Correspondence

• 1914 November 9 (Creation)

2 pages

Letter from H. L. Loucks to R.F. Pettigrew about the elections of 1914. Loucks describes his disappointment in loosing the local election and comments on the South Dakota's Progressive Party. Loucks also comments on the state of national politics and the losses in the Progressive Party.

TRANSCRIPT

Nov. 9th. 1914.
My dear Pettigrew,

Thanks for yours of the 7th. Is it possible to build up a new party with such materials as you describe? That was Tom Thorsons proposition, and later used by Lee, and it worked.
But I cannot help but think that it has destroyed my influence.

The people who deserted me, are ashamed and really shun me on the street. I can tell them as I meet them. No man ever made a cleaner campaign for principles, so I have nothing to be ashamed of

Always optimistic, this nearly gets my goat.

And yet in my dreams I seem to think that this is “the darkest hour before the dawn”. But if Richards vote and mine is a surprise what about the Progressive Party vote?. So far as I have been able to see the returns no one on the State ticket except Richards will have half as many as myself. Puckards will not be a third.

Did the Roosevelt vote all go to Johnson?

Is there any use trying to build on our present foundation?

Could we trust ourselves with the men who voted for Johnson?

These are questions that should be carefully considered and soon so as to know how to act intelligently.

The Republican Party is now in fine shape to smash, and they deserve it, for it would be hard to find a bunch who have less regard for principles. The Stalwarts will certainly be in with the National Machine, and if a fair share of us should remain out of the Republican Primary, the Stalwarts should win in the next Primary.

Wislon having endorsed Tammany and Taggart, also Sullivan per Burleson, and Bryan remaining silent as to the latter must soon begin to tell on the morale of the present Administration.

But again the Progressive Party has suffered a severs set-back.

I am not wholly squelched, just temporarily smothered.

However I am not in a position to take a step forward, you or some one else will have to do that.

In fact I did what I vowed I would not do, I incurred a debt, and must now find some means of earning some money to pay it.

We should have a medium of reaching and gathering in our friends.

Will the Insurgent Democrats now lie down with Johnson?

Sincerely yours,

H.L. Loucks

• Progressivism (United States politics)
• South Dakota -- Politics and government

• Loucks, Henry L. (Henry Langford) 1846-1928 (Subject)
• Pettigrew, Richard F. (Richard Franklin) 1848-1926 (Subject)

• Letters
• Correspondence