Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1914-11-14
BATTLE REVIEWED
Stalwart Leaders Declare They Were
Loyal-Gave Help to Entire
Ticket.

uuicbs ttlc SltudLlOu ID ndIuleu Win the
greatest care, will be to cause renewal
of the factional fights in the republican
party.
This is due to the fact that the only
two representatives of the stalwart fac
tion the republican congressional and
state ticket-Congressman Burke, re.
publican nominee for election to the
United States senate, and Judge William
G. Rice, of Deadwood, republican nomi.
nee for congress from the Third BLACK
Hills) district-were defeated.
The stalwart republicans assert that
they gave the republican ticket loyal
and earnest support, as is proven by the
fact that all the progressive republicans
on the ticket were elected by good plur-
alities. They charge that the defeat OF
Congressman Burke and Judge Rice was
due to considerable number of pro-
gressive republicans knitting that por-
tion Of the republican ticket, while the
stalwarts were supporting the entire
ticket, stalwart republicans and progress
siye republicans as we'll.
1t is known that all of the responsible
leaders of the progressive republican
party in South Dakota gave the entire
ticket as loyal support as the stalwarts
and favored harmony between the fac
tions. But these leaders were not able
to control Fl. G. Shober, former state
auditor; Thos. Thorson, of Canton, for
mer republican national committeeman
for South Dakota and other radical pro-
gressives and personal enemies Of Con-
gresham Burke and other stalwarts.
Prediction as to 1919.
The keenest political observers in
South Dakota declare that unless these
radicals are wholly eliminated from the
councils of the republican party of the
state and the stalwarts given a fair di-
vision of the state and congressional
positions at the primary election in
March, 1916, South Dakota will assured
ly 90 democratic at the election in No.
vember, 1915.
With the democrats having one fthe
United States senatorships and con.
gresham from South Dakota and all the
postoffices and other federal positions in
the state in charge of democrats, and
with the popularity of President Wilson,
who doubtless will be candidate for
reelection in 1915, it does not require
much political wisdom to discern that
unless there is complete harmony two
years hence between the two factions
of South Dakota republicans, there will
be great danger of South Dakota lining
up in the democratic column. Stranger
things than this have happened in poll
tics.
1t is known that the democrats, with
the prestige which they now possess in
South Dakota, are making plans to cap
ture the state two years hence, and it
will require good political generalship
on the part of the republicans to save
the state to their party at that time.
The stalwart republicans, in setting
forth their grievances, point to the course
pursued by ]. l.. Lockhart, of Pierre,
chairman of the republican state com.
mittee, as evidence of the loyalty of the
stalwarts to the entire republican ticket
at the election last Tuesday. Although
member of the stalwart faction, it is
known to all men that Chairman Lock-
hart worked in season and out of season
during the campaign as Loyalty for the
progressive republicans on the congres.
sional and state ticket as for the stalwart
candidates.
In order to be as impartial as possible
and prove his loyalty to the republican
cause, without regard to factional diff
ferences, Chairman Lockhart appointed
e. b. Powers, strong progressive re-
publican, to the position of secretary oi
state committee, and A. E. Beaumont,
another sincere progressive republican,
was placed in charge Of the press bureau
of ftherepublican state committee. Chair
man Lockhart and his two progressive
republican assistants did all within their
power to promote harmony between the
two factions.
Causes of Richards Defeat.
The failure of R. o. Richards, of HUI.
ron, independent candidate for governor
at the recent election, to capture the Of
fee is believed to be largely due to the
fact that his name occupied poor posi-.
ton on the ballot. His name appeared
in the independent column and it is es
timated that thousands of those who
favored his candidacy, when marking
their ballots feared they would make a
mistake and thus inyaiidate their vote il
they attempted to mark the names OF
candidates other than those on the reg
ular party tickets which they were gen.
orally supporting and which they de-
sired to support except for the Office of
governor.
Mr.. Richards high standing among
those who know him best-those who
have known him ever since he became
resident Of South Dakota-is indicated
by the large plurality given him in his
home county of Beadle. Mr.. Richards
made a fair and square fight and his
friends say he has nothing to regret in
| connection with the character of the
honorable and upright campaign which
he conducted. They assert that had he
been nominated by one of the political
orua m zationa m his rama ennld havo
appeared in one Of the columns on the
bailot under q regular party head he
would have swept the state