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

erOuS kilograms, letters and statements
made by the bosses and their subor-
dinates showed concert of purpose
to kill theI petition. The Aberdeen
News, a Machine organ, a few
months ago.in disclaiming that the
entire responsibility for the defeat of
the primary bill rested upon Senator
Lawson, stated hat it was killed at
the instance of the state committee
men, the state andl congressional Of
ficers. The Machine was greater
than the constitution and the peoples
petition. The Machine" does not
and dare not discuss the issues. Their
manner of attempted concealment of
the issues and diversion of public
attention from them by the discussion
of immaterial matters is an insult to
the intelligence of the voting popula-
ton. They malign and traduce the
characters and impugn the motives of
those candidates who are opposed to
the Machine thus showing the
Machines" policy to rule or ruin"
They talk of Senator Pettigrew being
allied with the "Insurgent' forces and
then in a few months forgetfully as
scrt that Mr.. Pettigrew is in favor of
Senator Kittredge and against Sena-
tor Gamble. They discuss the rate
bill question and oppose it, then they
turn around and favor it.. Some of
the Machine newspapers hypocrit-
ically claim to favor the primary cleo
ton system. Anything to deceive
the public and to brighten Republi-
cans by the Use of political scare
crows from adhering to the principles
of the Republican party because
those principles may now be advocat-
ed by others than Republicans.
We believe that it will be better to
determine these questions right in our
party 10Y than it will be to deceive
ourselves longer and take chances
of being compelled to hold an inquest
over the remains of IL party in No
vember. If we do not correct these
abuses ourselves d righteously indig-
nant voting population will take the
reins and in the name of some other
party defeat our party nominees as
they did the Machine" made can-
didate for governor in Minnesota two
years ago. as they did Cox in Ohio.
We are not alone in this condition of
things. Other states. including our
sister states. Iowa and North Dakota.
are laboring in the throes of Il similar
conflict between the bosses and cor-
porate interests on one hand and the
people on the other. Our noble pres
ident for W a year has been man
fully waging war for the people
against this same combinations. Every
good citizen. regardless of party and
location, feels a deep interest in the
contest.
INFRINGEMENT OF MACHINE AGAINST
PEOPLE.
The Machine" in addition to its
corporate alliances has also entrench-
ed itself against public opinion by
means of the power of patronage.
state and federal. each appointee be-
ing selected and called up
on to maintain the bosses in power.
Further, it a lamentable fact that
there are some publishers of newspa-
pers upon whom the responsibility of
citizenship and an honorable profess
sion rests so lightly. who are so venal
and unpatriotic, who have 20 slight
appreciation of their obligations to
the commonwealth that supports them
that their editorial attitude on public
questions is a subject of barter and
sale. The System has the means to
obtain the advocacy of such newspa-
pers, and were it not for the fact of
the general intelligence of the COM
munity, knowing as it does the in
spired source of these editorials. great
damage would be done, as the press
is IA powerful factor in politics and
commercial life. The people, how
ever, are aware of this system
of prostitution of the press and give
such efforts to control public opinion
the weight only to which they are en-
titled. An article by Ray Stannard
Baker in the March number of Nc
Clure's concerning the method pur-
sued by railways in controlling pub
! liz n,inion fhrp,,pb tho nrocS should