Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1911-08-25
A Gamble Burke Combine
Against Crawford
In Such Combination All Present State States would Be
Smashed, Thus Compelling Crawford to Fight
For His Political Life and the Election
of Egan Would Follow.
The People are Thinking for Themselves
Political Battle is Coming That Will Compel New
Alliances With Much Bitterness and Trcach-
cry in the Grand Roundup

There Is nothing new under the
Sun" ii we except new political com
binationS in South Dakota, and as an
explanation of this rather unusual
condition comes the Information from
very we'll informed gentleman that
all indications point TO an unhOly
alliance between Bob Gamble and
Charlie Burke, the latter to support
Gamble in 1912, while Gamble is to
support Burke for the senate in 1914
against Crawford, making a standpat
deal TO win the state back to the con
troll of the corporations with new
machine.
In furtherance Of this program it is
alleged that the neutrality-suspicious.
forces are not going To- put up q can
didate for governor; that Gull OF the
Black Hills represents the Standpat-
corporation Gamble Burke deal, and
that Byrne, Nessey's man, is to be
dropped between the ties as the
Gamble train passes over the Chamb-
erlain pile bridge, leaving NanOsdel
and Egan to represent the people.
Gull, the Black Hills Gamble can
didate for governor, can ride new
political horse every time the boys
bring one out He got an appoint
ment to the land office at Rapid CiLy
through Gamble for Gamb sale OF
his share of the state To Taft. then
Gull started in to ScOld the pro-
gressives for not prostrating Them
selves for Gamble to wipe his shoes
on, and Gull got quite chesty after he
began sucking the public tit. Under
ordinary circumstances Gull would
have been mighty Glad TO hold on TO
the Rapid City Ian d office. u t
Gam ble'S friends Thought they could
see a fair chance TO play the people
for suckers by bringing Gull out as
progressive stand pat-cOrporatiOn can
didate, but in reality Gamble can
didate. Gamble needs a majority OF
the legislature and don't give tink-
er's whOop who wins for state offices.
There is no reciprocity in Robert }.
He believes in protection for himself
but free trade for the other fellow.
Ii Gamble could make deal by which
, he might gain one member Of the
legislature through an alliance with
Byrne, he would drop Gull.
If Gamble makes deal with Burke
now he will betray Burke later on,
but the LEADER can not believe that
Burke can be caught by any such
niusiiy prom isGs. Mr. Burke vas the
head spokesman at hat famous
private conference at Aberdeen that
kicked r. J. Gamble out of the party,
aad Mr.. Burke should know him too
well to trust him now.
If Charlie Burke ever expects to get
seat in the senate now is the time
for him to be doing business. He can
beat Gamble hands down, but it Is
very serious question whether he
could beat Crawford at any time.
Crawford has blundered seriously iD
the senate but he has not gone over
to the interests like Gamble The
LEADER takes no stock in the Gamble
Burke deal because Charlie Burke Is
one of the Shrewdest politicians in
the state and has won many friends
by standing pat on all occasions, right
or wrong, you could always find him
in the standpat corner, and 1t Is no
secret when we say that thousands of
progresSiveS would prefer Burke In
the senate in place Of Gamble, and
not only prefer Burke but would vote
for him. Mr.. Burke cannot be ignor-
ant of these conditions. He has warm
friends and many of them all over the
state who keep him posted, and for
him to make such an alliance with
Gamble when Gamble is tottering to
fall, seems too silly to consider for a
moment Burke h S no love for
Gamble, because he knows Robert too
we'll.
In that famous Aberdeen confer
ence of 1905 when Messrs. kittridge,
Martin, Burke, Greene, Brockway,
Herried and six other high officers In
the old Kittredge organization, tried
Gamble by drumhead court martial
and found him guilty on every count,
under the powerful prosecution of
Charlie Burke, Gamble was fired
bodily from the party, and may the
good Lord forgive those for the great
sin committed when t hey picked
Gamble up out of the political gutter