The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1912-05-09
DEMOCRATS TALK
MUCH BUT BACK
UP ON PRIMARY
Neither Faction Makes
Effort 10 Start the
Preferential
CLARK ONLY
Pettigrew Wanted Only Clark
Delegates Named to Solve
the Main Trouble

i WClltN -iINt' IIltlIlDtl y Vi we AtIIIO- l
ratio state central committee held
meeting in this city Thursday ev-
ming, at the Geographic call of
chairman Lyons, The matter under
at this time was the pre-
ferential primary, to be held in con-
nection with the regular June pri-
nary.
The session was called for the af-
ternoon, but there was so much pre-
liminary work under way that the
meeting was postponed for an even
ing session.
Senator Pet,igrew, who is the lone
OF the democratic party fog
United States Senate, was present at
the meeting and gave two .alks, the
first sort of Il political character, in
which he outlined his ideas of pro-
gressive democracy, and later in the
evening when he urged the adoption
of the preferential primary. This he
believed ought to be adopted TO give
the democrats OF the state an oppor-
tunity 10 express their preference for
presidential timber. The Senator be-
linnn5 thot ,,,nrn IA rr,or,, "p,11 ~o
suit from the preferential, and
thought it would be the means OF
smoothing out some of the wrinkle:
which have come into the party by
the presence OF two factions.
The Senator in the course of hi:
remarks, offered a suggestion to elm
mate the two delegations whicl
have been put up for presidential
electors, both of which carry the
name of Wilson at their head. In thu
place of these two delegations tn,
Senator suggested that a straight
Champ Clark delegation be named
1t. however, did not meet with tn,
approval OF the committee.
In the preferential primary tn
idea was to have the democrats vot
on two men, Clark and Wilson. Oh
this subject there was a strong di
vision of opinion, and some prett,
hot exchanges between supporters o
tho fufo nrlil,t q "a. I, 70 wl;.l MOI
the greatest strength Lined up i
the two factions, the johnson me.
showed the least fear of going to tn
preferential primary, but neither fac
ton felt like taking the initiativ
of making a motion to adopt the pre-
ferential and attempting to carry
through. Consequently the long meet
ing came to an end without attempt
ing to test out the strength of tn
preferential.
In the discussion it was state
that there vas no authority of La
by which the preferential could b
held, and that if it were c%onducte
outside of the leg: primary that tn
defeated side would at once max
charges of deception o. fraud, an
that it would not feel that it wa
bound to support the winning side.
In the last speech he made durin
the evening Senator Pettiglew spok
of his W candidacy, and covere
some of the ground over which h
fought when n member of the Unite
States Senate. In reference to tn
campaign in this state on the Ser
atorial question Mr.. Pettigrew seen
ed to have a hopeful idea that if Ser
ator Gamble was the nominee of tn
primary that he would be able to de
feat him for reelection at the hand
of the legislature. This the forme
Senator declared that he could d
and courted the denomination of Ser
ator Gambls. SO far as the faction
of the party as lined up betwee
johnson and Wickham is concerned
Senator Pettigrew stated shat he wa
not particularly interested in an acr
i've way at this time, but that h
would support whichever was sue
%cessful at the primary.
Deadwood. S. D.-Evely effort
being made by commercial bodie
here to prevent the adjustment G
the United States Assay Office local
ed here and word from Washingto
indicates that this will likely be don
in the Senate. The Deadwood offic
handles more bullion than any of tn
nine similar offices in the country
with the exception of Seattle an
New York and handles more than 81
other offices combined.
For the fiscal year ending Dec
ember 81, last, the local office show
ed receipts of eel $7,50O,O0O an
has been steadily increasing sine
that date.