-
cepted the nomination on this plat
form, and pledged himself to vote for
the repeal II this gross earnings tax
law, which was the only tax discrim-
NATION then known.
SsS Read on. friends, his story of per-
tidy and dishonor.for 1t has TO do with
the character OF the man who has
been pledge breaker ever since. the
man who@press.tsea to make good ap-
potntments and who made bad ones.
ma Who promised conomy and
rave waste, the man who pledged
South k stone foTthe capitol
md whs is building II outsof foreign
stOn Quarrled and trimmed by for
eign labor,the man who promised a
eduaTe deal and helped defeat the In
#fereat bill, mansWho talked against
railroads an a. candidate, and who
has favored them as governor, the
man who signed AZ patronage deal,
worried under III, secured appoint
under 1t, and who now repudi-
ssssSteai Il Remember that 1t was his
ldrst III as q statesman, but
that the character he displayed ther
sssunchlanged today: The facts We give