Omaha daily bee., 1910-01-04
ROW IN STALWART CAMP
South Dakota ~PrOgressives Profess to
See Division Among Standpatters.
HIT AT WATERFOWL MEETING
Pierre Capital-JOurnaI DenOunces
Proposed Conference of staIvart
eaders and Causes RumOr Of
DETECTION in Ranks.

SlOOA FALLS, y. D.y Jan. S.-(Special.)
Political interest in South Dakota at
present is conferred in a meeting Of stall
wart republican state leaders, which is to
be held at WATERFOWL on Thursday Of this
week. IT is expected that at the meeting
the selection will be made Of the men who
are to lead the stalwart republicans in
the contest for nomination to the offices
OF governor and other state positions,
which will eliminate In the primaries next
June.
The progressive republicans desire to re-
tain control OF state affairs, and thus are
deeply interested In what the stalwarts
will do at the WATERFOWL meeting.
The progressive are making much Of an
editorial. which was printed in the Pierre
Capital-Journal a few days ago, which in
substance repudiates the WATERFOWL meet
ing and states that no taiwarts Of stand
ing should be present or take any part in
the meeting.
TIL Capital-Journal Is one of the most
radical stalwart republican newspapers in
the state, and its Reputation Of the coming
WATERFOWL meeting is pointed out by the
progressive republicans as evidence that
the stalwarts are divided into two hostile
camps and, Notwithstanding their boasts
Of harmony, will be unable to present a
united front against the progresslves. should
the stalwarts carry out their announced
intention to place a full stalwart ticket be-
fore the voters Of South Dakota at the
June primaries.
Burke and KittredEe.
The progressive republicans have always
claimed that the Pierre Capital-Journal Is
the personal organ of Congressman Charles
II. Burke, who always has been a strong
stalwart, and because OF this they say
the reputation of the Watertown meeting
by the Capitai-Journal shows that Con.
gresham Burke and ex-senator Kittredgc,
the leader of the stalwart republicans, have
parted company. However, the stalwarts
say the Capital-Journal is not the personal
organ Of Congressman Burke and that
without doubt he has no interest in its
editorial course and therefore could not
have known that the Capital-Journal would
repudiate the Watertown meeting of stall
warts.
Nevertheless, the incident has given the
progressives grounds for claiming that the
stalwarts are by no means working to-
gether in harmony and that 1t will be diff
ficult for them to unite upon candidates
who will receive the united support of the
staiwarts at the Tune primaries.
The present views of the progressives are
ably stated by Fred W.. Wright, editor of
the DeSmet Independent, who is one of
the most conservative and outspoken of
the progressive republican newspaper men
OF the state. In speaking of the colmng
meeting Of stalwarts at watertown he
said: se... r.f.
PrOEresslVes May Unite.
AT the present time the disposition of
the progresslves seems to be for dropping
the fractional fight and returning to office
all fir9t-tarm offfcia1a -uuhotbar eonro
sives or stalwarts. Should the stalwarts
decide upon any other course the respon-
sibility for a fractional fight all along the
line will be- upon their shoulders.
THE proper thing for the party to do is.
to turn doAn any and all who advocate a
fractional fight. But there are a few who
imagine they are the whole cheese, polit-
ically speaking, and who, 1t seems, will
never be satisfied unless they can run the
party In this state as they did a few years
ago. But they never can run it, and the
sooner they realize it. the better 1t will
be for all concerned.
1T is my prediction that there will not
be more than ten or a dozen present at
the meeting, exclusive of those resident at
Watertown, and every one of them will be
an ex-officeholder."
Naturally interest in the WATERFOWL
meeting centers in who will be selected
IL a selection is made at that time-to head
the state ticket of the stalwarts for the
office OF governor. Only two candidates
have thus far been prominently mentioned,
in the persons of Ex-Governor Samuel IL.
Elrod of Clark and E.. L. Abel of Huron,
both of whom are strong supporters of the
stalwart republican cause,
Both men nave energetic hackers, who
win work hard to have their favorite Sc
lected as the stalwart republican standard
bearer In the approaching campaign.