The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1912-09-05
SHERWOOD ANSWERS
THE ULT|MATUM
Continued from page ~

this resolution. One has since public
ly declared he would abide by it and
the others stand ready to make the
same pledge.
Are you willing to ask the repub-
lican porty of this state what it wants
done and abide by the results?
| Il agree with you that eacn voter
may decide for himself whether
President Taft was fairly nominated
at Chicago or not; but | cannot agree
that if each voter has this power, the
republican party collectively may not
have the same power.
IF, as you say, the republicans of
this state, annot raise the question
of whether President Taft was NOM
mated by fair or unfair means at
Chicago, because our ten delegates
votes once in that convention, by
what reasoning 40 you bolt the re-
publican ticket nominated in this
state, and question its authority
when each one OF you participated
in the primary and 200 of your dele
gates voted in the Huron convention
at which these delegates were nomin-
ated?
Why Any Bolt?
'If ten votes at Chicago can estop
a state, cannot 1000 votes in a pri-
vention estop your committee and
those whom you represent?
You asked for an opportunity to
vote directly for Mr.. Taft. The COM
mittee offers to give you that oppor-
4 ,,-ft,, ~, =, ,l-@r L., la ,-,1 n1;l. H.,
the will of the majority of the re-
publicans of this state. VIII you ac-
cept the proposition and bind your
selves to abide by the votes of the
republican majority of South Da-
kota? aef4eaA
you are unfortunate in referring
to the old democratic slogan of
states rights Neither the Huron
convention nor these with whom L
have the honor to be associated,
make any claim that the United
States is not supreme in all powers
granted to it by the constitution.
But it is a fundamental law that
all powers not expressly given by the
constitution to the federal govern
ment. or necessarily implied, we're
reserved to the states, and the peo-
pie thereof.
Among these reserved powers of
the states, vas the right to elect SEN
ators and representatives.
s'Constitution, Article section
4.-The right to appoint presidential
electors in such a manner as the leg
islature of each state shall direct.
Constitution, Article 2-Section
1-This power over presidential cleo
tors was confirmed by act of con-
gress.' See Federal statutes, Sections
131, 1873 and 1874.
Right to Instruct.
Gwen the congress of the United
States has never undertaken to in
terfere with this right of the states.
See in re Green, 134 U. S. $50, in
which it is held that the state has
the power to appoint electors-that
they are to be elected by the people
of the state-that the state is to
regulate their conduct and punish
them il punishment is to be given
and that all these matters are left
to the entire control of the state.
The federal government has no more
right to interfere with these powers
and duties reserved by the states
than the state has to Interfere with
the rights and powers granted to the
general government Therefore,
neither the national party nor the
federal government has any more
right to say how the electors shall
vote than they have to say how SEN
ators and congressman shall vote.
"Both our senators and congress-
men opposed by voice and vote Mr..
Taft's so-called reciprocity policy.
No one ever thought of reading them
out of the party because they voted
against one of President Taft's nat
ional issues.
'The republican party is commit
ted to the proposition that the major
ity of the republicans voting to elect
a delegate or candidate for Office, has
the power to instruct the delegate or
candidate, and such delegate or can
didate is in honor bound to obey
such Instructions.
Lincoln's Principle.
This principle was laid down by
Abraham Lincoln when he affirmed
that this was a government of the
people, These delegates are elect
ed by the republicans OF the state,
not by the republicans of the
the state, and the republicans of this
state alone, have the power to in
struct them.
ITO the republicans of this state
we offer to submit the question upon