Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1908-06-04
YES, LET 1T GO!

1.-The past is gone and we are living
In the present" shouted one or Mr..
Crawford's newspaper apolog1sts some
weeks after reading the famous In
dictment" issued against Mr.. Craw-
ford some time ago.
The facts set forth in the indictment
were so forcible as to cause the cham
pions of Crawford to pause. 1t re-
Quired some time for them to recover
their breath, but when they finally
got to breathing again they rushed
about admonishing the people to for
get what occurred SO long in the past.
That, in effect, was the burden OF
Regent Ericsons virtual plea of guilty
and prayer for mercy. That was
twenty years ago when Crawford turn
ed his back upon his solemn pledge,
they said in substance. Why not let
matters as stale as that remain
buried?
Well, suppose we do! Suppose that
we admit, for arguments sake, that
What then? Have We right to ex-
pect that when man makes that sort
Of a plea we shall find his acts subse-
quent to those complained Of to be in
accordance with the rules of honorable
transactions? Assuredly we have the
right to assume such to be the case.
So let us pass on down the pathway
reformer's later life. What do we
and? Why, simply that from the year
1898 to the beginning of 1892 he was
USING his official position-a position
to which he was elected by the people
to prevent an increase OF railroad
valuations for the purpose Of taxation.
And to this .arraignment the. re
former" himself pleads that times
were SO very hard that the railroads
met with great difficulty in meeting
their operating expenses and that in
Justice to them their valuations should
have been reduced. This, in effect
Is the only explanation" that Re
former" Crawford has ever offered for
his official conduct in extending spe-
cial favors to the railroads.
1t is true that the farmers of South
Dakota were also experiencing troub
ious times during the financial de-
preston that overlook the country in
1893. 1t is true, too, that the farmers
were frequently unable to meet their
expenses. 1t is likewise true that
they often had to let their taxes run
until threatened with the sale of their
premises for delinquencies. We
haven't noticed that Mr.. Crawford
manifested any inclination to reduce
farm valuations during that period
when he was pleading for reduced
railroad assessments.
bul l6C us pass IL 1lIlic IuTLuGT along
and then note what we find. We be-
hold Mr.. Crawford drawing princeiy
salary from greatrailway corporation
and we behold him annearing time and
again before the state board of assess
ment, using his political and social
and personal influence to keep down
railroad valuations for the purpose of
taxation.
He admits the truth of this charge.
but pleads that he was in the employ
OF the railroad corporation and was
but doing it's bidding. Let the past
bury its dead. he says. in effect, why
censure him for doing what he was
paid to do?
True, he has severely arraigned
Senator Kittredge for an occasional
appearance in court-be it remember
ed that Kittredge was never on the
regular pay rolls of any corporation
whatsoever-to represent a railroad
company. 1t was right and proper for
Crawford to draw a salary from rail
roads as lobbyist but it was an evil
dence of wickedness for Kittredge to
touch dollar of railroad money for
trying lawsuits!
So let us pass down to 1901, when a
vacancy was created inf the United
States senate by the death of Senator
j. III Kyle. Mr.. Kyle's body had not
yet become cold when Mr. Crawford
began organizing campaign to sue
coed him. He used his position as the
state attorney for the Northwestern
railroad to inaugurate system of
kilograms and communications be-
seeching the governor to appoint him
Every lawyer in the state represent
ing the Northwestern was urged to
get action-quick action. Every sher-
lift carrying pass issued by Mr.. Craw-
ford, was asked to rush letters and tel
70
praying for Crawford's appointment.
All the force, all the power, all the op-
portunities offered through railroad
connections were brought into play
to boost Crawford into the senate
While still on the salaried list of
railroad he was good enough for a
senatorship! But that was seven
years ago!
But let us proceed further along
away mp in Walworth county What?
What's this that we behold as late as
1903 and 1904, yea, even later still,
in 1905, Why that's nothing to be-
come excited about, We merely find
Mr.. Crawford, who, since We last saw
him, has become genuine "reformer'
trying to beat Uncle Sam out of five
quarters of land, using young men
scarcely out of their teens as tools
for the purpose, r isn't much--only
such little matters as the suborning
OF perjury. But inasmuch as Mr..
Crawford has really and truly ''re-
formed" we suppose we shouldn't
mind little thing like that!
Let us pass on. Now we are so
journing in the capital of the great
state of South Dakota. We behold
Mr.. Crawford, who has attained to the
position of reform governor, us
ing his personal and political infu-
ence to rehabilitate a petty CRATER
find him concocting a scheme for the
appointment Of committee to do
little job of whitewashing in order
that the aforesaid ~rafter may make
= presentable annearance upon his re-
turn to Washington. 1t was big job
Tor so small matter, but it was fairly
successful, SO far as 1t went. But this
was more than year ago. But let
us proceed further. Let us come down
to August, 1907, when the state board
81 assessment was laboring with itself
70 increase railroad valuations Let
rs not forget that Mr.. Crawford has
reformed. What do we observe!