The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1907-01-10

state and prescribing penalties for y.ola-
tons thereof. Governor Folk Of Missouri
has recently recommended identically the
same measure TO the legislature ofthat
state, and ] am pleased to recommend the
same measure to you.
This act makes 1t unlawful for any per-
son employed for pecuniary considers
ton to attempt personally and d!rectlySSto
influence any member of the legsslatureto
vote for or against any measure pending
therein otherwise than by appearing be-
fore the regular committees thereof when
IN session, or by newspaper publication,
or by public addresses, or by written or
printed Statements, ARGUMENTS, or briefs,
ture. provided. that before delivering such
! statement, argument or brief. twenty-five
copies thereof shall be first deposited with
the secretary Of state. All persons appear-
ing for private or special interests, OF for
public service corporations, must first reg
lister, giving their names Il addresses
and the name of their employer. No Off
Ger, agent, appcinaee, or employee III, the
service of the state is permitted to use his
influence with @ member of the legislature
to vote for or against. n measure pend
ing therein affecting his pecull.ary inter-
est except in the same oPen and public
manner. Persons appearing, for special In
~terests for a .pecunlary consideration
whether eN-merlbers of the legislature or
not, are not allowed to go upon the floor
! of either house reserved Tor the members
thereof, except upon the Invitation Of such
house. Tho violation of the act IS made 9
misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment
in the county jail not exceeding SIX months
and by a fine not exceeding $aW:
No one desires to prevent the freest pub
lie discussion before committees of all
measures presented to the legislature, and
the fullest hearing to legitimate represen-
tatives OF all interests affected thereby.
| When appearing in this public manner to
discuss the merits of a pending measure,
such Representatives are entitled to the
most courteous and far treatment.
The vice of the lobby les III Its more Sc
rrHt + a nd fyS9rfnW 1lnhin4tlOnS.4 wherein
it seeks to acquire undue advantages by
interruptions and sinister means.
The man who holds midnight confer
enees with members singly in his room at
the hotel and who prefers to work In the
dark, avoiding as far as possible the open
light of day, and who uses any and every
means to carry his point, no matter how
INSCRIPTIONS nor how corrupt, is the man
who has made the name lobbyist" a
word of r%eproach and seorn. He becomes
a sort of human spider, hideous and ugly
IN the eyes of all who believe in dealing
openly and above board. He -impregnates
the very atmosphere about the legislature
with impurity. Plausibility, cunning, fiat,
terry, trickery, falsehood, Islander, political
influence and sometimes threats are used
to carry his schemes. This is the man
whom the proposed law seeks to Danish
from legislative surroundings: while 1t
protects the reputable attorney or agent,
who IS willing to make the character OF his
business known and to advocate the cause
he represents in an honorable, open and
public anner
A Comprehensive and Practical Pri-
mary Election Law.
It has been the practice in nearly all of
the southern states for many years to
nominate party candidates for state and
congressional offices by Il direct vote of
the people.
IN recent years this method OF making
party nominations has gained a foothold
In a number Of northern states and the
sentiment in its favor is rapidly spreading
over the entire country; New Jersey,
Pennsylvania, Michigan, Illinois, Niseon-
sin, North Dakota, oregon and Minnesota
have enacted laws applying the direct vote
In one form or another in the making of
nominations.
In Iowa, Nebraska. and South Dakota, in
their party conventions held in 1896. both
the republican and democratic parties de-
clared in favor of nominations by state
wide primaries. The demand for legisla-
ton of his character arises from the
abuses which have become intoierable I'M
der the old caucus and convention system.
The aim of this legislation is TO over
throw the party boss and dictator and to
shake off the hold of the corporation upon
the great political organizations OF the
state. The great enterprises of today are
carried on by artificial creations OF law
known as corporations, and combinations
of corporations. Frequently they become
80 powerful that they attempt to fix and
life, the prices Of what the masses have
to sell, as well as the prices of what the
masses must buy in order to live.
We have come to the point where they
have destroyed healthful and legitimate
competition, and where they s~tubHornly
resist all attempts upon the part of the
law making power to check abuses of
which they are guilty, or to place them
Under regulation and control. They enter
the field of politics for the purposes of
controlling the declarations of political
platforms and the selection of candidates
for public office and by many and divers
ways, use their vast power to corrupt the
action of public officials. This is a mat
ter of ommon knowledge. They usurp
the right of choice belonging to the aver
age voter and manipulate caucuses, con-
troll nominating conventions and bring
about the nomination of candidates for
public office for the selfish purpose OF
controlling the conduct Of such officers
touching all matters in which they have
an interest. The question confronting the
people of this state, and indeed the pao-
pie of all the states. is whether they shall
IN fact rule by selecting their adlninistra-
tive, legislative and judicial officers, and
whether such officers shall be sufficiently
free from undue influence by public serv.
Ice corporations, to enable the state tC
control and regulate these interests; OF
whether such officers shall be selected by
such corpora tons and the state ruled by
them. This is the question.
No amount of sophistry and evasion car
set it aside. 1T is the issue before the
American people today. No reasonable
and fairminded person desires to treat tht
corporations unjustly, nor in a spirit o.
prejudice and d~enagOgisn, but on the con.
trary, wishes to give them a square deal
The trouble is not with the corporation il
Its rightful place. 1t begins when tht
great corporate interests refuse to sub
nit to regulation by law: when they seel
to prevent control by unfair means, BY
granting special favors to public servant!
for the purpose of placing them under oh
legations which hinder a faithful dis
charge of public duty; by going into nomi
mating conventions and establishing part
nership relations in politics with party
nominees for mutual cooperation, by con
trolling party organizations by such mean!
as free transportation dealt out lavisnly
to convention delegates and party com
mitteemen: by large contributions Il
campaign funds, so that they ma CLAIM
immunity from legislative restriction
These abuses exist. Any man who affirm!
otherwise is either blind or reckless of th'
truth.
The political machine and the publ,
service corporations are in partnership
everywhere. The purpose of the primar.
election in nominating a ticket is to get
direct expression of choice of candidate
from the people.
Under such a law the power of directl.
expressing his choice remains In tn,
hands Of the voter, who is allowed to sa,
by his ballot who should be placed upol
the ticket OF his party as its candidate
for congress. and, for state, legislative an,
county officers; also who should be Sc
lected as the candidate of his party 70
United States senator.
The object is to preserve the right o
choice in it's purity in the individual votar