Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1911-10-06
Mitchell Mecca for Politicians
The Corn Palace City Entertained Hun
dreds Of Politicians Last Week
But No Mans Ambition
Suffered.

The editor of of the LEADER went
over TO NJ Mitchell last week taking the
9O'clOck evening train, but we will
not do it any more soon. We made so
miles in ) hours, and several times II
looked as If the locomotive was going
to sleep on the prairie The Conduct
or was suffering from rheumatism and
the locomotive was aged, worn, and
short of wind, and then some fellow
wanted to know if il wasn't one Of
Harry Hunters political hog trains "
We took a side track miles cast CT
Mitchell and lay there 43 minutes
waiting for a train to make a ten
minute run. Everybody was mad,
sleepy and disgusted and three coach
loads OF passengers took their medi-
cine because there was nothing else
to take
We reached the Widmann hotel
shortly after O'Clock and found many
prominent politicians full of business
and happy, and the scene looked for
all the world like a night before a
state convention in the days Of the
old machine and free passes, when
Harry Uunterand Alex Johnson enter
tanned lavishly and issued orders with
out hinderance.
Thursday morning opened up wei
and gloomy. unfavOrable for the Corn
Palace and the politicians, but it
cleared up and the city by noon was
filled with merry fun loving crowd,
The principal public political at
traction in the fore noon was the
speech Of Senator wford and a
brief address by Gov. NcsSey, Sena-
tor Crawford'S speech was clean cut,
forccful, progressive keynote with a
ring to it that inspired confidence.
a meeting to consider the manage
ment and success of the LaFollctte
movement took wise and judicious
action by enlargiug the LaFolllette
committee appointed at Huron with
out change in officers, thus taking the
movement out of 'perSonally con-
Quoted bureau" and placing LaFol-
lettes cause in the hands Of a state
wide progressive movement.
A prominent progressive from Sphinx
county, and it wasn't BaSfOrd, warm
ed up as he began to discuss the so
called "Richard's' and "Crawford
fractions" "Who appointed Richards
a dictator?" said the Spinkite.
ssIt is high time that all men who
swell up and assume leadership in
the progressive party for personal
ends, should be sat upon. Mr. Richards
is an able and a great student, but
totally unfit for political leader.
Mr., Crawford is an able brilliant man
and can be leader when he lines up,
and he now seems ready for real buSl-
ness" said the gentleman from Sphinx,
"but it makes an old progressive war
rior a little disgusted to hear of the
Richards faction, and Dick won't do
this or do that, and Crawford putting
up the palm leaf for harmony"
"After reading the standpat papers
one would think Dick Is all there is
of the progressive party. The progress
sives select their own leaders from
among the men who carried muSkets
in the ranks, and the so called faction
leadership means confusion and weak
ness where none should exist. Ihe
progressives can now meet for gener-
al conference and do business, but
these self appointed bosses make a
fellow think of the old machine" and
turning to the writer he said, "4o ou
and Tom Thorson and Charlie CAS-
sill organized and won the first real
progressive victory in the state when
YOU did up the machine and nominal
ed Crawford for Governor, and Mr.,
Richards, think, served in the ranks
in that camgaign. / claim no progress
siye powers, and ask nothing as
progressive, but stand ready to do
nv share. I want to hear less OF the
faction leader foolishness and more
patriotism, and the cause OF the peo-
ple will be better served. L admire
Dick Richards and have watched his
course carefully for years, but any
man who rides a hobby, hit or miss,
RIGHT or wrong, and stands ready to
damn the man who may be from
Missouri or one who claims the right
to criticise, is not safe leader"
"Mr. Richards has a perfect rig ht
to champion the primary law but ne
must not let himself continue to
think that the progressive party is
hitched to his primary kitetail, or that
any progressive policy is dependent on
new primary law victory Let the
primary law go to the people on lts
merits, and even the Grange may De
worked into the movement, which IS
of small Importance when we consld-
er the great progressive movement
that shall make our people Tree OF a
power that Is sapping the life blood
of the nation.
.IfMr. Richards and Senator Craw
4ord have a tub Of dirty linen to wash