The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-01-16
UnAHs UNITED STATES SENATORS.

UTAHS UNITED STATES SENATORS.
The Republican legislators in caucus
have agreed to the election of Frank
J. Cannon and Arthur Brown for Uni
ted States senators. It may be said that
| these gentlemen only need the formal
| ratification of the votes of the same
men in the legislature next Tuesday
| that voted for them in caucus on Tues
! day night to make them United States
! senators. The agony of the senatorial
/ election may be said TO be practically
over, The unity of the Republican
party has been sufficiently preserved to
make its own choice of senators, and in
that. of course. it has reaped only the
fruits that belong TO it by reason Of its
victory in the elections last fall.
OF Mr. Frank J. Cannon it may be
said that he occupied such a position
In the Republican party at the time Of
utah's admission into the Union that
according to political usages he was
the logical candidate in his party for
the United States senate, and that cir
cumstanoe doubtless had great infu-
ence in bringing to pass the present
assurance of his election on Tuesday
next.
When Mr.. Frank j. Cannon first
began his political career in Utah the
prominence given to him in the Re-
publican party arose more from the
fact of his bearing an honored name
than from any inherent ability or
siren n Of 81.
ed. While it cannot be denied that
Mr.. Cannon is endowed with some of
those graces which so to the making
of what is called a brilliant mana
ready wit, a pleasing address, and the
gift of glittering speech, no thoughtful
man ever looked upon the coming SEN
ator from Utah as a man of great
strength of character, depth of intel
lect. or extensive knowledge. His bril-
iancy is Of the kind that glitters-it
does not wear. 1t may be admired as
tinsel. but no one would be guilty of
mistaking it for solid gold. Mr.. Can
non falls away below the ideal senator.
He can scarcely be regarded as the
kind of man that Utah's people thought
of in those days when they longed for
the time to come that some son of
Utah would raise his voice in the SEN
ate on the great national and interna-
tional questions that arise in that au-
gust chamber, and where sometimes
the fate of nations may be trembling in
the balance. However pleasing as a
companion Mr.. Cannon may be. and
however Snowy in person or in speech.
he is not the material, nor the temper
ament of which statesmen are made.
AS to the other gentleman, Mr.. Ar
thur Brown, while it is conceded that
he possesses intellectual acuteness of
a certain grade, is a good lawyer. pos
sesses the courage Of his convictions, |
and is fearless and even offensive in
the expression of them. yet he lacks |
the broadness of intellect. the power |
Of sustained effort, the liberality of
sentiment, and the greatness and
grandeur of soul that men look for in
those occupying such stations as SEN !
ators Of the United States. That Mr. !
Browns election will not give as gen
eral satisfaction to Republicans that !
the election of Mr.. Cannon will, goes
without saying. The first note of dis
approval comes from the chief Repub-
lican paper of the state and like COM
plant will come from other quarters |
not open to the same suspicion of pre-
JUDGE as the Salt Lake Tribune. In /
the editorial columns of that paper /
yesterday appeared the following re-
marks:
AS to the nomination of Arthur
Brown, it was unexpected. and viii |
strike the people as something in the
nature of a trick and bad faith. 0dr.
Brown deserves nothing from the Re-
publican party. He is not of the stuff
that the ideal senator is made; he has
none of the qualities that are looked
for in the incumbent of that high and
illustrious position, but many that one
would suppose should forbid any one
of him in that connection.
The caucus action as to him can only
be explained on the theory that a sud
den madness overlook the members,
and in their frenzy they rocked not of
His election viii mean
nothing good for Republicanism To-
cally; it will signify nothing for Utah
before the nation.
We have just this to suggest in con-
clusion: Now that the full results Of
the Republican victory in the election
Of the legislature last fall are known.
so far as the election of senators is
we ask the good people Of
Utah to sit down and count-not their
gains, but their losses. We ask them
not to campare. for comparison there
is none-but contrast Moses Thatcher
with Frank J. Cannon! Joseph L.
Rawlins with Arthur Brown! If it shall
be suggested that they did not vote for
men. but for principle-let them take
stock of their political faith, inquire
into it, and see if they have not made
the same mistake in selecting their po-
litical principles as they must own they
have done in choosing their senators.