San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-03-03
SATURDAY, MARCH, 3, 1888.
INSTRUCTED DELEGATIONS.

Senator H0ar, OF Massachusetts, has
said and written many wise words for
the admonltion and direction Of the
republican party. Few OF these have
been more timely, moro pertinent, or
more worthy Of careful consideration
than the following written recently In a
letter addressed TO his republican con-
stituents In Massachusetts,. The senator
says:
~ think we should not send men to
Chicago with labels round their necks
marked SHERMAN" "Allison," "Hsw-
ley" We ought not, by any step taken
In April, to put 1t out OF our power to
aid In doing what, on consultation with
the representatives Of the whole coun-
try, shall seem wisest In June. We
should select for our delegates the wis
est and truest men We can find, whom
we are willing to trust to look over the
whole field, when the time for nominA-
ton comes, and give their vote to the
man who seems llkeliest to combine the
various elements OF strength"
The objection is urged against unin-
structed delegations that the confusion
and excitement Of national conventions
are not favorable to q calm, deliberate
survey Of the situation and the forma-
tion Of q sound judgment. To some
men this may apply, and those men are
the very ones who should not be en-
trusted with the task Of selecting q
standard bearer for the party. Instruc-
ted delegations 60 to conventions with
their hands tied. They natural
ly deadlock the convention, being
themselves dead-looked, and the IN
forseen circumstances which arise can
not readily be taken advantage OF or
their exigencies met In the interests OF
harmony or Of a proper selection Of can
didates. The objection. that only
through instructed delegations can the
strength OF the various candidates be de-
termined In the several states, Is more
specious than foroible. or any half
dozen candidates who may come promi-
nently before q national convention 1t is
very seldom that the difficulty Of
making choice ayises from other than
purely personal or sectional grounds.
States 60 instructed for the candidate
from their state and these instructions
are followed, locking the convention,
creating ill-feeling among the delegates,
barring out In the end each Of the prom
inent candidates and giving the party
as its standard bearer what Is usually
denominated some dark horse, and too
frequently with general dissatisfaction
at the result. The history Of conven-
lions proves this view of the case to be
correct. The unit rule no longer OBJ
tains and this reform should be followed
by the sending Of uninstructed delega-
tions. The influence OF certain candi-
dates upon the votes Of doubtful states
Is matter more readily solved in con-
vention than out Of 1t, and lie an impor-
tant factor In making up the con.
illusions Of the convention. The position
taken BY Mr.. Hoar will no doubt be an
tagonized and criticised, but 1t remains
to be said that no valid objections can
be urged against 1t. Delegations can
stand by their special candidates as well
uninstruoted as instructed, with this ad.
vantage, when the necessity comes
these delegates oan use their best judg-
ment, unrestricted by special instruo-
lions, for the selection Of proper and
available candidate. The LIGHT favors
the suggestion Of Senator Hoar because
by 1t all the advantages of instructed
delegations can be reached, by mutual
consent, and all its disadvantages avoid
ed,