The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1911-11-02
RICHARDS ANSWERS
CRAWFORD ATTACK
DENIES CHARGES
Declares Senator Mis-
represented Provi-
sions of Bill
FOR POPULAR RULE
Says His Measure is Intended
TO Establish Democracy
i'm Statc.
RULE
=

yor Christ presiding, IL. o. iiichard
explained the proposed primary bill
4 which has become Il state issue, ans
wcring the various attacks made up
ON ii here one week ago by Senate
= Crawford. The audiepcc was com
posed OF business mel ana. farmer;
and delegations from ncighborin,
towns. Much interest was manifest
ed. Mr.. Richards had his subjcc
we'll in hand and seemingly naiic,
many points OF Senator Crawfordl
criticisms.
Refers to Crawtorl's Charges.
Mr., Richards said in part:
~ week ago tonight. Senator
Crawford made Il fierce assault upon
the proposed party primary LAW
which is before you to be voted Oh
as direct legislation at the next gen
cral election in November 1912. TN,
Senator, ! am advised. devoted soy
eral weeks and months ~ prepare his
subtle and cunning presentation o,
all the faults he could possibly raise.
man from each precinct for count.
this proposed law. lie also assniled
me personally throughout his speech
and impugncd my motives
II absolutely deny his first state
meni that the adoption of the pro.
posed law will repeal the rights oil
an individual to run for nomination
Independently. rs is provided in tho
present law. There is no chang,
from the present primary law in sub.
stance, sc far as individual canGi.
dates are concerned. Their rights
have all been preserved and provid-
ed tor in the first and best column
on the party ballot. known as the In
dependent column. whore everybody
can file who chooses 10 run indepcnd-
entity for a public Office in South Da-
kota, Just .hc same as they cun d,
low under the present primary law
which requires that everyone shall
run Independently to destroy major
ity rule an1 representative govern
nent in party management. Then
{ have added TO the present primary
aw the provisions that the people
Of the state may, il they choose, cleo,
4 minority proposal committeeman
aud a majority proposal committee
from an imaginative View poiut, OF
purposes, and from each county for
state purposes. to obtain Inc bencti,
Of The consensus of opinion OF intel
igencc and knowledge on public
questions, by clec,ing their foremost
nc as personal committeeman:
this to establish representative gov
ernmcnt in parties in the preliminary
process Of working out ideas for
public policies and proposing dcsira-
bic mel for public officers in the phi.
maries.
These representative proposals
are purely tentative, open sugges-
tons Of platforms and candidates
N place Of the now prevailing Sc
:ret. sclf-constituted, non-reprcsen-
tativc meetings or conferences Of tho
politicians. The proposed law also
provides that q direct vote of tho
people shall be taken upon all candi-
dates, Independent as we'll rs propos-
al candidates. by secret ballot in the
primaries as the final act OF the par
ty members. This preserves the
principle OF direct primaries. which
merely means u direct vote OF the
party members on the platforms and
candidates.
Denies Charge Of Juggling.
The Bill Simply provides for rep
resentative government first. aud
popular government last, in the pri-
maries. Us Il check upon the former,
which will make the combination OF
representative and popular govern
ment a living practical reality. The
so-callcd Richards Primary Bill sim
ply gives an opportunity for an in.
telliscnt majority to have a direct pc.
tential voice in starting candidates
and proposing ideas on public poll.
cics for ultimate legislation. II
makes out Of the, party organization
Il unity Of force instead of a helpless
labeled, organization rs a tool 70,
some designing o~tliccholdcrs. II
creates government III political par.
ties, responsive to the will of it's mem,
bers.
The Senator's charge that I have
tried TO mislead the voters by putting
out a different bill from the on,
which has been initiated is a gros:
misrepresentation. l have put GU
copy OF Senate Bill No. 1l5 wbicl
passed that Body and was defeated
III the House, which is practically !;
copy OF the initiated bill, to show
the people what the legislature turn
cd down. The State OF South Dako
Ia will print and furnish free to ev
cry voter a copy OF the bill as Initial
ed. which only differs from Senate
Bill No. 1i5 in Sixteen Words. Th,
Bill which I have put out is print
ed plainly on its face as Senate Bill
No. IDS.
Main Purposes of the Act.
THE two fundamental purpose,
OF the proposed party primary lay
are: firstly, to place principles abov'
individuals and factions. This is don,
by having the principles for plat
forms proposed before the primar
election. and allowing the party cleo
tors to vote their choice of the diff
fcrent proposed platform principle
at b primary, and thus nominate