Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1907-01-25
Primaries Elsewhere.

st. Paul Dispatch:--Tne result Of
refusing the demand OF the voters for
a state primary law by the last legis-
lature of South Dakota is an ''admin-
istration" bill fathered by Gov. Craw-
ford and the other officials elected as
a rebuke to the old machine that had
refused to obey the popular will.
There are two features of this bill
worth considering in connection with
any changes in u own law. 1t in
cludes United States senators and
state as well as miner candidates.
The two distinctive features are the
provisions for maintaining party or
CARNATIONS and those for keeping
voters within their own parties In
voting for candidates for nomination.
To preserve the party organization
the voters at the primary vote for a
precinct committeeman; for a member
of the state central committee, for a
national committeeman and for dele
gates to county and state conventions.
Candidates must receive 30 or more
per cent OF the total vote cast by the
party to receive a certificate of NOM
ination. II none receive that per-
centage the county or state conven-
ton selects from the primary candi-
dates the mt to be nominated. At
the state conventions the candidates
nominated and the state committee
men form the party's platform.
We ask especial attention Of iegis-
lators to the provisions for safeguard
ing the integrity OF the political or
CARNATIONS and to prevent voters Of
one party from taking part in the Sc
lection of candidates Of any other.
The voter shall Estate = = = the name
of the political party of which he is a
member when applying for a ballot,
and his name shall be entered in the
poll book land duplicate of the party
OF which he is a member" Separate
poll books are provided for several
parties. 1t. is made the duty OF the
primary judge to challenge any per-
son offering to vote whom he has
reason to believe sis not \ member OF
the political party whose party ticket
he is attempting to vote" Any per-
son may make this challenge.
The party challenged is required to
take oath that ''since and prior to the
last general election you have been in
good faith a member Of the party for
whose ticket he asks, and that he
''now in good faith intends to support
the principles OF that party and the
candidates of it nominated at the
primaries now being held" If he re-
fuse his vote is rejected. Ii he take
it and the judges still doubt his good
faith he must subscribe to the oath
and it shall be preserved with the
poll books. If it be proven that he
swore falsely the offense Is made per-
jury, and he shall suffer, on convic-
ton, the punishment prescribed for
that crime. Another section makes
the voting of a primary election ballot
of one party by a voter of another
party a misdemeanor punishable,
on conviction, by fine or impris-
onment.
Evidently, the South Dakota "pro-
gressives" have taken counsel Of the
experiences of other states In regulat-
ing party operations. They follow Wis
consin In providing for maintaining
party organizations and giving their
control to the voters instead Of the
bosses. And, what we consider as
most important, they frame their bill
on the theory that IN object Of any
primary law is to preserve and pro-
tect the rights Of parties as distinct
organizations, leaving the preserva-
ton of the rights Of the voter to in
choice among candidates
of all parties to the general election.