The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1908-08-27
WILL THEY VOTE
THE 10. P.TICKET?
Opinion That Primaries Settled
Party Difference

Huron Journal There is person
al sense of honor in the average vot-
er that is veritable sheet anchor in
time of intrigue and bad faith on the
part of politicians.
Primary elections have been held
in South Dakota, Kansas ard Illinois,
in which rank and file of the repub-
lican party directly expressed a
choice for United States Senator.
In Kansas, Bristow won a majority
over Long. In South Dakota, Craw-
ford won a majority over Kittredge.
In Illinois, Hopkins won plur-
ality over Foss and Mason In each
of these contests the candidates sub
mitted the claims to the great mass
Of party voters and sought the ap-
proval of the majority, under the
rules and regulations of a legalized
primary election. In South Dakota
each candidate publicly declared that
he would accept the result of the
primary election as final. The can
didates in Iowa did the same thing.
Presumably the candidates in Illinois
and Kansas made similar pledges.
In South Dakota Gov. Crawford
secured the endorsement of the ma
jority at the primaries in thirty-one
of the fifty-three counties in the
state, carrying the majority of the
legislative districts.
Besides this direct endorsement of
the majority of the voters, his candi-
dacy was endorsed by the State Gen.
trail Committee in January, by the
republican state convention on April
7th, and by the republican state con-
vention at Mitchell on July 18th.
Ninety-nine per cent of the repub-
lican voters in this state who.partici-
pated in the primaries on June 9th,
regard the result there determined
as final and believe that the honor
and good faith of the party is pledg-
ed to the support of the candidates
there named, including the party
candidate before the legislature next
winter for United States Senator.
In the absence of the primary law,
which declares that the result of the
vote has the force and effect of an
instruction to the members of the
legislature nominated at the same
primary to vote for the candidate
endorsed by the majority, the sense
of honor and good faith in the aver
age man is sufficient guaranty that
every republican member of the leg
islature will abide loyal by the re-
suit of the popular vote.
The element of personal honor and
the spirit of fair play control the
average man, and the one who at
tempts to override them is always
sur. to meet with rebuke. The vot-
er who went into the republican
primary and voted. if challenged,
was required to make an oath that
he intended to support the candi-
dates nominated by the primary in
which he was taking a part. He was
ready to meet that challenge when
he called for republican ballot. 1t
is an insult to the sense of honor
which is found in the average voter
in South Dakota. in Illinois, and in
Kansas, to presume that they will
for moment tolerate any attempt
to oyerturn the decision of the ma
jority by treachery or bad faith. 1t
is foregone conclusion that the
legislatures of these states next win
ter, if republican, will elect the men
for the United States Senate who Sc
cured the endorsement of the major
ity in the republican primary cleo
ton. The overwhelming sentiment
in the republican party in this state,
regardless of former factional strife,
is that honor, good faith, and fair
play shall control and that loyalty to
majority shall be maintained.