Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1914-03-19
CRAWF0RD's RECORD
UNASSAILARLE

CRAWFORD'S RECORD
UNASSAILABLE
senator Crawford's record since he
entered the Senate five years ago has
oeen one of unremitting effort to up.
hoid the principles and to vindicate
the policies of progressive govern
ment. He has continued in the path
way of his career as leader of thu
progressive forces in South Dakota.
and today his splendid work in the
Senate is attested by all the promi-
hent co-workers in that body, includ.
ing Cummins, LaFollette, Bristow,
Norris, Clapp and others.
From the hour when his senatorial
iabors began the leading stalwart
newspapers in the state entered upon
a deliberate course of vilification Of
his character and of Justification Of
ms political record, which course has
continued to the present day. Every
expedient which political rancor.
hatred, disappointed ambition. and
desperate hope of recovery of their
former reign of party bossism has
oeen resorted to by the editors of the
Argus-Leader, Aberdeen News. Iro.
quols Chief Pierre, Dakotan and the
Capltal-Journal, and other newspap-
ers following in their wake. There 10
scarcely a single issue of those news
papers during the whole five years
that has not contained one or moro
editorials of this character, showing
plainly pre-concerted plan to mis-.
represent his record and standing and
to belittle his influence. The nearest
approach to truthfulness that any Of
these attacks represent is that Of
stating half-trnths in such connec-
tlons and such guise as to really fall
slfy the Substantial facts. They have
sought to magnify single deviation
by him from the stand of other pro.
gressives upon some more matter of
detail, or of honest difference of view.
into evidence of his course in general.
They have assumed to tell the voters
what constitutes progressive republi.
canism, and since the downfall of
Cannon Aldrich. Penrose- -Lorimerism,
they have foolishly tried to show that
Crawford was aligned with those old
stalwart relics Of the past.
Did Cannon, Aldrich, Penrose or
Lorimer ever claim that Crawford
was not progressive? Has any one
heard stalwarts in this campaign, do
Tending the Cannon -Aldrich machine
or what it stood for when it was
building the castle which has fallen.
and which when it fell carried them
down with it?
What sarcasm in the plight of these
professors of political righteousness,
as they yalnly strive with weapons Of
detracticn and calumny! What sa-
tire in cause that seeks to survive
by striking down character and SIAN
dering worthl What folly in assum-
ing that the people are unable to dis
Germ worthiness where it existsi
And when they aim their shafts at
Senator Crawford they likewise abuse
the whole array of progressive forces
In this state, and their Candidates all
along the line. They imagine that
they can thus convince the voters
that the splendid record of progress
sive legislation and administration in
this state ought to be condemned, and
that those who desperately fought
the makers of that record ought to be
promoted to state and federal station.
and that their stalwart newspaper
hackers should be recognized as rep.
resenting the political faith of South
Dakota progressive republicanism!
The New York Evening Post speak
ing of Crawford g speech against Lori
mer, says: '.The whole speech was
mastery and shows what an able and
conscientious lawyer can still do in
the senate. Z The Kansas City Star
says of him on that occasion: .sCraw-
ford's speech made q decided stir in
the Senate and in the crowded GAL
leries. These are but samples OF
comments flowing from the press Of
the country upon numerous subjects
upon which Senator Crawford spoke:
and labored in building his famous
fecord in that body.
The people have had enough OF this
degradation Of politics to the level
of detraction and shameless resort u
Misrepresentation by stalwArt news 4
papers and managers. That they
VIII rebuke u by their votes on the
Path is morally certain. '''s9Si