The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-01-08

as a unit for Hon. Jos L. RaWIInS ana
Hon. Moses Thatcher for United States
Senators, and to avoid all entangling
alliances, therefore be it
Resolved, That we endorse the said
action and declare that it represents
the sentiments of the Democrats Of
Utah.
We are glad that the Democratic leg
islators have taken that position, and
that the State Committee endorsed
their action We are also quite sure
that the State Committee speaks truly
when it says by resolution that the
action of the Democratic members Of
the legislature represents the senti-
ment5 Of the Democrats of Utah. But
while we are in strict accord with this
position and hope to see it prevail in
this instance, we are also pleased to
note that the action determined upon
is not based on the resolution of the
State Democratic convention at Ogden,
which put IN nomination Messrs. Raw
Inns and Thatcher and pledged the
Democratic members of the Iegisla-
ture to work for their election. We are
not disposed to take the same view of
this subject that some correspondents
of The Herald have taken of it, namely:
That the Democratic members are
absolutely bound by the State conven-
ton resolution to vote for MesSrs.
Rawlins and Thatcher to the end of the
balloting, even after it has been demon
strated that they cannot be elected:
and that to vote in any other way
from first to last would be a sort of
high treason against the Democratic
party. The instruction Of the conyen-
ton which nominated the two gentle
men who are prominently the choice
of the Democrats of Utah for the Sem
ate did not contemplate defeat; nor did
the instructions of the convention reso-
luton extend to what should be done
in the event of Democratic members
of the legislature finding themselves
in the minority Therefore it must
be left for the members to act on their
own Judgment, in harmony with Dem
ocratic principles of course. and to the
best interests of the Democratic party,
in those affairs and circumstances to
which their instructions do not ex-
tend. But to accept the interpreted
ton that some would give to the State
convention resolution would so bind
the Democrats in the legislature that
under no circumstances could they vote
for amy one but those whom the party
has pleased to nominate. There might
a contingency arise, however, If not
in the present instance, then in some
future one-for we take it for granted
that the Democrats will continue to-
place in nomination by the party con-
vention the men whom they desire to be
Senators-there might arise contin
gency, we say, where the Democrats
though being in the minority might be
able to secure the election of one of
their candidates by combining with one
or the other of the Republican factions.
In that event, to put such a construc-
ton upon the State convention instruc-
lions as would compel Democrats Ito
keep on voting for both Democratic
nominees, and that would prevent them
from securing such distinct gain to
the Democracy as the election of one
Senator, would be preposterous.
The advantage referred to above,
however, is not likely to be one Of the
possibilities in the present senatorial
contest, and therefore when there can
be no Democratic gain it is proper to let
Republicans settle their own affairs
and reap the honor or bear the shame
accordingly as their action results in
good or i'll.