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Correspondence
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- 1916 February 28 (Creation)
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2 pages
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R.F. Pettigrew expresses to H.L. Loucks the corruption and fraud of the current presidential administration. Pettigrew mentions his sadness and anger over those who would do nothing to change what has always been. Pettigrew reassures Loucks that his work will bear reward someday.
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TRANSCRIPT
R. F. Pettigrew
Sioux Falls, S. D.
Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Feb. 28, 1916.H. L. Loucks,
Watertown, S. D.
My Dear Friend:-I have just been reading your article in the Saturday News with regard to the land mortgage loans.
What a miserable fraud this administration is, long on promises and short on performance. The only thing that will furnish any remedy for existing conditions is for the government to own all the banks and do all the banking and prohibit private persons or corporations from engaging in banking at all. The American people are one great big damn fool, 66% or two-thirds of them own 5% of the wealth of this country and 327,000 thieves own the balance, and the shocking, corrupt and dishonesty of the whole social and economic system is absolutely appalling, and yet the victims seem to like it. Their ancestors were robbed in the same way, and as we are made up of heredity and environment, and our heredity is the environment of our ancestors, it is pretty hard to change. Those that are being robbed and whose ancestors have been robbed thinks it’s the only way. Sometimes when I talk with my business associates and acquaintances they say, Oh ,well, what’s the use. Why not take advantage of existing conditions and go in and make a fortune. Let the damn cattle be exploited if they want to be, and undoubtedly there is much force in their suggestion.
I suppose you will keep pegging away as long as you live, and the work you are doing is going to produce results some day. But I am afraid you will have to take your reward in heaven.
Sincerely yours,
R. F. Pettigrew