The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1906-05-03
THE

When the campaign opened TINS
paper began discussing the issues
which it believed were of vital impor-
lance and which should receive the
attention of the voters. These issues
we believed effected the Republican
party from a standpoint of govern
ment Of the people by the people and
for the people," In discussing these
issues it has been our purpose to
avoid personalities and to deal with
principles rather than individuals.
We believed the whole people, aside
from the holders Of petty appoint
ments, had been wronged through the
selfishness and corruptness of the
leaders of the Republican party. The
rank and file demanded a fair deal.
This had been denied them. Nearly
5000 voters had asked for the privilege
of voting upon the adoption of a pri-
mary election law. This had been
denied them through the basest met
hods ever e~ngendered into a session
of state legislature. The state educa-
tional institutions had for years been
dragged through the quagmire Of
political trickery and the governing
board had become the mere tool of the
political boss. Two of the best educa-
tional institutions had been shorn OF
their effectiveness because of the
incompetency of the managing board
and it's lack Of ability to rise above
the degraded position of common
ward h~eelers.
The people had asked for fair rate
regulation, as advised by President
Roosevelt, only to see Governor Elrod
publicly declare himself a champion
of the corporations and directly in
opposition to the wishes of his con-
stituents.
The people wished to have a strict
anti-pass law placed upon the statutes,
which il enforced, would do away with
the lobbyist. This had been denied
them. The people demanded equal
taxation of corporate properties the
same as was assessed against the
farm and the hume. This had been
denied them.
The rank and file Of the Republican
party demanded an accounting for
money which had been paid into the
treasury of the state central COM
mittee. They were denied the privi-
lege and the chairman even acknowl-
edged that he had burned the books.
Briefly these are the problems which
have been discussed and this paper
has ~endeavored to be candid because
its publishers are Republicans and as
such believed it was proper to have
the wrongs corrected within the party
lines in order to prevent the over
throw of the party by the people as
had occurred both in this and other
other states. How have the pleas OF
the people been received by the party
boss?
Instead of assisting in lighting
these wrongs. Instead of acknowledge
ing that there was corruption within
the party. Instead of giving the dis
contented a ray of hope for the rever-
sal of the practices which had crept
into party methods. Instead of acting
as just and honorable men should,
the machine faction-the boss-ridden
portion Of the Republican party has
seen fit to sling mud at some Of our
best citizens-fellow Republicans.
The characters Of honorable men have
been assailed, in place OF attempting
to even make an excuse for the out
RACES which have been perpetrated
upon the people.
The machine press has not answered
one Of the charges made against the
practical politicians-not and excuse
has been rendered for any Of the evils
which have been disclosed.
The situation therefore remains the
same as it did at the beginning Of the
campaign. The issues remain the
same. The perpetrators Of those
crimes against the commonwealth
remain the same-they stand defiant
declaring to the people: "Do your
worst. We are entrenched behind a
full quota of selected appointees who
are pledged to do our bidding. We
have the organization-we have levied
an assessment upon every appointee,
both local, state and federal, to fur
nish funds with which to continue
ourselves in power, regardless of the
wishes Of the commonwealth, regard
less OF right or wrong. So far as we
are concerned it is the plumber we are
after"
Up to the present time this paper
has made no prediction what will be