The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-02-18
NO INSTRUCTIONS.

A st. Paul dispatch to the New York
Times announces that a combination OF
representative democrats in the north
western states will go to Chicago in
structed for Grover Cleveland for presl-
dent. The states entering into this
agreement are said to be Minnesota,
| Wisconsin,, Iowa and the two DaSotas,
with the prospect that others will JOIN
in the movement. Montana, the dis.
patch says, was invited to join the com
bination but begged to be excused. We
do not know who was authorized to
speak for the democrats of Montana,
but the democrats OF this state show
their good sense in keeping out Of such
an arrangement. It would be a sensible
thing of course, if the delegates from
all the northwestern states could get
together at Chicago and endeavor to
act in harmony. In the numbers of
their delegates these states, acting sep
arately, lose much OF the power and in
fuence they might otherwise exert.
United, they would have as many votes
as New York, Pennsylvania or Ohio, and
would be as potent in the councils Of
the party as any one of these great
states. We should have liked to see a
combination Of that sort, not in the in
terest, necessarily, Of any particular can
didate, but in order to impress upon the
convention the Importance Of q section
of the country that our eastern friends
are too prone to belittle. When, how
ever, it is proposed at the outset to take
delegates from the northwestern states
to Chicago bound SO that they cannot
exercise their best judgment or properly
respond to any emergency that may
arise, independent thinking democrats
object.
The nomination of Grover Cleveland
may be wise, aud it may be unwise.
Time will tell. The same is true Of the
nomination of David B. Hill, William
r. Morrison, John G. Carlisle or Horace
Boies. For the democrats Of any state
to commit themselves beyond recon
sideration to the fortunes Of any Of the
democrats we have named would be as
foolish at this time as Mr.. Hills mid
winter convention four months in ad-
vance of the assembling Of the national
convention; and that is the most foolish
thing we know of in this years politics.
Four months is a long time in a political
campaign. Public sentiment in that
time may undergo many changes. Can
didates may die, become unavailable or
undesirable. Party issues may take
new form. States with favored sons
may he pardoned for showing haste and
zeal in bringing them to the front. But
for states situated like Montana, with
no candidate Of her own, endorsement
or instruction for any candidate is not
good politics.
Greater than Grover Cleveland,
greater than David B. Hill, greater than
any one mar whose name may be pre-
sented to the national convention, is the
democratic party. It's principles will
outlast all the candidates and be dear
to the hearts Of millions of Americans
ailef INC present generation OF states
man is dead and gone. Let US send six
good and true men, staunch and un-
waverIng democrats, to Chicago to exer-
else their best judgment in the situa-
ton that will confront them on June
81. They can tell better than we at this
time and distance what the highest in
terest OF the party demands, IF our
delegates then find it advantageous to
act in harmony with the other delegates
from the northwestern states, SO much
tho better. But let them be free
agents.
No Instructions. No combinations to
hamper independent action!