The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1908-11-13
Sensible Words.

one OF une lessons OIL tHe recent |
election so far as local affairs are
concerned, is that the old adage |
which runs something to the effect
that you can lead horse to water,
but you can't make him drink" was
forcibly illustrated. Under the
workings Of the present primary law
in this state it was possible for dem
ocrats and socialists to ask for and
vote republican ballots at the pri-
maries last spring, thereby forcing
upon the republican ticket several
candidates who could scarcely have
received serious consideration under
the former system Of selecting a
ticket. The result was that outside
of Deadwood and Lead the voters
had no say in the selection of can
didates. But they did have a say
in the election of those candidates,
as was made evident last week.
The Mail has several times called
attention to this fact during THE
campaign, but it was apparently the
belief among a respectable number
of republicans that this feeling
would dissipate and that the entire
ticket would be carried through be-
cause it was presidential year.
This belief was disappointing. Re-
publicans refused to be bound by
any iron-clad primary system which
sought to take away the rights con-
ferred upon them by the constitu-
ton of the United States. 1t has
been shown that the contention of
this paper was right when it repeat
eddy declared that the primary sys-
TEN would prove disappointing and
would have a tendency to disrupt
rather than solidify the republican
party in this state. The present
primary law has not single re-
, deeming feature. It's adherents
claim that it may be amended so as
to avoid the disagreeable features
now so evident. Up to the present
time the Mail has neither heard o.
seen any explanation of the proposed
change, or how 1t is proposed tc
, lprevent democrats and socialists
from voting republican ballots in
r June and their own particular tick
: cts in November. BY strictly par
tisan vote In South Dakota last June
+ the county and state tickets would
9 have been materially different from
what they were after the democrat
and socialists had got through will
v their Juggling tactics, whereby the.
) we're so indulgent as to assist re
e publicans in selecting ticket which
e The Mail does not condemn demo
8 Gratis or socialists for their shan
q practice, but it does condemn a re
e publican legislature which enacts
n law whereby such things are posi-
d BILE. The first trial of the primar
It was anything but satisfactory. TIL
). next legislature may possibly amen
j. it in some particulars. but the mos
! sensible thing to do would be t
O repeal 1t entirely. Under the oil
e. system the voters Of all sections G
s the county received recognition
d Under the present system, tn
IS smaller precincts are ignored
k Neverth eless, their votes count l
d November, as was apparent las
It week. When the legislature {
n South Dakota gets through adop
]. ing every foreign fad relating
z elections and returns to the Amer
y can system, the better it will be fc
d the republican party. which is hel
a responsible for conditions as the
are today. II America Is goo
enough for Americans, then Amer
can systems should also be goo
g enough for ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
id Mail.