Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1918-02-28
Y c. JOHNSON.

1t is With some measure of sorrow
intermixed with a degree of admira
ton for the man, that The Saturday
News feels it TO be it's duty to dis.
cuss the candidacy of Congressman
Royal C. Johnson for the republican
nomination. Up to the present hour,
formal reference to the matter would
have been out of place, but
ment has been made regarding the
matter through a press dispatch from
Mr.. JoEnson's home at Highmore.
Having supported Mr.. Johnson in
the previous campaign, and having
alone, of all the newspapers in the
Northwest, upheld Mr.. Johnson's right
to exercise his individual judgment
respecting the wisdom of Americas
entering the world conflict, it is par
tlcularly embarrassing to say what
Mr., Johnson's enemies may affect to
think are mkind observations.
Mr.. Johnson has shown himself to
be a patriotic American by enlisting
in the army. For this he deserves
especial commendation. That he is
brave and fearless is thus evidenced.
No one, so far as we are aware. has
ever questioned his loyalty to the flag
which today represents all that is
modern and progressive in self-goy-
eminent.
But we think Mr.. johnson does not
only himself but his constituency an
injustice in asking his district vir-
tually to disfranchise itself in order
that his vote against war may be vim
The second South Dakota congress
sional district now exercises no voice
whatever in national legislation, ex-
cepting on rare occasions when the
congressman is at the capitol. His
time and attention are devoted to the
military branch of the governments
service. He is preparing himself for
"a minor command, hoping to lead
some of his fellow-men into the thick
of the fighting in European trenches.
AS we have already observed, may
God bless him and sustain him and
preserve him for a safe return to the
people whom he represents in con
gress.
The Saturday News holds to the
view that our nation has arrived at a
critical stage Of it's history. Human
greed everywhere, and especially in
high places in Ii economical and
commercial affairs, is seeking to en-
trench itself, to reap private profit out
Of human endeavor, to prey upon pat
triotism. needless Of the cries arising
from battle-seared ground, unmindful
of the hunger and suffering and pri-
vations here and there so manifest
even in u own land.
It is the opinion Of The Saturday
News that no congressional district in
the nation, and especially one located
In the midst Of an agricultural region,
such as that which Mr.. johnson repre-
sents, is justified in voluntarily re.
framing from exercising Its legisla-
tive functions at the national capitol
merely to satisfy the pride Of any
one man. II is written somewhere
that pride goeth before a fall.
We regret that duty impels us to
say these things. for, as we have In
Dictated, we say them with sorrosg.
We wish Mr.. Johnson had not asked
us to syindicates him. His enlist
Raent itself is SUFFICIENT vindication
sufficient I'd prove beyond psradyen-
ttre his loyalty, his patriotism. his.
Desire 10 serve his country.
II fnag sst be so during the impends
nE political campaign. 1t may not be.
during the term for which 1t Is pos
sible he may be chosen in May and
confirmed IN November. but we pre-.
dict there will come a time when.
even Mr.. Johnson himself will regret
the asking Of his district To eliminate
itself from all part IN national al
fairs ii order that single vote IN
congress may be- "vindicated.s