The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1913-12-04
l. CLASSES
IN MINORITY
RICHARDS DECLARES IN IL NOE
COMBINED 10 SUPPORTERS
or EGAN IN LAST CANE
PAiGN. \

Huron, S. DR.. o. Richards. cam
didate for he republican nomination
for governor, made the following
statement:
An effort is being made by certain
politicians to give the voters OF the
state a worng idea of the terms
"~majority' and %"minority", as used
in connection with the mass meetings
and proposal committee under the
new primary law. claiming that only
those who voted for the candidate for
Governor. who received the highest
number of votes, are entitled to vote
in the majority mass meeting anst
only those who voted for the candi-
date receiving the next highest vote
are entitled to vote in the minority
mass meeting. This is not true. Tho
candidate voted for has nothing 10
do with it. Many did not vote AT all.
III a voter favors the spoils system
and the present state expenditures
and the present system of taxation
and the present tax commission, ne
should join the majority republicans
mass meeting. If a voter opposed the
spoils system and favored economy
and efficiency in state affairs and fay
ored Postmaster primaries for the
endorsement of party candidates, at
the last primary election, he should
join the minority mass meeting. The
division is not made by having voted
for or against any candidate; but it
is made soley on issues advocated in
the last primary campaign. The high
est and the mex to the highest vote
for governor is meerly taken as an
arbitrary basis for representation at
initiatory meetings.
Under the logical operation of the
primary law, it is plain that the min
GRITTY of today becomes the majority
of tomorrow. The minority is ratur-
ally the progressive end of politics.
The majority is usually the reaction
airy end of politics. The minority is
the seed of progress. The majority is
represented by the official machine in
power, which naturally seeks to per
petuate itself and fovors the retention
of the spoils system.
The majority representation has
to defend its past, while the minority
MS the inspiration and hope for the
future. The ma iority is the voice o.
the officials. The minority is the
voice of the people, as a check on tho
officials. Hence it is frequently nee
essary for the good of state govern
ment to build n new minority into a
new majority, like buying IA new
broom to sweep cleanf 1t is sound
doctrines and practical results we
want to make progress and NOS
merely to continue some particular
crowd in office. PRINCIPLES for pub
lie policies should therefore be
made the paramount issue in prim-
airy contests. The present majority
representation has controlled tho
state government for eight years. IL,
interest of the state, there should
frequently he a complete new align
ment, within the party. in control
of the state government.
Sufficient to say at this time.
that it should certainly be an honor
to belong to the republican minor
ity side in the coming primary. The
republican minority proposal VIII
occupy the first representative col
umn on he primary election ballot
and is due to wi min every county
where the ticket is made up of
good. strong men. We invite all
republicans, who believe in practi-
cal. progressive principles. 10 join
in the minority republican proposal
prreliminaries.
Most respectfully yours,
"R. O. RICHARDS