The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1911-10-19
OFFICIAL COUNTY PAPER
AN OPEN RECORD.
The Mitchell candidate for co,


says the Sioux City Tribune.
This is q sarcasm based upon a,
u~nwarranted suspicion. And tina
suspicion, We are sure, would not b,
harbored by so sincere a paper a.
The Tribune If 1t. were as vel
acquainted with the record Of Mr.
Drans0n as are all in South Dakota
who have kept In touch with politi,
cal events Of the last six years.
From the standpoint of South Da.
kotans, 1t is Just as reasonable to ex.
pect Congressman Hubbard, of the
Eleventh Iowa. whom the Tribune
admfres very much. to stand up in
9 sort Of primer class and say: II am
Q progressive republican," as to re.
quire any such declaration from Mr..
Brans0n. For 1t is of record that
Branson was out lighting battles with
progressive republicans in South Da.
kota when Hubbard was yet un1ledg-
ed as q n ~insurgent..
So far as South Dakotans are con-
cerned, 1t is not necessary to present
Mr.. Branson's credentials, but for
the benefit OF, the Sioux City pepper
The Republican will in all friendli-
ness recites some OF Mr.. Branson's po-
litical record.
Mr.. Branson has held but one
state once. that OF. Senator. He sat
IN the 1908 and 1906 sessions. In
1903 his special mission was to help
secure reference to the people Of the
question Of changing the location of
the capital from Pierre to Mitchell
and this was his single purpose
throughout the session. The success
that attended the efforts made by
him and his associates is well known.
as the matter was submitted to q
vote. In the next session, Mr.. Bran
son was free to work out his own
record. II the story Of that session
ID told as It Is likely to be in the
coming campaign, it will make one
Of the most sensational chapters In
South Dakota's political history. 1t
should be borne in mind that the
old organization was in entire con-
troll in the state and, then expected
to be for an indefinite period. Suffice
1t to say that Mr.. Branson, rather
than take orders to betray tho peo-
pie Of South Dakota. accepted tho
Gltimatum which expelled him from
the organization as 1t then existed.
Il he were given to policy-playing,
surely he would not have banished
himself politically at that time.
when no n was so rash as to pre-.
dict that the crowd then in control
would be driven from Office.
Following that session. Mr.. Bran
son supported Coe /. Crawford in his
1906 campaign for nomination for
governor and, for the enactment of a
primary election law. Mr.. Branson
2 one OF four men who financed
and managed the Crawford campaign
IN Dawson county, at a time when
Crawford men were more scarce in
Dawson county than prairie chickens
are now. Similarly. in the preceding
campaign when Senator Gamble ran
for reelection as an advocate of
.Roosevelt's rate bill and against the
opposition OF the old organization,
Btsranson stood with Gamble and ac-
lively participated in his campaign.
IN 1908. Branson was among those
Who worked with and for Crawford
for the United States Senate. In
1910 he was the chairman Of the
republican county COM
in the primary campaign and
IN that capacity he had charge Of the
interests in this county Of Governor :
and the two progressive can
aidates for congress. Thorson and
s'cshrader. Further, in that campaign,
9 ( Branson succeeded in bringing
lllbso,nlt the election Of two progress
|ins rspublican members of the lesls-
atars from DAWSON county.
III lily o. this unlbroksn record {