The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1913-08-21
I'd by the majority proposal commit.

4 leS.
Yet 1t is uncertain what the propose
committee will do when they assemble
at the capital in December. Under the
Richards primary law, the minorit,
and majority proposal committees are
the whole thing. To nominate the
tickets and make the platforms. 1t is
possible that when the committee
meets that Byrne viii control. In that
case he will become the majority
candidate for United States senator.
The first fight is now under way over
the selection Of the members of the
majority and minority proposal com
mlttees. II is being conducted stealth
lily, and there a surprise is in store for
h Washington politicians who con-
duct his campaign by parcel post
from the national capitol.
State Treasurer Ewert enc of the
longest-headed politicians in the pro-
gressive camp, an erstwhile supporter
of Crawford and a lifelong enemy of
Burke, has been heard to say that his
purse strings are open to beat Craw-
ford, and this sentiment permeates
almost the entire progressive rank and
file. The leaders of the progressive
party are not partial to Burke, but the
rank and file are with him. While
Burke has not yet announced his can
didacy for the senate, it is generally
believed he will soon do so. Burke's
friends are impatient at his delay, and
many of them feel he is injuring the
cause by remaining silent.
Politics in this state with r. o Rich
ards out of it, would be like Hamlet
without the royal Dane. A visit to
his office reveals the depth of his politi-
cal activities. A half dozen clerks
and three or four stenographers are at
work all the time. The Richards head
quarters are open the year around, day
anu HlShl, anu luSic 10 ho ouiSSuSS
from labor there. 1t is the one spot in
the state where you can find the his
tory of every voter, his name, post
Office address, political tendencies and
religious predictions. Richards keeps
visitors from over the state than any
man ever had save his one time friend,
A. b. Kitteredge, whose office was for
years the political Mecca. Richards is
a v~ote-gCtter and an organizer, and he
is out with the Ratchet for Byrne,
Crawford, Norbeck, Thorson and all
the Sutherland and Bashford clan in
the progressive party, and he will get
some of them, perhaps all.
Who will be the candidates for gov
ernor? Richards will make an early
announcement of his candidacy, in
fact, it may be made public in a few
days. George w. Egan will not bother
with the proposal committee business,
but will content himself with running
in the independent column. Byrne will
also be a candidate unless he can, by
controlling the proposal committee,
slip Norbeck over as a candidate for
governor, and name himself instead of
Crawford for senator, forcing Craw-
ford into the independent column as
a running mate for Egan.
In the congressional districts, affairs
are shaping for the fight. In the first
district, c. NJ. Day and Dwight of
Sioux Falls, are both spoken of as OPP
ponents of Dillon, and are being groom.
ed for the race. One will surely enter.
In the second district, all is waiting
upon Burke. If he does not run for the
senate his congressional place is as
sured. In the Black Hills, Martin is
the strong man. Against him may be
Speaker Tscharner and Judge Clay
Carpenter, both allied with the major
ity faction in the state and bitter
enemies. Either will prefer Martin to
the other, and SO Martin seems to
have the denomination nailed down.
There is opposition to Abel for lieu.
tenant governor, but it seems to come
from the Crawford end of the progress.
sive party. Many have urged fbel to
run for governor, but he is no Barkis
on the governorship, and lis willing to
let Byrne, Richards and Egan fight il
out, watching the result with an eye
on 1916.
The meeting Of the Byrne clan al
Pierre last week has started things go
ing and announcements for high places
on the ticket will soon follow.
The democrats are as badly ratified
ais the republicans. They have nomin
ated the republican ticket in this state
for many years, but now propose t.
have a ticket of their own.