The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1914-01-08

seemingly fair.
Your record as a progressive repub-
lican has been challenged by many in
the state since the opening OF your
campaign.
The Congressional Record which is
supposed to be the Official authority,
has been widely quoted to prove that
by your voice and vote, that you have
not been "a loyal progressive republi-
can during the past five years" In
stead of relying on the official record
you prefer to shift the voucher to
your colleagues. You ask us to TASK"
them. In view of the vast Importance
attached to senatorial courtesy this is
hardly fair to them or us. Your might
easily have made the request of them
personally if you had thought their
personal vouchers would have satisfied
your constituents better than the Con-
gressional Record. But that is for
you to judge.
There is one U. S. senator named,
the original progressive republican in
the senate in whom the real progress
sive republicans of the state and ma
ton have absolute confidence.
In once more opening a campaign in
this state you realized that his name is
a name to c~onjure with. Each and
every time you refer to progressive
republicanism, and its advocates, you
place his name first; six times in all.
This would indicate very clearly that
you believed that your constituents
looked upon Senator LaFollette as
1.-The real progressive republican lead
er" in the u. S. Senate, and he has
been there during all of your term.
That you have in the past SO con.
sidered him, | refer to the fact, that
in your campaign for governor in 1906,
when Senator LaFollette made a cam
paign for you, that you promised him
that if you won you would see that the
next delegation from this state to the
national republican convention would
support LaFollette for the nomination
for president.
The fact that you failed to redeem
that promise does not seem to have
been because you had lost confidence
in his ability, honesty or sincerity. AS
proof of which l have in my posses
sion a letter from Mr. Houser, LaFol-
lette's campaign manager, asking me
to cooperate with you in this state
in the last campaign as you had prom
Used him your hearty support.
AS further proof 1 remind you that
at the LaFollette mass meeting held
at Huron during the State Fair a little
over two years ago, that you again
pledged LaFollette your unqualified
support in your address before that
meeting.
That you again deserted his banner
as you had four years before was not
because you had lost confidence in him
but for some other reason is evident
that now for the third time you raise
his standard. / might here in an aside
remind you that you did not support
LaFollette in the last national republi-
can convention as promised.
The friends and admirers of the
Wisconsin senator now want to know
if you are justified in claiming that the
senator will vouch for your loyalty as
a progressive republican worker in
the U. S. Senate for the past five
years"
/ will yield to no man in my admira-
ton for and confidence in Senator La
Toilette, and now propose to make a
test as between us that the real pro
gressive republicans" of this state may
unite on a candidate for U. S. senator
who will be loyal in and out of the ser
ate to the true progressive principles
for which LaFollette stands.
Your record has been challenged.
The Congressional Record is against
you. The only defense l have noted
is this reference to your colleagues,
in which you state that "IF ANY" of
the senators referred to will say that
you have not been "a loyal progressive
republican during the past five years
that you will withdraw from the race"
l now call upon you to produce a
voucher from Senator LaFollette that
you have been "a loyal progressive
republican" during your five years SER
vice or withdraw from the race in
accord with your open, public pledge
given in opening your campaign.
You have had ample notice that this
would be required Of you.
Mr.. Person Of date November 14th,
published in the Argus-Leader of date
November 10th, called your attention
to your pledge. and quoted not only the
senators then in the senate you had
named. but also Senators Dixon, Bever-
idge. Borah, Dolliver and Nelson to
prove that you had not been "a loyal
progressive republican"
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