The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1920-04-01
TAMBLYN BROS. Publishers.
THE RICHARDS PRIMARY

&C the past four and a half months
should serve to convince the people OF
South Dakota Of the folly and the ex-
pense OF the Richards primary law,
and induce them to take steps, through
the initiative provision of the state
constitution for the repeal of the law.
The News has steadfastly opposed
the repeal of the measure by legisla-
tive enactment, because the state leg
islature repealed the law once, and it
was promptly rebuked by the people,
who reinstate the measure, with some
improvements" attached thereto by
its author, at the very first opportun
ity afforded them. But the Richards
law now has had a fair trial. 1t has
MT proved worth the cost. II the
people of the state take the trouble
10 carry out its provisions in full
they will be actively engaged in poll
tical campaigns for practically twelve
months out of every twenty-four. The
state officials who take office in Janu-
airy of next year, after having been
elected in November, will have to
start their campaign for reelection
only eleven months later. County
superintendents of schools, who, und
or the new law, assume their positions
on July /, 1921, will have to start their
campaign for reelection, if they want
another term, early in November, after
they have served but a little over four
months of their term of Office,
And that debating proposition!
Few South Dakotans realized, per-
haps. that when r. o. Richards and
W III. McMaster pulled off their a
deville show in the form of a debate
over the campaign issues in the CUB
ernatorial campaign, they were not
hearing or seeing a free show, as
many of them imagined No, indeed.
The candidates, under the law, drew
&c cents a mile for travelling expenses
for every mile they travelled over the
state in that debating tour, besides
other expenses. 1t did not cost the
candidates a cent to make their per-
sonal appeals to the voters. That all
came out OF the taxpayers pockets.
If there had been any serious con
tests for state office, outside of that
for the governorship, If that could
Justly be called a serious" contest,
each pair of contrasting candidates
ould have been compelled, under the
law, to travel over the state, debating
with his opponent, and all at state
expense.
The Richards law affords a splendid
opportunity for the construction OF a
state political machine, because the
average South Dakotan cannot be in
duced % retain his interest in politics
for twelve months out of every two
years. He has to earn a living for
himself and family, or look after his
business affairs, OF his farm, etc. So
the way is left wide open for the per-
sons who can afford to devote one
year out of every two years to poll
ties. TO build up an organization that
is practically impregnable.
The Richards law is expensive. cum
brous, and does not aid in securing
good government to South Dakota; if
South Dakota has g good state govern
ment during the next gubernatorial
term, under Governor McMaster, as
the News is confident it will have, it
will be in spite of rather than because
OF the Richards law.
South Dakotans are ashamed of the
Richards primary law; they have
cause 10 be ashamed of it. despite the
fact that they twice have insisted that
they wanted 1t. and during all the time
II has been in operation, this paper has
heard but one man confess he voted
TOR h law, and he apologized Tor II,
and said he voted for the measure
because he thought the legislature did
" rong in repeating an initiated meas
ure.
South Dakota should have n work
able law, easily operated. less calcr-
TO cause the average voter to
eaclaim whats the use and stay
away from the polls on primary cleo
lion day, or at the general elections.
And the only way it can secure such
law. under conditions as they now
exist. is for a considerable number of
patriotic citizens to initiate a work.
able law, or to petition the legislature,
such numbers ss 0 convince the
lawmakers that the petitioners repre-
sent pubic ssnii1rirsfi. asking thI
tody to repeal the Richards law ard
enact a really worthwhile measure 10
replace it.-Aberdeen News.