USA > South Dakota > History of Dakota Territory, volume III > Part 102
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"The Journal has no sympathy with the movement at Mitchell which seems to be one to defeat the whole republican ticket nominated at the recent primaries save perhaps Burke, Martin, Abel, Glassner and Anderson. The meeting seems to be the result of ravings of a few disgruntled and sorchead politicians."- Centerville Journal, October, 1912.
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SOUTH DAKOTA: ITS HISTORY AND ITS PEOPLE
"It took ten years of hard fighting to dislodge the standpatters and the rail- roads of control of the republican party in South Dakota and restore to the rank and file its right to direct party affairs. Now comes the old gang, peevish because of their inability longer to dictate to the majority of the people and declare they are disfranchised."-Watertown Public Opinion, October, 1912.
In November South Dakota became one of the few states wholly republican- progressive. The Bull Moosers elected their governor, Legislature, congress- men and later their United States senator. Frank M. Byrne won on his merits- an excellent record, a mind full of practical sense, a character that refused to throw mud or play the shuttle cock, a purpose that was clear, pleasing and wel- come to this great state. It was declared after the election that 58,139 persons voted for the Richards primary without knowing what it meant.
In January, 1913, there was a spirited contest over the election of United States senator. The voters had decided in Sterling's favor at the primaries, but now men in the Legislature who had been chosen as Sterling men opposed his election. At first the opposition succeeded in tying the Senate, but on joint ballot he received 100 on the first call and was elected. The opposition desired the re-election of Gamble and organized the reactionary movement at Aberdeen. Melvin Grigsby was a candidate, but did not unduly push his cause. Minnehaha County supported him with a majority, but Sterling was second and Gamble third. The stalwarts held a mass meeting at Sioux Falls on July 25th, there being present 350 representatives from all portions of the state. The object was an attempt to reunite the two republican factions. No candidates were endorsed, but resolutions favoring union upon a fair basis were passed. This meeting became known as the "Harmony Conference." In August R. O. Richards an- nounced himself as a candidate for governor. H. L. Loucks was a candidate for the United States Senate. It was declared at this time that Congressman Burke was a political anachronism. Though a stalwart, he was a favorite with progressives as well as stalwarts.
There was a more or less concerted movement in the fall of 1913 to show that the Byrne administration had been and was unduly extravagant, but Gov- ernor Byrne's comprehensive and analytical replies controverted the statements that had been circulated. To put an official on the defensive by misleading and untrue assertions seemed to be the method of certain politicians who expected to gain prestige and influence thereby. The attack on Governor Byrne and Sen- ator Crawford was made by the stalwarts, headed by Mr. Richards, Mr. Loucks, and others. These attacks were preliminary to the campaign of 1914. At this time the stalwarts favored Burke for senator, Richards for governor and G. W. Egan for Congress from the First District.
On December 2d mass meetings were held throughout the state under the Richards primary law, to select candidates to be voted for at the spring primaries of 1914.
On January 5, 1914, the democrats named the following ticket through their primary committee: United States senator, Edward S. Johnson; Congress, Theodore Baily, John H. Ring and Harry Gandy; governor, G. M. McCarter; lieutenant-governor, J. T. Heffron; treasurer, Jacob Fergen; auditor, C. B. Fousek; attorney-general, L. W. Bicknell; secretary of state, John S. Bird; school superintendent, W. P. Chamberlain; land commissioner, W. J. Tonor;
.
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SOUTH DAKOTA: ITS HISTORY AND ITS PEOPLE
railroad commissioner, J. J. Batterton. The resolutions adopted favored abolish- ing the manufacture and sale of all distilled intoxicating liquors as a beverage; advocated equal suffrage; endorsed President Wilson and his administration ; favored reorganizing the state banking laws; commended the application of the initiative to the bank guaranty law, to be voted on in 1916; approved the work of the interior and Indian departments for work in behalf of the red- men; urged the adoption of a system of merit in the place of civil service; favored abolishing the Legislature and substituting therefore a commission form of state government safeguarded by the initiative, referendum and recall.
The republican committee acting under the primary law met at Pierre and selected this ticket: United States senator, Coe I. Crawford; Congress, C. H. Dillon, R. C. Johnson and E. G. Rice; governor, F. M. Byrne; lieutenant-gover- nor, Peter Norbeck; secretary of state, Frank Rood; auditor, Ed. Handling; attorney-general, C. C. Caldwell; school superintendent, Charles H. Lugg; land commissioner, Fred Hepperle; railway commissioner, P. W. Dougherty. Craw- ford, Byrne, Norbeck, Rood, Dillon and Johnson were named unanimously. It was stated that this was the first time in the history of South Dakota when men chosen by the people met and named tickets for the people to vote upon by ballot. The progressives were in the majority and ruled the meeting and dictated the candidates. Important features of the meeting were the defeat of Richards for the nomination for governor and the reversal of Burke's decision to retire from politics. The stalwarts named H. B. Anderson for the governorship. R. O. Richards refused to run on the resolutions adopted. This act caused a sensation in the meeting and was the principal reason why Mr. Richards became an inde- pendent candidate for the governorship. The majority or progressive resolutions praised the administration of Governor Byrne; commended the course of Craw- ford, Sterling and Dillon; endorsed the tax commission and its work; declared for direct presidential primaries; favored the abolition of the "insidious lobby ;" favored putting the primary law into full effect ; protection; currency reform, state and federal co-operation in the good roads movement ; federal ownership of express companies ; advocated the adoption of Roosevelt's interstate trade commission plan for trust regulation; pledged the correction of court abuses ; advocated limitation in the tenure of office of inferior federal judges and that they be made elective; favored the recall of court decisions affecting the organic -right of the people; favored laws for the protection of the lives and health of employes ; recommended a system of rural credits and a "blue sky" law; urged uniform legislation on marriage and divorce; favored the development of rivers by co-operative movements; promised conservation of natural resources ; urged the repeal of the Richards primary law; promised a continuance of the fight for equitable freight and passenger rates; advocated regulation of all public service corporations ; promised abolition of convict labor contract system at the state penitentiary; favored the consolidation and improvement of rural schools and the advancement of agricultural extension work; advocated a graduated income and occupation tax; favored improvement of the taxing system; urged the insurance of bank deposits; favored congressional appropriations for irri- gation and arid lands, and urged due consideration of the suffrage question.
These conferences were called "proposal meetings." The stalwarts put out an independent ticket to be voted on at the primary in March, 1914.
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SOUTH DAKOTA: ITS HISTORY AND ITS PEOPLE
An important event of the spring campaign was the concise speeches of Governor Byrne in answer to the criticisms of his administration. He showed that the complaints came from the twisted reports sent out by a deputy in the office of the state auditor and were not based upon fact. He proved conclusively to the satisfaction of the people that taxation had not increased proportionately. At this time the stalwarts were flooding the state with misleading campaign literature. It was a partisan faux pas. It was shown that taxation had been increased under the new law in but sixteen counties of the state; in the other sixty-two counties it had been lowered. There was much feeling in this cam- paign; personal interests cut an important figure. The newspapers were espe- cially severe, libelous, acquisitive, factional and unjust. The enemies of Gov- ernor Byrne went so far as to bring his religious belief into the contest. Slander was on the serpent tongues of every fawning and hypocritical politician and libel was an everyday newspaper event. Anything to win, no matter how repre- hensible, seemed to be the ruling power. So many times had such conditions prevailed and so generally had the newspapers become for pay the mouthpiece of any person or any corrupt cause, that the people no longer regarded them as aids to progress and enlightenment, but as the advocates of anything that promised sufficient pay. Their claims to being a public service agent was seen to be a sham to conceal their selfish attempts to improve their diminishing circu- lation and extend their power to abuse and libel and thus line their capacious pockets with coin.
"Governor Byrne did not get far when he called Joe Murphy a liar and let it go at that. The people are not particularly interested in Joe Murphy or in any other man who is not running for office. But they are interested in Joe Murphy's figures. So long as the spoilers attack Joe Murpy personally and are afraid to tackle his figures the people will not take much stock in the governor's broad assertion that the deputy state auditor is a liar, nor will use of the epithet under the circumstances tend to increase their respect for the governor. Murphy's figures stand unchallenged."-Aberdeen News, March 18, 1914.
"The state auditor's books show that during the four fiscal years 1903 to 1906 inclusive, being the last two years of the Herreid administration and the two years of the Elrod administration, it cost for all these four years, in round num- bers, $2,600,000 to run the state. It cost the state $5,400,000 to run the Vessey administration for four years. It has or will cost the Byrne administration $3,600,000 to run the state government for two years."-Aberdeen News, March, 1914.
"Less than two dozen papers of South Dakota, daily and weekly combined, are supporting Coe Isaac Crawford for senator this year, and a majority of the weekly papers are supporting H. B. Anderson for governor as well as Charles H. Burke for senator."-Aberdeen News, March, 1914.
"Republicans remember the crime of 1912 when the Bull Moosers, because they had the power, but not because they possessed the moral right, deliberately disfranchised the thousands of republicans who possessed the moral right and the desire to cast their ballots for William Howard Taft for Preident, but were forced, because of this denial of their rights, to choose between the democratic and Bull Moose candidates for President. Real republicans, who believe in republican principles and the continuation of the party of Lincoln and Mckinley,
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SOUTH DAKOTA: ITS HISTORY AND ITS PEOPLE
are asked to remember the crime of 1912 by voting the minority republican ticket next Tuesday. The real Bull Moosers recognize the action of the South Dakota Bull Moosers as a hypocritical, selfish one, by forming an organization of the progressive party before the primaries, in order to bar out the time servers." -- Aberdeen News, March 19, 1914.
"Republicans of South Dakota are not likely to forget that the crowd that is now seeking to capture the republican primaries is the same crowd that dis- franchised them in 1912 by the dirtiest political trick ever perpetrated upon a political party. One could understand such effrontery if the republican primaries were open to the members of all political parties as heretofore; but as republican primaries this year are confined to voters who are registered as republicans, the attempt to capture this year by sophistry what they captured two years ago with a jimmy and a dark lantern is gally to say the least."-Aberdeen News, March 10, 1914.
"Remember the crime of 1912. The same people who perpetrated that crime and disfranchised the republicans of the state are making the struggle of their lives to capture the republican primaries a week from next Tuesday. But this year, while they may have democratic sympathy and encouragement, they will be benefited only by such part of the democratic vote that has been registered as republican. This is the first time since the struggle began that the republicans have had anything like a clear field with the Moosers."-Aberdeen News, March II, 1914.
At the March primary Burke, stalwart, won over Crawford, progressive, for the United States Senate. The vote for governor was: Byrne (progressive), 19,941 ; Anderson (stalwart), 16,114; Richards (independent), 9,729. The pro- gressive state and congressional ticket was successful as a whole.
· "Imagine the situation if Mr. Richards had been nominated. Mr. Richards was an independent candidate for governor on the republican ticket. He repudi- ated both majority and minority platforms and offered a brief one of his own, referring to only a single issue. Had Mr. Richards received 11,000 more votes he would have been nominated for governor. That would have wiped out both the majority and minority platforms and left the republican party of South Dakota rallying about a one-issue platform offered by one man."-Sioux Falls Journal, April, 1914.
The question now arose, would Burke be bound by the progressive platform that had been thus adopted at the primary election? The progressives called a meeting at Huron for April 25, but later postponed it for several weeks. At this meeting they called themselves the national progressive party and named a full ticket. They nominated R. E. Dowdell for United States senator and W. H. McMasters for governor. H. L. Loucks and R. F. Pettigrew were candidates, the former withdrawing and the latter receiving no votes.
The democrats assembled at Mitchell in August and prepared for the cam- paign. They were divided into two wings-stalwarts and insurgents.
"The words 'party platform' shall mean the declaration of principles and propositions which have received the highest number of party votes for governor at the primary. The principles proposed by any independent candidate or com- mittee proposal candidate, as printed in the state publicity pamphlet, receiving
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SOUTH DAKOTA: ITS HISTORY AND ITS PEOPLE
the highest number of votes for governor at the primary shall immediately become the regular party platform at the following general election."-Primary law.
Early in August Mr. Pettigrew called a meeting of the progressives at Huron for the purpose of defeating Burke, stalwart, and Johnson, democrat. The call said that both of these candidates placed property rights ahead of the rights of the people. R. E. Dowdell and H. L. Loucks were present at this meeting. The meeting succeeded in partly merging matters, called themselves independent progressives and nominated R. E. Dowdell for senator and R. O. Richards for governor. Dowdell withdrew later. It was stated, but denied, that his faction was compelled to place a full ticket in the field in order to secure a place on the ballot. There was much confusion at this time.
At the State Fair in September all parties and factions held meetings for the purpose, if possible, of creating order out of the confusion. The insurgent democrats opposed E. S. Johnson for senator. It is doubtful if any faction had a platform of well defined principles. It was a jumbled, hurly-burly attempt of small factions to secure official control and thus win the spoils they so largely coveted. It is left to writers of the future to untangle the unsavory mess.
The republican state ticket, the one from which the independent progressives had deserted soon after the primary, was successful at the November election, but with a reduced majority. The democrats made a strong fight on national issues and on alleged state extravagance.
"The issue of the day in this state is whether a united republican party shall prove its fact and figure-whether this party shall triumph over the democratic forces which have waged bitter war in the hope of thrusting apart the factions now merged in their first weld of many years. Progressives and stalwarts have honestly sought to join the willing support of the primary election of candidates. They have worked as one for their election and it is not believed that they have worked in vain. Advantage has been sought by the democrats everywhere to keep up the republican factional fight."-Aberdeen American, November 1, 1914.
"This outcome of the election in South Dakota means one thing more than anything else and that is that the republican party must be progressive in order to win the support of the South Dakota voters. This was the real significance of Crawford's defeat in the primary-he had not measured up to his promises. It shows how insistent the republicans of this state are in their demands for progressive leaders."-Mitchell Republican, Nov. 5, 1914.
The result of the election of November, 1914, was as follows:
GOVERNOR
Byrne (R.)
49,138
McCarter (D.)
.34,542
Thompson (Soc.) 2,072
Knapp (Pro.) 2,684
Richards (Ind.) 9,725
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR
Norbeck (R.)
. 52,536
Heffron (D.)
· 34,537
SECRETARY OF STATE
Rood (R.)
. 53,540
Bird (D.) .33,646
AUDITOR
Handlin (R.)
.52,222
Fousek (D.) 33,646
TREASURER
Ewert (R.)
· 54,066
Fergen (D.)
· 34,004
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SOUTH DAKOTA: ITS HISTORY AND ITS PEOPLE
LAND COMMISSIONER
UNITED STATES SENATOR
Burke (R.) 44,244
Johnson (D.) 48,076
Butterfield (Pro.) 2,406
E. P. Johnson (Soc.) 2,674
Loucks (Ind.) 2,104
CONGRESS-FIRST DISTRICT
Dillon (R.) 22,056
Bailey (D.) 13,678
Stakke (Pro.) 855
Bond (Soc.) 794
Van Osdel (Ind.)
745
CONGRESS-THIRD DISTRICT
Rice (R.) 10,732
Sandy (D.) 12,364
Fairchild ( Soc.) 861
TERM OF COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT
Yes
.32,092
No 45,735
INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM
Yes
28,226
No
43,162
BOARD OF CONTROL
Yes
.29,601
No
.44.017
FOUR-YEAR LEGISLATIVE TERM
Yes
29,601
No 44,017
SUPREME COURT SUBSTITUTE JUDGES
Yes
. 36,317
No 36.543
. IRRIGATION DISTRICTS AND MEASURES
Yes 32,958
No .40,457
The defeat of Charles H. Burke for the United States Senate and the election of Ed. S. Johnson to that office were among the surprises of the election. The
Hepperle (R.) 54,087
Toner (D.) . ·35,060
CONGRESS-SECOND DISTRICT
Johnson (R.) 20,054
King (D.) 11,710
Jump (Pro.) 995
Atwood (Soc.) 1,033
Pachard (Ind.)
756
LIQUOR LICENSE AND LAW
Yes
No .51.779
PRIMARY LAW
Yes
No
44,697
N. N. I. SCHOOL EDUCATION
Yes 27,538
No .49,382
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION
Yes
.34,832
No
51,585
SUFFRAGE
Yes 39,605
No . 51,519
RELATING TO PUBLIC AND SCHOOL LANDS
Yes
.45,554
No 35,102
ATTORNEY GENERAL
Caldwell (R.) . 54,129
Bicknell (D.) .33,705
SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION
Lugg (R.) 52,385
Chamberlain (D.) 34.314
RAILROAD COMMISSIONER
Dougherty (R.) .52,312
Clark (D.) . 34,466
.38,000
.37,106
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SOUTH DAKOTA: ITS HISTORY AND ITS PEOPLE
causes which produced this result were more or less indefinite and uncertain ; but among them were the vigorous campaign of Mr. Johnson; the support given him by President Wilson's administration; the candidacy of H. L. Loucks who ran independently, and the sentiment of the reformers against the standpatters, which still lingered in the breast of many. What defeated Mr. Burke was not his record nor the clear platform upon which he ran, but was because he was by nature, profession and practice a standpatter and not a reformer. He was de- feated by the republican element that had demanded certain political changes which he did not espouse, did not even seem to understand, or at least did not accept and promote. He did not represent the progressives' principles. It was a belated blow at political inertia.
The election showed that the progressives were again turning their faces toward the old republican party which had been leavened with their principles and policies. It was claimed that many republicans actually voted for Ed. S. Johnson and for the democratic ticket.
"The progressive party is dead. The good in its principles has been taken over by the republican party."-Minneapolis Journal, November, 1914.
"The people after examining the claims of the Bull Moosers to the possession of all the political virtues more or less closely have turned their thumbs down and consigned the Bull Moose to the political oblivion that long ago overtook the greenbackers, the populists and other third parties."-Aberdeen News, November 6, 1914.
"The results of the election would seem to confirm the attitude of the progres- sive republicans of South Dakota in the past, that the way to bring about the advance of progressive ideals in this country is through the leaven of the existing organization rather than the introduction of a third party into the field."-Aber- deen American, November 5, 1914.
"The grand old party has re-formed behind its first line of entrenchments and is now ready to meet the assaults that will determine the outcome of the campaign of 1916." -- Watertown Public Opinion, November 4, 1914.
"What defeated Burke? He was not progressive enough, says the progres- sive republican who voted against him. He was knifed in the back by traitorous Crawford adherents who thus avenged Crawford's defeat in the primary, angrily asserts the stalwart curbstone politician. He was not a Wilson man, explains the exultant democrat."-Mitchell Republican.
The democrats had reason to rejoice over the election of E. S. Johnson to the Senate and H. L. Gandy to the House of Congress, because it was the first time in the history of the state that they succeeded in doing such a thing in straight election at the polls.
At this election the voters defeated the democratic primary law. Evidently they preferred to retain the Richards law with all its ills and frills rather than try any more exasperating experiments. But there was a general demand for an improved primary law-one without the faults of the Richards law.
In answer to the declaration that a poor man could not afford to run tor a state office under the primary law, the Mitchell Republican said early in December, 1914: "In looking back over the men elevated to high office under the primary system in South Dakota, not very many can be found in the category of rich men. Crawford, Vessey and Byrne, the three men elected governor since the primary
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SOUTH DAKOTA: ITS HISTORY AND ITS PEOPLE
was established in South Dakota, must all be classed as poor men, comparatively speaking. The men elected to Congress include Martin, Dillon, Burke, Johnson and Gandy. The first three are known as well-to-do, but it is also known that they spent no unreasonable sums in their campaigns as Richards has."
The Aberdeen News did not agree with this statement and said that Crawford was not elected under the primary system and came out poorer than when he went into office; that Vessey was practically bankrupt when he went back to business, and that Byrne would no doubt share the same fate. It asked: "What chance would a poor man have had in the democratic primary campaign against Ed. S. Johnson, who is known as a liberal spender in politics? Not a ghost of a show would he have had."
In December, 1914, there was much discussion throughout the state as to whether the Legislature could repeal or amend the primary law that was adopted by a vote of the people-the Richards law. Mr. Richards it was declared, took the position that no one could meddle with it, that the Legislature could not amend it, that it could not be repealed and that he alone could say what its fate should be. It remained for the Legislature to take action.
Early in January, 1915, the Republican State Committee passed a resolution recommending the immediate repeal of the so-called Richards primary law from its title to its repealing clause inclusive and that a wholesome, compre- hensive, sane and safe primary election law be enacted in lieu thereof. At the same time steps to draft a new primary law were taken.
About the middle of January the Senate committee reported the McMasters primary law bill and recommended its passage. It was much like the old law in force before the adoption of the Richards law, but embraced also several improvements-one for placing new party tickets on the ballot. This bill became a law.
"A member of the Legislature who has served his time and returned to his private vocation relates that the unconstitutional act of the Legislature that purports to repeal the Richards primary law would have failed to pass but for the application of the club. It lacked many votes of enough to adorn it with the unconstitutional emergency clause, but enough were finally secured to carry it through. Of those so secured all but two were from institution counties. It does not require much of an imagination to reach the conclusion that the club used was the same old club. If you don't come in, your appropriation will be so reduced that you will be ashamed to go home and face your constituents. Legis- lation thus forced does not bear the marks of an intelligent appreciation of what is for the best interest of the state. No machine ever constructed in this state has hesitated to use this club as a final resort."-Huronite, March, 1915.
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