The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1914-05-21
|G0V, AD0LPH EbERHART
FORMALLY Opens CAMPAIGN
Chief Executives Keynote Address Delivered
In St. Cloud Friday Evening of Last
Il Week Candid Statement of
Issues of Campaign
Granite City Citizens Cordial in Their Reception Near
by Towns Send Large Delegations Hold
Informal Entertainment Text
of Address

t. AESOLVEL, lat II is the sense
Of this convention that in all future
contests for nomination to public Of
dee, the people shall be allowed to
express their preference in such man
ner as shall give each individual an
effective voice in the affairs of gov
ernment; and therefore be it further
RESOLVED, That the republican
state central committee be instructed
TO provide suitable means for each
voter to express by ballot his individ-
dal preference for governor Of Mime
sofa at the coming republican pri-
maries."
When I announced my candidacy
for governor I stated that I would at
the proper time present the same to
the people for their approval at the
primary election to be held on the
18th day of June. My candidacy is
not the polished product of cunning
manipulators assuming to act for the
people in cut and dried mass con-
ventions, but is based on the belief
that my service in public Office
mas met with the approval of the peo-
pie of this state. I base my claim for
consideration upon my record of serv-
Ice in the past and upon my ability to
do things in the future.
Iswas called to the Office of gov
ernor by the death of John A. John
son, whose memory we all love and
Of whose fame we are all justly proud.
served out his unexpired term. At
the republican state convention Of
1910, was the unanimous nominee
and after campaign of unexampled
bitterness I was elected by sixty
thousand majority, carrying every
county in the state, something no
candidate for governor had ever done
before in the history of the state. In
1912 combination of politicians, each
anxious to be governor himself, pro
claimed themselves tribunes of the
people and opened their mud batter.
les on my administration They de-
bounced the convention system and by
resolution demanded direct primary
on the governorship. To the surprise
of some of the promoters of this reso
luton, Immediately announced that
I would convene the legislature in
extra session for the purpose of enact
Ing direct primary law. I believed
then, and believe now, that no man
should be afraid to submit his candi
dacy directly to the people, and that
any man, who 80 far distrusts the PEG.
pie as to spepd much time and large
sums of money in getting up pretend.
ed mass conventions to dictate to the
people whom they shall select, is
wholly unfit for the Office of governor.
The legislature met in extra session
In June, 1912, and enacted a direct
primary law Under that law I be.
came a candidate for governor and
Rgain received a strong endorsement
at the general election in November
No one will dispute the fact that !
am largely responsible for the direct
primary law in Minnesota. 1t was re-
luctantly passed by legislature
openly hostile to me and in the law
itself were inserted provisions with
the declared purpose of defeating me.
All this is recent and familiar history.
but ! call your attention to the pri.
mary law at this time because it is
the settled purpose of certain politi.
clans in this state to repeal it. The
first step in the program to repeal is
to discredit the law. Hence we have
the conferences and mass conventions
called by few disappointed politi
clans, ostensibly in the interest of the
people, but in fact to advance the self
ish interests of few.
If unsuccessful in the repeal Of the
primary law itself, the plan is tc
amend it so that the people shall not
be permitted to act on nominations
until some self-constituted conven.
ton has determined whom, the people
shall have a right to support.
The people of this state have en-
phatically approved the statewide
primary law and they will not vote
for men who are secretly schemine
to repeal it.. Few of these conspira
tors have the courage to openly advo
cate the repeal of the primary law,
but actions speak louder than words
They h&ye pledged themselves to
amend the law in various ways, and
Continued on Page 81