Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1909-04-01

During the recent political cam
paigns we have heard a great deal
in this county about the republican
primary league, and the insurgent
newspapers have seen tit to scatter
broadcast vast amount of reading
matter issued by that organization.
OF course the matter in the past was
all in laudation Of a certain individ-
ual by the name OF Crawford. We
told the voters Of this county at that
time that the leaders OF the primary
league did not know their man or
else We're willfully misrepresenting
him in order TO catch the votes Of
the unwary. We admit frankly that
we thought the latter the true YER
sion OF the case, for We could not
believe that man SO we'll versed in
the political history of the state
could put SO much confidence in
Crawford, Gamble and other leaders
OF the progressive or insurgent
republican organization as did II.
o. Richards, of Huron. But it now
appears from the reading of the
articles printed above, which come
direct from Mr.. Richards and the
| primary league, that the prime
movers in the league were really in
earnest in their desire to divorce the
offices of the state from corrupt
politics. 1t is further evident from
the above letters that the men the
league elected to Office have proven
to be just what the league and the
people of the state were informed
that they were by the regular repub.
lican organization--a bunch of poll
cal grafters who were using the
league only to boost themselves into
Office. The grafters, with the assist.
ance of the league, were elected to
Office. The league then appeared
and asked that the reforms which
they had preached be put in practice.
The grafters were evidently of a
different mind. They had secured
position and with position several
minor Offices which they could use
to fortify themselves in Office, they
have given every evidence of inten-
ton "of peddling patronage to gain
political influence" and built up a
political machine in South Dakota
that would make all former organi-
cations look like the work OF anna
tuers. The men who we're chosen
for the Offices by the league were,
in most cases, politicians of the two
old parties who have been repudi-
ated by their own organizations
either for incompetency or something
worse. OF course these men rallied
some few supporters to the cause as
personal friends, then all the dis
gruntled and disappointed office
seekers were also aligned with them
of no matter what party ON the
promise of an Office as soon as the
power to deliver was furnished.
The result has been the same old
story, the reformers did the voting
and the politicians got the office.
The league is in the same position
as the woman who married a repro
bate to reform him and died of a
broken heart because the man went
from bad to worse. The league had
sacrificed it's all and gained an
uusavory reputation of not deliver
ling the goods it promised and estab-
lished in this state political ring
that will take at least two Years and
a mighty effort to dislodge. r. o..
Richards furnished the money that
financed the league and was also the
master mind that conducted the sue
cessful campaign which put the
bunch OF grafters and political nonen-
| tiles into office. Once landed they
told him they would have no more
OF him and formed a combination to
hand him a lemon. Mr.. Richards IS
nothing if he is not fighter. In
this case he Is living up to his record.
He has come out and served notice.
He has repudiated Crawford and
sent him personal notice He says
of Governor Wesley, "but there is
no force or leadership in The govern
or's chair" He still insists "that
politics shall not consist Of persons,
but Of principles, not Of spoils.'
We presume that the article written
by Mr.. Richards is endorsed by the