Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1910-04-08
For State Senator.

To the farmers, business men and
tax payers Of Lincoln County:
l hereby announce myself as a cand-
idate for the office OF State Senator
from this county, subject to the ap,
prevail of the Republican voters at
the June Primaries.
l feel that | need no introduction
to the people of Lincoln County, as my
long residence among you as citizen
and tax payer, reaching back to the
time before the birth of our state,
should enable every citizen to formu-
late an opinion as to my reputation
and qualification.
In submitting my name as a candi-
date for office, | lay no claim to the
suffrages of the public; and you are
not indebted to me to any greater
extent, than you are to any other cit
izen. Indeed it is a part of my politi-
cal creed, that no candidate for pub
lie office a establish the fact, that
he has any claim that the people are
in duty bound to recognize.
In the years that have gone, it was
ever my theory that the office should
seek the candidate, rather than the
candidate the office. But they tell us
that we live in an advanced age, that
old theories have been superseded by
some more betitting the needs Of
a highly Intelligent people; this is
especially evident since the advent of
the Primary Law, or method of
choosing our candidates for office. In
carrying out the spirit Of the primary
law, in my opinion, there should be a
multiplicity of candidates, in order
that the best wishes Of the people be
carried out, and give them a chance
to exercise their right to a choice to
a larger extent, than when only one
or two candidates are in the field.
In presenting my name to republi-
can friends, I I'M not actuated by the
thought that l I'm the only one that
can render you good service, or that
l am the only pebble on the beach.
Indeed l am fully conscious that
there are many capable of rendering
you good and better service than your
humble servant, but from a careful
study Of the situation, l believe that
the agricultural class have interests
stake that are paramount to all
other questions of the day.
l believe also that he who guides
the pillow is as worthy of honor, as he
who guides the Ship of State, and if
it is a fact that the Plow Boys Of
Lincoln county pay nearly three
fourths of the taxes, and you are in
favor of a square deal, you will say by
your votes at the June Primaries that
you are in favor of giving the Pillow
Boys some of the plums. 1t is an I'M
disputed fact that South Dakota is
one of the banner states among the
of states and this has been
made possible largely through the ef-
forts Of the South Dakota farmers
who pay IS per cent Of the taxes, and
cast over IS per cent of the votes, but
who as a rule hold very few of the Of
fcial positions, and never to my
knowledge has a Lincoln County farm
been given the office of State sena-
tor.
It is my opinion, that the produc-
ers of this county should be recog-
11zed In the upper house of III state
and as one of the repre-
farmers, / am a candidate
or office. L have no particular ak to
grind, and If 1t be the pleasure of
The people to honor me by their votes
the June Primaries, l pledge you
that if / am elected, my first consid-
will be to cater to the wishes
II the people, rather than advance
'ome pet theory of my own, and to
work. primarially, for the best inter-
'sts OF the State of South Dakota.
Yours very respectfully,
]. A. PIERCE.