Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1914-02-19
REAL ISSUES OF CAMPAIGN

gressive movement of the past eight
years will be held and the move
ment continued or whether we
will go back to the old order. In the
great forward movement which has
revolutionized political conditions in
the country the past few years, South
Dakota has had a leading and active
part. When l was elected to the leg
islature in 1908, every state officer
and every member of the legislature
rode on railroad passes, and the fav-
ored ones used telegraph and express
franks to send their messages and
ship their goods without charge.
Scores of others, chairmen and mem.
bers of political committees, leaders
of political organizations, bosses, big
and little, and various grades of self
constituted officers of political organ
izations also received these valuable
presents. While the average man
paid railroad fares, telegraph, tele-
phone and express charges, he who
had supposed political influence went
free, and the public official placed
himself under obligation to these cor
porations whose interests so often
conflicted with the interests of the
public. Of course these favors were
given in return for service rendered
or expected. Through these intiu-
ences was maintainep a lobby organi-
zation that controlled caucuses and
conventions, selected candidates, or
ganized legislatures and dictated leg,
lslation. The progressive movement
entirely abolished these practices.
South Dakota enacted the first really
effective anti-pass law, the first SO
effective as to cut out all forms of
the evil. Secret lobbying has been
abolished. Corporations are forbid
den to contribute to campaign funds.
Corrupt practices acts require sworn,
itemized statements of campaign
expenditures. At the request of en-
ployees, and in the interest of safety,
we now require the railway compan-
les to provide good and sufficient
headlights, and other safety devices,
passed an employers liability law,
and laws limiting the hours of con-
tinuous service Of trainmen. Railway
property Is taxed equitably in proper
tlon to other property, as it was not
before. We made an inventory and
valuation of railroad property as a
basis for rate making and taxation.
and are proceeding on that basis to
regulate rates. In general matters
of legislation and administration we
have kept the state in the van of the
progressive movement.
sTALWART OPPOSITION
ALI of these measures have been
consistently and persistently opposed
by leaders of the SO called stalwart
or reactionary faction. Formerly
they opposed progressive measures
frankly and openly. For instance, at
the close of the legislative session of
1907, the Argus-Leader was wont to
characterize the activities of that
session. and the various progressive
measures enacted, as an attempt to
lynch the railroads" and embarrass
business and predicted that disaster
to the state would follow, and when
an amendment to the constitution
was submitted providing that in val
uing the property of such corporations
for taxation, their franchises and Ii.
censes to do business in the state
might be considesed, this and other
stalwart papers and politicians as
sumed the role of spokesman for the
corporations in bitter fight against
the adoption of such amendment.
OPPOSITION REFUSES TO DISCUSS REAL
ISSUES
The popularity of this campaign is
that the opposition declines to dis
cuss the issues. They have much to
say about high taxes, extravaganza
and increased state expenditures.
They ignore the fact that state taxes
are lower the current year on general
property than heretofore, and, in 10
calities where local taxes are higher
attempt to mislead the people into
believing that it is because of state
extravaganza.
Nipple says S. j. Wood promised
to keep Miss Lee in the register of
deeds Office. We have no objection
to that. What we do object to, is to
do it at the county's expense. s1oe7.6o
is q good deal for the tax payers to
put up to enable Woods to keep q
campaign promise even If he does
belong to the bunch.
Strictly according to Stephens in
vitation. and for the information OF
the voter. we present = continuation
of the gentleman's record. There ID
j annuuh 1oft far oAvA ~ ;....n.