Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1912-03-29
VAN OSDEL FOR LIEUT.. GOV.
During a Speech In This City Last
Week He Announced Withdraw
al From Governorship Con-
test,

Hill, spoke in the courtroom in this
city last Saturday afternoon. The
LEADER announced a speech by Mr..
Van Osdel on Feb. 10, but before the
time arrived 4 telegram came an
nouncing a severe attack of pneu'
monia, and March % was the first
time he felt strong enough to deliver
an address, and even then he was not
in condition to speako in public, but
the spirit of the pioneer was strong
within him.
Before coming over to Canton he
had canvassed the situation carefully,
taking into account his recent severe
sickness and the present condition OF
his health. and an ever increasing
pressure from friends all over the
state asking him to withdraw as a
candidate for governor and become a
candidate for lieutenant governor,
and after d~eliberation, he decided
that he would withdraw from the
contest for governor, and become a
candidate for lieutenant governor,
hoping that his action might be re-
garded as in the interest OF harmony.
His retirement from the race for
governor narrows the contest down to
Byrne, Egan and Gull, and If Gull
should pull out, the contest would be
fought out on the merits and avail
ability Of the chief candidates. Gull
has no business in the race anyway,
as he is still holding down a $4,000
government job at Rapid City.
Mr.. Van Osdel is one OF the squar-
est men in the state and has made a
life battle for a square deal for the
people. He has been in the territor-
ial and state legislature many times,
and has the distinction of being the
only member OF a Dakota legislature
that never accepted a pass from a rail-
road company, believing, as the coun-
try afterwards learned, that a rail-
road pass was a system OF bribery. He
on all occasions fought for the people,
and was the only man in the legisla-
ture during the session OF 1907 who
refused TO vote for Gamble and bis
coat of whitewash. Van OSdel knew
Gamble better than anybody else. He
was abused by the Gamble crowd be-
cause he refused to vote for the man
convicted of graft, but he told them
Gamble would betray the whole
crowd and Abe vas right, he knew
the man.
Mr.. Van Osdel will now receive the
hearty endorsement of a large major
ity of the people. He stands In no
mans way. In him the grand army
and the editors of the state are re-
presented, and the people will have a
champion, and all interests will find
him fair and square. No tairer man
could be elected to the second highest
Office in the state. and no man could
be named for that office in whom the
people have greater confidence.
Honest Abe Van Osdel is a term by
which the people Of the state know
him, and the distinction was given
him by those who knew him best.
Mr.. Van Osdel same to Dakota
TERRITORY in 1865 after being mustered
out of the army and for t%hirty.tive
years he was among the leading
farmers of Yankton county. He is
now engaged in the mercantile and
banking business at Mission Hill, and
for the past two years has published
the Historian. a weekly paper OF
great historic interest, and is thoro'
ughly competent for presiding Officer
of the senate, and as this grand old
pioneer is now marching down the
sunset of a glorious life, let our peo'
pie crown his public life with a grand
testimonial of confidence on the 4tt
day of next June, when the voters
select their state officers.