The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1915-03-11
URDAHL WRITES
ABOUT PRINTERS
LAKE COUNTY SENATOR DENIES
CALLING THEM CRIMINALS
SCORES THE PIERRE
PRINTERS
To the Huron Hurtonite and to the
press OF The State:-

i's' III " IN
press of the Slater
In n reply 10 a newspaper charge
appearing in the Huronitc on the
third day OF March and reprinted in
sGmc OF the Pierre papers TO the eff
feet that | classified all printers Of
the state as criminals wish to
state that is is not true. he I'M
wisdom OF taking the word of Pierre
newspapers for anything that occurs
in the legislature is shown by the err
ror into which some have been led
by so doing. The known and per
sistent policy of the Pierre newspa-
pers has been TO abuse and malign
those who refuse to support meas
nres III which they are financially
interested and to approve of those
who are willing to submit to their
strong arm methods.
From reading the bitter attacks
on me as the author of the state
printing bill a mistaken impression
would be received. 1t has ever been
the policy of the Pierre papers to
represent themselves as in the same
boat With the general run of news
papers in this state. They are in
an entirely different class and the
able newspaper fraternity of South
Dakota can not afford TO AXE upon
themselves the odium of the record
which the Pierre papers have made.
My remarks referred specifically
and solely to the Pierre papers.
Possibly no man in the legislature
has had his legislative record more
fully discussed than myself, and it
has often beer placed in the wors'
light. That was peculiarly true of
II session two years ago, yet my
constituents approved of my record
tnd advanced me to the Senate by
an overwhelming majority both at
the primaries and at the general
election. Evidently they believe |
was properly representing them.
| am not in the legislature to fight
windmills nor TO fight for the sake
~ making trouble. / am not a mis-
anthrope and do o look upon my
fellow men as depraved or less UNI
selfish thar myself. do not look
upon the newspaper publishers of the
state as any less honest or more
srasping than other classes of pro-
iessional men. Instead | recognize |
that they do The work of prominent
and peculiar value to the state and
localities.
When | undertook TO expose the
o~veroharses of the Pierre printers /
did net feel that j was rejecting
on hundreds of smaller printing in
9titutions in this state. On the
other hand, | am of the conviction
that hy exposing tho condition of
IL state printing and helping to
enact u new printing law have
given the smaller printers of the
state their first opportunity to get a
fair chance to compete for the state
Irinting.
1t is possible hat the present
printing law may be lacking in some
minor particulars and had the print
ers come before the legislature ask
ing only for such amendments to the
present printing law as would have
been Just and fair | would have sup
ported their bill. But the bill that
presented would have excluded
all firms dealing in books, stationery
and office supplies from bidding for
state contracts and would again have
given the monopoly on printing sup
plies OF state departments and inSti-
tutions. 10 a few larger concerns to
the exclusion Of all smaller printers
and should not have worked in the
best interest of our state nor in the
best interest OF our smaller printers
scattered owe the tate, if had
failed to work and vote against the
bill introduced.
AS has often been the case before.
the interests of the newspapers and
printers OF the state suffered because
they intrusted their cause to the
hands of those who are working for
self interest entirely. The printers
of this state asked these men to pre-
sent a bill to eliminate one or two
provisions in ~ present law which
they considered 10 be unjust. III
place OF carrying out such recon-
mendations the Pierre printers, be-
traying their trust, attempted to
plunge the state back into the same
condition in reference to state print
ing, as We found ii two years ago, a
situation which every legislator
would be in honor bound TO oppose.
Respectfully,
HANS URDAHL.
Senate Chamber.
Pierre, s. D., Mar. 3, 1915.