The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1912-09-19

ChucI theSc Id'lS, w YOU AoN tAIhr
it is at least bad taste for you TO make
faces At lifelong republicans and cal
them bad names?
AS TO your alleged statement o.
facts:
/ respectfully take issue with YOU
statements that the republican presi
Dental electors have publicly stated
they will not vote for Mr.. Taft If elect
ed-that they intend to use theil
power to elect a president who is
openly seeking 10 destroy the republi
can party" hat 1t was known thai
they would not vote for Mr.. Taft by
the Huron convention when they were
elected.
When you wrote these statements
YOU must have known that on July
3lst, the republican state central com
mittee at Huron by a unanimous vote
offered to submit the question for
whom these electors should vote tc
the republican voters of the state and
asked the electors TO pledge them.
selves to abide by the result. TWO
were present ard assented to this reso-
luton. one has since publicly de-
clared he would abide by it and the
others stand ready to make the same
pledge.
Are YOU willing to ask the republi-
can party OF this state what il wants
done and abide by the results?
agree with you hat each voter
may decide for himself whether Pres
Taft vas fairly nominated at Chicago
or o but cannot agree that If each
voter has his power, the republican
party collectively may not have the
same power.
J. as you say, the republicans Of
lis STATE. cannot raise the question
o. whether Pres Taft was nominated
~ FAR o. unfair means at Chicago.
because . tel delegates voted once
4 ,tEt convention. by what reason
LIZ a. YOU bolt the republican ticket
non mated Z this state, and question
Is authority when each one Of 0
participated u the primary and 200
o your delegates voted in the Huron
convention al which these electors
were nominated.
i len votes al Chicago can estop a
state. cannot 10000 votes in a primary
and 200 in the state convention estop
your committee, and those whom you
represent?
You asked for an opportunity to vote
directly for Mr.. Taft. The committee
offers to give you that opportunity by
a short ballot and to abide by the will
of the majority of the republicans of
this state. Will you accept that prop
osition and bind yourselves to abide
by the voc of the republican majority
of South Dakota?
You are unfortunate in referring to
the old democratic slogan of states
rights. Neither the Huron conven-
ton nor those with whom | 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 is Is fundamental law that all
powers not expressly given by the
constitution to the Federal Govern
ment, or necessarily implied, were re-
served to the states, and the people
thereof.
Among these reserved powers of
the states, VS. the right to elect sen
ators and representatives.
Constitution. Article /, Section 4.
The right to appoint presidential
electors in such a manner as the legis.
iature Of each state shall direct.
Constitution. Article 2, Section l.
This power over presidential cleo
tors was confirmed by act of congress
(See Federal Statutes, Sections 131
1873 and 134).
Even the congress of the U lited
States has never undertaken to inter
fere with this right of the states. See
in re Green, 134 U. S. $50, in which il
is held that the state law 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 II pun
ishment Is to be given, and that al
these matters are left to the entire
control OF the state. The Fedora
Government has no more right to in
t~erfere with those powers and dutie.
reserved to the states than the stat,
has to interfere with the rights and
powers granted to the general govern
ment. Therefore neither the nationa
party nor the Federal Government
Aavo orv pn~~z rtrhk A. A. ~.