The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1906-01-11
The uMachine" Responsible

W. should think that Mr.. Hall
would find it hard to make the primary
matter an issue in Brookings county.
As attorney general he was asked for
his opinion on the matter, and he
passed only on the form Of the petition
and not on the legality. Had Mr.. Hall
as attorney general, declared that in
his judgment the petition was a legal
one, the primary would have been
submitted-Argus-Leader.
This manifests presumed ignorance
or is an attempt to mislead. In either
case the machine must be driven to
desperation or they would not dare
make such assertions in the face
obtainable facts. The type written
and original answer of Mr.. Hall to the
secretary of the state when asking for
an opinion upon the legality of the
primary petition and what the secre-
tary should do. with the same,
after quoting the law relating thereto
and stating the fact that the petition
contained 1854 petitioners, says that:
Therefore it appears the said petition
in form and number of signatures
complies with the provisions Of the
constitution and statutes of this state,
and this being the case the secretary
should transmit it to the legislature
for their action" In other words
Attorney General Hall declared the
petition legal and being so the legls-
lative body should have taken it up for
consideration and passed the bill &C.
companying the petition. Now the Ar
gus-Leader attempts to deny that Mr..
Hall rendered an opinion upon is le-
gality''or the primary would have been
submitted" The REGISTER believes
this opinion rendered by Mr.. Hall,
in honesty to the people who had SUBJ
scribed their name to the petition and
with a fair Interpretation of the law,
was Just what caused the ''machine"
to hate Philo Hall, as they set up a
howl, equal to that Of a yellow dog
whose tail had been stepped on.
To show how much good faith there
is in this statement and just what led
up to the defeat of the measure allow
US to quote from Gov. Elrod's inaug-
ural message, "We think there is no
pressing need for the enactment of a
primary election law providing for
direct nominations. \ good caucus
law is all that is needed"
1t is said that a few days before he
delivered his message the governor
was in favor OF submitting the pri-
mary question to the vote of the peo-
pie, and it is sermIsed that the return
of a certain gentleman from Wash
ington about that time caused him
to change his views.
Recently it was charged that Senator
Lawson of Aberdeen, was responsible
for the defeat of the primary bill.
The Aberdeen News in defense of Mr..
Lawson said, she was not responsible.
The entire congressional delegation,
state officials, chairman of state Re-
publican central committee and others
the course pursued"
The responsibility then rests upon
the state and federal officials and the
machine" chairman, or SO many of
them as took part in the defeating the
will Of the people. What excuse have
they to offer? Is it not apparent that
the defeat of the primary bill was done
for a purpose and that the machine"
to trust the Republican voters
a weapon which would be used to
.ecapitate some of those who might
otherwise continue in Office regardless
OF the will of the unterS2