Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1915-01-28
ONES CAN
Determine ISSUE
First Filing With Secretary Of
State Governs, In New
Amendments Offered
BY Richards.

Pierre. S. d., Jan. 2S.-A race to the
Iecretary of states office with the right
to name the paramount issue in pri-
mary campaign as prize for the Win
ner: forcing candidate for president
Of the United States to come into South
Dakota and take part in a joint de-
bate, on pain of being left off the pri
mary ballot; making independent cam
didates in u former campaign ex-officio
candidates of minority faction two
years later--these are some of the addi-
tions to the Richards primary law. pro-
posed by Mr.. Richards himself. pre-
sumably with a view to meeting the
public demand for making the law over
party nominations.
Mr.. Richards failed to get the minor
ity nomination for governor. which he
sought two years ago Now he would
amend the primary to provide that ''an
Independent candidate for governor
who shall have made a primary
campaign on "A paramount issued and
received equal to 10 per cent of the
total party vote cast for governor at
such primary election, shall, at the next
primary election become the candidate
of the minority committee proposal of
his party
Nominee Foreordaincd.
If these amendments pass the pro-
cess of selecting candidates will be
greatly simplitied. Anyone with good
head for statistics can figure out " ho
was the independent candidate All the
last primary running on one issue and
who received 10 per cent of the total
party vote cast at the primary. After
casting up the column. cancelling aud
eliminating it will be found that The
name of the candidate whom the .ie
I,lif ~,
1916 is spelled 'R-i-ch-a-r-d-s."
Again Mr.. Richards was not sue
cessful in getting the republican
nominee. Governor Byrne. on the stump
with him last year. How To get randi-
date for governor out of his office and
on the stump with Mr. Richards Will
ingly or unwillingly. is the problem and
Mr. Richards has solved it neatly
legislate him out. So the new amend
ments provides for 1G joint debates by
candidates for governor in each pri-
mary campaign and any candidate who
refuses to accept A challenge to de-
bate does not get on the primary bal
lot at ALL The secretary of state is
instructed not to certify his name TO
the county auditors.
Affects Presidency
Unfortunately for Woodrow Wilson,
or Albert b. Cummins or whoever are
candidates for party nominations in
the next presidential campaign, and
may not care to take part in the pri-
mary in South Dakota, or who may
not find time to do so. this provision
of the Richards amendments applies
to them as well. There must be one
! presidential joint debate in the state
by the candidates themselves. If the
minority candidate fails to challenge
he forfeits his right to go on the bal
lot, and If the majority candidate fails
~ accent the cllaII ha lil<nwiae
! will be left out by refusal OF the sec
retary Of state to certify mis- name.
Mr.. Richards also had difficulty in
holding down the different candidates
to the particular proposition which he
had named as the issue in the last
campaign and which he wished them
to follow in their discussions. That
| if the Richards amendments pass
They define paramount issue in the
| following:
paramount issue shall mean one
we'll defined and definite principle for
a public policy that shall be first filed
| with the secretary of state by an in
| dependent candidate proposal for pres
| OF majority committee proposal
Imagination pictures the independ
| ent candidates and the minority and
| majority committeeman sprinting over
| the state house lawn to determine the
| issues in the campaign by fleetness OF
! foot. The reward for this sprinting is
| specified in the proposed Richards
| amendments:
"Priority of filing party proposals
/ with the secretary of state for tht
! primary shall govern the use of any
! paramount issue as reward of merit
for initiative in devising measures fol
oublic welfare