The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-10-06
WEIGHED AND FOUND WANTING.

WEIGHED AND FOUND WANTING.
The news that comes to The Herald
respecting the effect of the Interview
published in this paper in when hon.
Lafayette Holbrook. Republican can
didate for congress, defined MS sttitude
on the issues of the campaign. is to
The effect that it has alienated from
him the support of many who had in
tended to give him their assistance. Nor
is this surprising. Mr.. Holbrooll has
expressed his views; he has stated what
he would do if elected; and the vo5ers
realize that he does not measure up to
the standard that the people of Titan
have established for him who shall Sc
cure their suffrages in the election this
year.
1t viii be interesting to again review
Mr.. Holbrook's utterances on the vital
points at issue, as the weakness Of his
position cannot be too forcibly enIpha-
sized.
The nominee announced that he would
go into the regular Republican caucus.
When asked if he would be bound by
its action he said he could not yet decide
that point To make the matter clearer,
The Herald's representative asked him
if he would bolt the action taken if
the caucus were controlled by the gold
standard men. To this the reply was:
THAT is another question that | can
not answer until ii confronts me. My
action will be entirely governed by cir
cumstances."
There we have Mr.. Hoibrook's rcsi-
ton in nutshell, and it IS not the 70
sition of this people. The people Of
Utah have solemnly resolved that tEey
will have nothing whatever to do with
the gold standard or anything dictated
in its interest; yet Mr.. Holorook. while
asking for their SURFACES, does not
know whether or not he would bait
the action of a gold caucus!
The issue is so clearly defined. the
demand of the people is so plain and
emphatic, that no one can make ms
take; and it is fully demonstrated lhat
the mind of the Republican candidate
is under influences that are a menace TO
the cause of bimetallism, making his
election to congress a dangerous eS-
pertinent that will not be enterel upon
by the voters of the state.
Again, Mr.. Holbrook was asked if he
would vote for silver under all circum-
stances. His reply at frs, was that
that was another hard question" Then
he said: Yes, [ do not know N what
shape it could be put that 1 would net
vote for it,
There is the hesitating spirit again.
The kind of man that the people
want and that they viii have is one
who knows absolutely that he shall
always vote for silver if he is elected
and who does not admit the possibility
of any conditions changing him in this
respect.
Nor is Mr.. Holbrook sound on the
proposition that silver legislation shall
be secured in advance OF the enactr,ent
of a tariff law. When the I'VE sena tors,
announcing that as their platform, cast
their votes against consideration of the
Dingley bill, one grand chorus Of APP
proval went up from Utah The people
approved the platform then; they de-
mand Ks maintenance now
Mr.. Holbrook lodged when asked if
he approved Senator Browns ecord and
again when asked if he favored Browns
reelection. Under ordinary circum-
stances the people do not expec: a can
didate for the house to express a choice
as between. asniran4s FOR son 1t.,riol hon
ors; but this is one of those extraordl-
nary occasions when conditions so far
relax the rule that the peorle do eX-
pect their candidates 10 let it ne known
that they do not favor and will not
eountenance a candidacy that is par
ticularly obnoxious to the spirit Of the
campaign.
The Republican candl late has heen
weighed and found wanting.