The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-01-20
PROSPECTIVE SENATOR BRowN.

PROSPECTIVE SENATOR Drown.
We have become accustomed to the
old trite saying uneasy lies the head
that wears a crown" but have never
thought that a like reflection could pos
sibly be associated with a senatorial
toga. From present indications, how
ever, there seems to be some probable
ity that the second choice of the Re
publican caucus nominee for United
States senator. Mr.. Arthur Brown, is
likely to find that the senatorial honor
is not an unmixed JOY. The morning
following his election by the Republi-
can caucus the chief Republican paper
of the state declared that his nomina-
ton was not only unexpected, but
something in the nature of a trick and
! bad faith; that he deserved nothing at
the hands of the Republican party; that
! he was not of the stuff the ideal sena-
tor was made of; and claimed that the
caucus action could only be explained
upon the theory that a sudden mad
! ness overlook the members and in
/ their frenzy they rocked not of con-
| sequences.
! Next the president pro tenn and sec
| rotary of the Board of Labor Legisla-
! tive Committee, G.. A. Whitaker and
! Stephen Tyne, address an open letter
to the prospective senator asking him
if he is in favor of the United States
! government opening its minis to the
free and unlimited coinage of silver,
and if when elected he will vote for
such legislation as may be required to
Immediately remonetize silver. He is
urged to make a reply before Tuesday
why is obvious-as it is alleged that
he has never publicly declared his po-
sition on that subject 1t win be rather
humiliating to the Republican caucus
to have named man for the senate of
the United States whose views on the
most important of all questions con-
fronting the country must needs be
ascertained on the very eve of his cleo
ton by addressing an open letter to
him.
Bad as this is. it seems not to be the
worst In yesterdays Tribune was the
in which, it will be observed. he calls
upon the Republicans in the legisla-
ture to abrogate what the same Re
publicans did in caucus:
Editor Tribune:-As citizen, and
always a Republican up to date, ,pro
test against the selection Of Arthur
Brown and his kind to represent Utah
in the United States senate. Granting
that it is political custom for the leg
islature to ratify the caucus action, the
present case justifles and demands an
exception to the rule. 1t may have the
semblance of honor for the majority in
our legislature to feel bound by Tues
day nights caucus, but there is a prin-
ciple in ethics, and in manhood too,
that having done a wrong thing, undo,
if possible, the wrong the first oppor-
tunity. These legislators are but the
servants Of the people, and if they
wish now to voice the sentiment Of
nine-tenths of the people Of Utah let
them rise to the moral and political
duty of the hour-'repent and do the
first work over" If, however, their
sense of obligation will not allow this,
then should the people see TO it that
they never have another opportunity
to repeat the folly and shame. For
such a course persisted in Will bring
disgrace to the state, humiliation to
decent people and defeat TO the Repub-
lican party. T. c. ILIFF.
January Is, 1896.
This is a rather extraordinary COM
munication. We are of opinion that
the Rev. gentleman has said either too
much or too little. We have no objec-
ttions to the communication except as
to its Vagueness. If DR.. Tiff is in earn
est-and we have no doubt as to that
when he intimates that the election
of Arthur Brown and "his kind" will
be an act of folly and shame" and
IF persisted in will bring disgrace to
the state and humiliation to decent
people'-then we hold that the Rev.
gentleman ought to state definitely
what it is in the life and character of
Mr.. Brown that viii do this, that there
might go up such a protest from the
entire people of Utah that the legis-
lature will not dare do that which will
disgrace the state, or failing to make
the protest they can bear the response
bility Of their own shame. Say def
nitely what it is, DR.. Tiff, that renders
Arthur Brown unworthy of the election
Of which he has been assured by the
Republican caucus.
Meantime, people of Utah, take note
of the Republican method of election
of senators and that adopted by the
Democrats in their convention last
summer. Would the nomination of a
man in open convention for United
States senator be possible if his char
acter was such as to bring disgrace to
the state and humiliation to decent peo-
pie? Would such men be as likely to
secure a nomination by a trick and bad
faith? 1t will yet be found that the
Democratic method of nominating SEN
ators in Utah is as superior to the Re
publican method as the Democratic
nominees in the present instance are
superior to the men named by the Re-
publican caucus.
THE GOVERNOR AND BoUNTIES.