Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1906-04-27
To the Republicans Of South Dakota.
By HON. PHILO HALL.

The governments, federal and state,
in this country are republican in form
and are controlled by political parties.
These political parties are in turn con
trolled either (a) by the people, or (b)
by bosses. OF necessity a political
party performs executive functions
through a smaller number of persons
in the nature of an executive board
selected by such party, and this board
or body represents and performs the
will of the party. This is represent
ative organization in its true and prop
er m A Machine" on the other
hand, is not SO selected, is the an
tithesis of such an organization, and
instead of performing the will of the
body OF the party, assume the author
ity to coerce and control it. In other
words, a party organization subserves
and promotes the interests and will
of the party. A"Machine" commands
and dominates it. Alegitimate party
organization constitutes one of the
functions of the party body. The
Machine is aparasitic growth upon the
party body and exploits and feeds
upon it. The Machine" in South
Dakota in recent years has absolutely
controlled the Republican party in
the state, and its intent and purpose
has been andi is, through the party, to
dominate and control the state in its
Legislative and other departments.
1t has now SO developed in power and
SO thoroughly entrenched itself a.
gainst the people that it has arrogated
to itself the right to call itself the
Republican party and all dissenters
from its domination Insurgents"
By reciprocal arrangements between
the bosses and the principal railway
and other corporate interests this "Ma-
chine was created, and its system of
e~ntrenchment has proceeded unoppos-
ed by organized opposition on the
part of the people of this state until
two years ago. While III some of our
sister states popular opposition be-
came so pronounced against "Ma-
chine" politics, manipulated conven-
tons, states, "Machine' made plat
forms and laws hat the Machine"
has there been e~ffectually abolished,
and the reins of party and state con
troll restored to their rightfnl possess
ors the people-in this state two
years ago this protest merely assum-
ed the nebulous form, but by reason
of still further en%croachment and AFRO
gance on the part of the System,
amounting in one instance to an alb
salute denial of the constitutional
rights of the people,, has caused the
great body of Republicans of the state
to unite in an organized protest against
these methods with a firm determine
ton that the party shall be restored to
original principles, preserved in its
integrity and this Ubiquitous System
abolished, and thus restore the party
to the confidence and respect of all
lovers of good citizenship and place
it and the state government back in
the hands of the people.
Repeated instances of discrimina
ton, Legislative and administrative,
in favor of the bosses and their cor
parate allies, states and platforms pre-
pared by a handful of men, part of
whom were purported representatives
of the people of the state and part
agents of the railroads, forced upon
IN unwilling party, repeated year
after year, legislatures organized and
committees selected by the System
behind closed doors, a denial even of
rights secured 10 the people by the
Constitution-their sheet anchor of
protection against the encroachment
upon their most sacred rights and
privileges have led all thinking men
to the firm conviction that speedy
and decisive action is imperative.
This is not a movement against par
ticular individuals or corporations.
1t is a movement made necessary in
self defence to preserve the security, !
principles and traditions of the Re
publican party, and to prevent our
system of self government from being
a mere burlesque. These principles
are infinitely above the question of de
termining who shall fill offices and
are paramount to local issues and
claims. After deliberately consider
ing existing conditions and forming
conclusions as to which system of
Continued on page 4, first coiumn.)