The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1905-09-21

the electors Of the statc shall be-:
We II enacted by the people OF south
Dakota. The Legislature shall make
suitable provisions for carrying Into
eject the provisions OF this section"
The total vote for governor cast IN South
Dakota az the general election In isea
was loo.So. ave per cent. Of which
slsnsd to a petition od Tor the Initiative In
Primary Election Law Baked.
Before the legislature Of 1896 convened
a petition was left with the secretary OF
state. at his Office In the city OF Pierre.
during business hours. for which hi. re-
contained a full text OF Q primary cleo
ton law which tho petitioners requested
the legislature 20 enact and submit 10 the
s shs 0 o. ,ns s.r' e,s sos sne'T rs sppI p",i,,o on
was signed by s,Ss2 qualified electors OF
the state Of south Dakota with the resi-
dcnce. post Office address. and business
name with sufficient ~clcarnczs for any
person Of ordinary intelligence TO identity
him. The proposed law. II enacted. would
s asss ssv ss,e e sss xSssss G Tor 'p pubic sio' Once aes
from United States scnator down 10 coun-
~ officers by direct vote under the Aus.
usiisn ballot; and "a would conx.,, navs ,rsps
prevented the machine and corporations
from debating nominations and restored
TO the average voter his right Of choice.
Tn machin and the public service. cor
porations were afraid OF the proposed law
and were afraid 20 trust TO tho Judgment
OF q majority OF the electors at the com.
meant a death blow 20 their long career
Of manipulation and dictation. 30 they
set about to violate the constitution and
s :,nD sss q the ssr sS.. ne asss1,y r. ana ,s 81 Pe Sa-
mand OF $50 Of their fellow citizens.
IL was not q question as 10 whether the
Law pctitioned for was wise or unwise. ~
was a question OF the right OF the majority
10 record their Judgment upon 10. That
right was spat
Machine Proceeds Badly.
But tho machine had met before the
legislature convened n had decided thar
the proposed law would result In is de-
mittcd. the majority OF the people OF the
state would adopt u. IL therefore resolved
that Il should not bo submit ted.
was being organized that TIE measure
would not be submitted. The governor In
his inaugural address. at tho opening OF
,ss ' ssnSSa. ssf1 ,Ss n nso nsa se en- I'M, S.p pso Of
a primary election law and recommended
a good caucus law" some prominent
machine members OF each house spokS
sneeringly and sarcasticaiiy about the
petition NJ the beginning OF the session.
before II had been submitted TO either
body. That the committees were being
put W. Aot VI put Po1f u FNtNtuhtlk Aut
action TO submit the proposed law 20 the
people aud that IL was doomed by the ma.
chine. was I'm the air" Members were
heard 70 ask whether or no, they souid hs ss
oaths II they refused to vote In favor OF
sumitting the measure. Machine news-
papcrs took pains 10 say that the law had
failed to provide a punishment ~ such
case.
when men pointed to the fact tha there
was no way 10 compel the legislature 70
, ,Si,,as. ; The Law to- to t se,r people ,s as ,s sss
FALLEN into an atmosphere where reason
and honor no longer appeals.
Saved by Lack Of Penalty.
II by some accident tho law providing
punishment for the crime OF arson should
burning OF dwelling houses because the
law had failed TO provide a penalty for
such oncnccT Probably not.
Yet The suggestion was made that II
o be tolcrable for a member OF the
legislature TO nullify and violate n solemn
provision OF the constitution OF his state.
because the law has not fixed a penalty
Notwithstanding all the tremendous
power OF the state machine, and Its side
partner the corporation lobby, with the
rewards TO weak men In the distribution
OF chairmanshlps. committee places and
passes. the petition was approved by the
house and the proposed measure success
fully passed by that body;
In the cnatc ~ met with the most con-
scicnccless. arbitrary and inscriptions
treatment hat ever dlSgraccd the fair
name OF the civilized state.
The machine, however, succeeded In In
definitely postponing action upon the peti-
ton and proposed bill as introduced Ia the
senate. by n majority OF three votes.
After tho house had passed the measure.
II was sent TO the senate, but the repre-
sentatives OF the railroad machine, who
presided over that body. arbitrarily re-
fused TO receive the house bill from its
~ HNNaA 80 -EWnN ia 800
bill to be considered by the senate In any
manner.
Feared Popular Action.
The question arises: Why was this
doneg Why were these men so determined
to prevent the people OF this state from
voting as TO whether or not that primary
election law. as proposes by those petit
%tioncrs. should or should not become the
The plain unvarnished truth Is that the
men who suppressed that petition and the
machine that dictated TO them, were
afraid 70 trust the matter TO the decision
or the majority OF our people. In other
words. the reference OF a question of this
kind TO the people II frought with 30 much
danger that rs guardians OF the Office
holders. and corporate interests. Il was
the duty OF the legislature TO be over nice
and extremely technical In considering n
plain constitutional petition and to assume
a Snsa n snd yor rsSd snDnsans m wsrs w frasS,
upon Il. Al the bottom was a distrust OF
the people.
This brings ua face 10 face with the
question Of whether or not after all, We
are a free people In South Dakota.
Caucus Law q subterfups.
Tho machine knowing that u would be
called TO account for suppresxing the petit
ton for the submitting OF the proposed
primary law. has attempted 60 appease the
wrath OF the public by the enactment of
what they call an ''honcs caucus law"
BY Its enactment they have confessed
that there was a demand for reform I'm the
matter.
This honest caucus law" however, wal
apparently drafted and enacted for the
purpose OF making more secure the hold
OF the machine upon the rank and hle OF
political parties.
The nrst section In the new law betrays
Its purpose. where Il declares that all
party nominations shall DO made In the
manner provided by the act, md that
nominations by petition shall not be nled
previous TO the making OF party nominal
lions by convention. and that mo name OF
n party. or ticket. nominated by petition
shall contain the name or part OF the
name OF a party ticket, nominated under
the provisions OF this act"
tSee section !, chapter i6. laws. 1867
IL II plain that the purpose OF the above