The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1912-08-01
PETT|GREW ATTACKS
AYRES AND JOHNSON
EX-SENATOR DECLARES DEMO-
CRATIC CANDIDATE FOR GOV
ERNOR is BACKED BY THE
RAILROADS.

Sioux Falls, S. D.-Ex-Senator
r. f. Pettigrew has issued the fol-
lowing statement:
"Of curse Tom Ayres has a per-
feet right to aspire to the position of
United States Senator. He no doubt
has in view the fact that this state
has elected Kyle and Gamble to that
position heretofore, n therefore
Ayres thinks thai any man has Il
right to aspire to that position, no
matter how feeble he may be i'm in
tellect or defective in moral char
acter.
But, after all. it is quite proper
that Ayres should aspire to the lead
ership of the element that is now in
control of the democratic organiza-
ton in this state. With Ayres at the
top as senator and Dowdell beneath
him for congress, and johnson be-
meath Dowdell for governor, We have
the proper proportions for a pyramid,
as it is always customary to put the
lightest material on top.
1T was these three men who were
instrumental in putting up the bogus
Clark ticket at the June primaries.
This ticket was put up, but not sup
ported by these men, for the purpose
OF deceiving the voters of South Da-
kota and %swindling Clark out of the
delegates from this state. The figures
which johnson presented at Balti-
more We're that the Wilson ticket re-
ceived 4,705 votes, and the Clark
ticket, headed by Andrew f. Lee, A.
275 votes. The bogus or fraudulent
ticket put up by johnson, Dowdell
and Ayers received 2,123 votes, so
that Clark in reality received in this
state, counting the votes cast for
both the Clark tickets, $500 major
ity over Wilson, and yet Wilson re-
ceived the vote of South Dakota at
Baltimore, and as a result of dupli-
city on the part of these three men.
This piece of political trickery releas-
es every democrat in the state from
any obligation whatever to vote for
any of them. Johnson is running for
governor, Dowdell for congress and
Ayres for the Senate, and they are
not entitled to receive a single demo-
cratic vote, and no democrat should
vote for them who condemns this
sort of political trickery.
Il advise every democrat in the
state to see that none of them re-
ceives his support. We are opposed
to bosses, and to political trickery,
and in favor of the principles of pro-
gressive democracy. Therefore it is
our duty to stamp u condemnation
upon the practices of which these
men have been guilty.
There are additional reasons why
no democrat should vote for Johnson
for governor. Johnson has deliberate
ly gone to work to secure the sup
port of the railroads of the state, and
the express companies and other cor
p%orations. and the liquor interests,
and of urs has done all this with
the understanding that he shall re-
turn the favor when he is elected. [
know positively that the railroads are
supporting him and that the other
corporations of the state are support
ing him, and he therefore has for
feited the right to the support of any
honest democrat.
The governor is chairman of the
board that fixes the rate of taxation
upon the railroads of the state.
Hence their interest in the selection
OF a governor, for today the railroads
pay less than one-third the amount
of taxes paid by the other property
of the state. Their taxes should be in
creased, and it is the duty of the
voters of this state to vote for no
candidate for governor who will not
pledge himself earnestly for a pro-
per equalization of the assessment,
and of course the promise of a man
who has made a bargain in advance
is absolutely worthless"