The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-03-06
A HUGE BLusDER TO BEeIs WIN.


from the Third precinct elected on the
face of the returns have been admit
ted as members of the constitutional
convention and that we suppose viii
end the strife. The settlement of the
question. no matter how effected. viii
satisfy people who are not sticklers for
propriety or the rules that govern par
liamentary bodies The end, with many
people, justff1es the means
Notwithstanding the relief that the
public viii feel over the result, the fact
remains tllat the constitutional con-
Yention, before its actual organization,
while in an embryotic state, has made
q most egregious blunder. There is
nothing clearer than the point made by
Mr.. Yarian, that the action taken
could only be proper when the con-
vention was actually and fully organ
lied as a legislative body We have
not the shadow of a doubt that he vas
right, Messrs. Evans, Roberts ana
Thatcher also We're on the sensible
side Of the contention
It may be asked why the committee
on credentials, which properly could
only pasg on the question of who were
entitled to seats in the convention as
shown by the certificates, reported
unanimously in favor Of seating men
who had no certificates. Why did the
three Democrats on that committee
vote with the Republicans on that
question?
The answer viii be found in the pro-
ceedings of the convention. The whole
committee were at first united in de-
clining to consider the matter. But the
convention. by very large majority
vote, sent this thing back to the com
mittee, in6tructing them what to do.
The convention decided that they must
consider the question Of the right OF
the candidates in the Third precinct.
The committee simply acted on the e&-
pressed Will of the convention they
examined the case, heard the testi-
mony for the claimants to the Seats
there was no contest and so they re-
ported the matter to the convention
What else could they do?
The responsibility rests on the con-
Yention. The Republican majority had
a plan mapped out which comprehend
ed the selection of certain men Of their
party for officers of the convention.
To carry it out it was necessary to
seat the claimants who had no GER
tifcates; and that had to be done, right
or wrong, before the permanent organ
! ization took place,
The biunder committed is part of the
Republican scheme. Those who con-
cocted it care nothing for parliament
tary rules, the presidents established,
( or the dictates of common sense and
common decency. The point TO be
/ gained was the one thing determined
on and to reach that they have tram
pied on everything that stood in the
way.
The question is asked, will these pro-
eeedings and those that are to follow,
! including the placing of a man in the
I presidential chair of the convention
! who has no certificate, while the law
/ of Congress declares that shall be the
sole evidence of his election, vitiate
the action of the convention and en-
/ danger the admission of the state? We
| think not.
We believe the people of Utah are
too DESTROYS of the liberties that arc
! to come from statehood to stand on
these or other irregularities, but that
# a constitution which is acceptable
to the masses is prepared, the vote OF
the people next November viii cure al
such improprieties, and the President
will pay no attention to such things
when constitution voted upon by g
large majority Of the people of Utah is
submitted to his inspection.
He has to see that it is republican
in form, that it preserves complete re
| ligious liberty. that it prohibits poly
gamy. ana that it conforms to thu
other regulations provided in the en-
aiding act and then it will become hi'
duty to issue his proclamation for thu
admission of the new state into thu
Union.
The tactics which have been follow
( ed in the preliminary matter form on
more illustration of the methods o
partisan Repubhcanism. It shout
nave due effect on the public mind. I
shows how interruptions that party i
when it has a certain end in view
But if no worse blunder or NOR
vicious act mars the course of Repub
Ncan control Of the convention, we vii
all rejoice and be glad to adopt tn
we viii watch and see what the imme