Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1911-12-29
Dean Stirling's Progressive1sm.

'Ine sioux Fails preSS, formerly a
progressive paper now for Sterling, is
having hard TINT in attempting to
justify its present course i'm support
ing Thomas Sterling for United Stated
Senator.
All who know anything about the
history Of the progressive movement
IN South Dakota know that Dean
Sterling has never been progressive
until this fall, and 40 one was ever in
doubt as TO his views
Admitting that Mr. Sterling "has
never been a progressive until this
fall, Is no disgrace or reflection up
on his patriotism or good Judgment.
The progressive movement, as Il na-
tional force, is not grey beaded. and
thousands Of good men are turning
with hope TO the progressive cause.
But how different it is with II. J
Gamble? Tie started out as a corpor
alton candidate for congress and won
because the old machine was in
power His record WAS one Of po!iti-
cal treachery until finally Senator
Kittredge, congressman Burke and
Martin, and other leaders, held q
meeting In Aberdeen, and kicked
Gamble out of the party so far as
party responsibility was concerned.
Then he profeSsed to be reformer
and an anti-machine man and anti
everything To win the confidence of
the progressive-reform party, The
progressiyes believed him sincere,
notwithstanding knowledge OF his
previous record. Tie bitter strife be-
tween the progressives and Senator
Kittredge was favorable to Gamble
and in one Of the best organized cam
paigns If the party a progressive leg
isature was elected and the old ma
chine wiped out.
CANDLES election followed, even
after his disreputabie whiteWaSl. but
no man who voted for him dreamed
for moment that he would turn
around and betray them on the first
opportunity. Those who knew him
best refused to vote for him, and
when Senator Kittredge was defeated
Gamble saw an opening to betray the
progressives and seek an alliance with
the enemies of the people, and he de-
serted the progressive cause and be-
came a corporation tool. Such is the
record of man who now claims to be
q progressive again.
Gamble is not a .eIosreasive. be is a
Wall street man, he is with the tariff
cNtJ hn yg n
demands Of the people, and opposed
to everything the square deal repub-
licans demand In legislation.
On the other hand, Dean Sterling
stands as pronounced representative
OF the people. His record is one of
truth and honorable political action.
He has never betrayed party or
friends. He stands for government
OF the people and believes in the pro-
gressive policies of Senator La Fol
iette. All progressive republicans
we're standpatters, as the term goes,
at some time in their their political
belief. but the trust control OF the
government forced men to think and
act, and the battle for the people for
4 square deal began, headed by Presi.
dent Roosevelt, and the Roosevelt
policies will control after the 4th of
March 1913.
The Press and Dakotan's two col
umns defense of Gamble concludes
with a statement that is quite anus
ing in the light of the past and pres
ent political action, and we quote:
"The name and fame OF Thomas
Sterling, dean of the law department
OF the State University. have become
subjects for public discussion now
that the senatorial developments at
the capital OF the state have placed
him in the gaze OF the public as the
selection, for distinguished honor,
OF the stalwart faction of the republi
can party.
"Mr Sterling is a man highly re-
parded by the people Of South Dako-
Ia, and they will be interested in the
story of his sudden appearance as the
cham pion OF the lost cause Of the
South Dakota machine"
That Thomas Sterling should now
want the people to forget his political
past Is natural, but what can be said
Of those papers and those politicians
who claim to be progressives, and vet
support him for the United States
senate as progressive?
In the above you will note as some
thing entirely new, that Mr.. Sterling
is the selection Of the stalwart fac
tion" for the senate. This is worth
good laugh anyway
In another paragraph you will note
that Mr.. Sterling is 1.-THE champion
OF the lost cause of the South Dakota
machine This last statement Is
where the and D gets in its deadly
work. The man who wrote that is a
genius, positive record smasber, a
man tt to be post master at Yankton.
Read that over again. 1t is awfully
funny, but we suppose it pleases
Gamble.
1.-The champion of the last cause of
the South Dakota machine. and
that's what the P and D says Mr..
Sterling is.
Well, we shall have 10 take Mr..
Sterling as he is and we are willing
to bet a $1,000 that he, as senator,
would never ask a constituent to vio-
late a $500 penalty law for the sake OF
a 2 cent stamp. and that is just what