Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1908-05-07
PEOPLE ON trial
IN SOUTH DAKOTA

will grow stronger in the state from
day to day, and that he will win, as
he should, in the contest of the 9Th
of June.
Crawford's Broken Promises
Coe L. Crawford is different man.
He began his political career by
breaking mis- solemn promise TO his
constituents. He promised to vote
for the repeal of the infamous gross
earnings tax law, and he violated the
promise and voted for it. The rail-
roads got him. He voted against
an antitrust resolution. He voted
against the double damage liability
law, for which Mr. Kitredge voted.
He. was hand in glove with the cor
porhtions. Mr.. Crawford was for four
years the friend of the railroads be-
fore the board OF assessment He
made the motions for the reduction
of railroad assessments. He became
the lobbyist for the railroads. He
distributed its passes and lobbied for
it's bills Then he became the raid
attorney of the Northwestern, and
he held that position until in 1904.
he became canoldate for governor
on the reform ticket. Ever since then
Mr.. Crawford has been a pledge
breaker and betrayer Of the people.
He promised lower passenger rates
and helped to kill the bill introduced
to that end. He met railroad men at
midnight at the Owl restaurant at
Pierre and told them that every
helped TO kill the bill whoch would
have put stop to the interest graft.
He promised equality of taxation, and
gave the railroads much the best or
IL. He promised 10 build the capitol
out OF South Dakota stone, and 1t Is
being built out of Bedford stone. He
promised good appointments. and he
Wheaton. He has broken faith with the
people In every public relation, and
has played the whole matter for his
own personal advancement and
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. He was twice con-
sidered by a federal grand jury for
graft, and narrowly escaped indict-
ment. He made large talk about pur-
ity in politics, and helped to elect
Robert j. Gamble. the self-confessed
CRATER, to the senate, and has caused
the chief whitewasner to be made
candidate for congress. he has
smirked about decent roliacs aud
invited Attorney Egan to SPEAK
with him at Huron, and lad
Mr.. Egan on the platform at the state
convention, where the conceited MIR.
Egan stroked his long hair ard WAS
know him. He has talked about the
purity of the home. and the first man
to be congratulated on Mr.. Crawford's
so-called success in March was Sem
ator Reed Smoot, one OF the twelve
apostles of the lecherous Mormon
church, which is an attack on the
Worthless of wofnanhood, aud the
sacredness OF the American home
Mr.. Crawford will lose II the per-
sonal question is raised. He has gone
back onshis old friends, and has new
set of friends each year. He makes
promises and breaks them. lie Is Q
glib talker and that Is all. He wants
to win and he doesn't care about the
methods used. He is the kind or man
who will make deal with ANYBODY,
If he can gain votes by It, He is
neither, true 70 a friend nor fair to O
foe" said one who had known him
for over twenty years. Elected to the
senate. he would be conceited, UNI
faithful and cheap. The state would
lose in character, in dignity and in Ell
fectiveness. The South Dakota cit
izen who wanted to see Craw-
ford would have to send in an
engraved card and cool his heels out
side while he awaited the pleasure
of his lordship II would be quite q
different situation from what now ex-
lists when any citizen OF the state, no
matter how humble. can run in and
see Kit" and without introduction
can tell him what he thinks ought to
be done. Such citizen will not find in
Kittredge a swell pompous chap. In
stead he will find a worker with his
coat off, without any airs. with
a modesty which he will not over
come, with clear eye, high pur-
pose, an honoraDie view of public life,
with an astonishing amount OF de-
tailed information about public mat.
tiers, always hard at work, always
clean and lair and right, never COM
PEELED to "explain"--a big-brainej,
hard-worKlng, modest, right-minded
man, who has peen an honor to the
state and of whom his friends are
proud.
Voters to Choose
There are the two men who seek
your votes. Turn down Mr.. kittredgo
and you defeat the best man you have
ever had in public life. Elect Mr..
Crawford and you put premium on
the yellow, the cheap and the unfaith-
full. The Argus-Leader has known
both men intimatelv for more than
twenty years. 1t knows whereof 1t
speaks. IL the voters of the state
knew both men personally as this
newspaper knows them, the result Of
the primaries would be such an over
whelming endorsement for the square
deal. for real MANHOOD for actual
worthiness, for high-minded devotion
TO public affairs as would hereafter
discourage the candidacy OF men like
Crawford who talk one thing and do
another.--Argus-Lea