The San Francisco call., 1896-04-22

Republican State Convention to pledge the
delegates they elect to the National Con-
yention for any person for those offices.
There are several good reasons why; the
California delegation should go unpledged
to the National Convention. One of these
is that after meeting the delegations of
other States and comparing notes our
delegates may find it to the interests of
the party and of the State to cast their
vote in favor OF some other than the per-
son for whom they may have been
pledged. Our delegates should certainly
be given discretion in the matter. and if
they are not TO have this discretion there
is little use of sending an entire delegation
to st. Louis.
"The State Convention which would bind
our delegation to any one or other of the
candidates might as well instruct a single
person to carry the vote of California to
the st. Louis Convention, and there cast it
IN favor of the person to whom the delega-
tion might be pledged. Another reason
why the delegation should go unpledged
is that the important interests and press
ing needs of California require that it
should have more generous and more
practical recognition from the General
Government than it has of late years been
accorded. The only way to accomplish
this is to impress our Importance upon the
National party leaders at the very outset
of the campaign. This can best be done
by an unpledged delegation, which, after
it arrives upon the ground and surveys
the whole situation, can form correct
Judgment as to where the real interests of
the Pacific Coast require that its vote be
cast.
81 am also of the opinion that repre-
sentative men of character should be
selected as delegates to the st. Louis Con-
vention, and that these, generally speak
ing, should be young men, for the reason
that upon them will soon devolve the bur-
den of government, and l know of no place
where so much may be learned concerning
political methods as in a National Conyen-
tion.'
Said W. W. Montague: 'The California
delegation should go to st. Louis un-
pledged, but there should be a resolution
passed by the convention that the people
of this State want Mckinley if they can
get him.
One of the strongest and ablest express
sions in favor of this policy that has been
uttered during the few days that have
elapsed since this issue has arisen came
yesterday from General N. P. Chipman OF
Red Bluff in the following letter to THE
CALL:
RED BLUFF, CAL, April 18.
To the Editor Of the San Francisco Calt-SIR:
have noticed with approval your editorial
expressions favorable to sending an unin-
structed delegation to the Republican Ma
tional Convention. Permit me to add word
as an humble follower OF the Republican
banner:
There is a manifest difference of opinion
among Republicans as to candidates for the
Presidency. This is natural and proper. No
one man in the party looms up SO high that
all Others must bow down and worship him.
No one man in the party is in himself so COM
pletely the embodiment of Republican doc.
trlne as to suggest that he alone should be its
standard-bearer. The party has glorious his
tory; but that history was not made by any
one man, living or dead Any intelligent Re-
publican can name a dozen men equally
capable. equally patriotic, equally imbued
with Republican principles and Republican
policies, any one OF whom would make wise
and safe President. We are, therefore, not
suffering for lack OF material, but rather labor
ing under an embarrassment of riches.
Some OF our most loyal supporters-for ex-
ample. the Sacramento Bee-insists upon in
struct1ng to vote only for a free-silver candi-
date. Many OF US cannot bring ourselves to
believe that this would be WISE however m uch
we may wish to secure the best declaration
upon silver possible and the best candidate for
silver possible. Every sound reason that can
be urged against such instruction can be urged
against 1nstructing as TO candidates. For
myself, am willing to declare that if we are
to instruct our delegation at all we had better
instruct upon some principle-for instance, the
free coinage of silver-than to instruct as to
any one of the candidates now named OF who
may be named.
How can we at this remote distance from the
great centers of political thought scarcely in
touch with the vast interests that must be con-
suited, with our own peculiar wants to pro-
vide for-how can we safely forestall our own
action or safely commit ourselves irreyocably
to any mans candidacy?
The Pacific Coast has never received lust
recognition by any administration. 1t is en-
titled, by reason of its varied and important
industries. by reason of its location on the
map as the western entrance to our continent
by reason OF its contribution to the wealth of
the Nation and its promise of future greatness
to Cabinet office, at least. By wise counsels
and harmonious action believe we can secure
this very important and very proper recog-
milton from the next administration
If we instruct for A or for B, we go with our
urge the cause of silver, we leave entirely to
chance the hope of obtaining place in the
Cabinet counsels, we push aside the peculiar
wants and demands of our region, and we
thus declare the man TO be our paramount
object, and all other things subordinate
No man can forecast the selection of the ST.
Louis Convention. The beating of drums, the
manufactured applause of assemblages, the
sporadic expression of groups of men polled at
haphazzard, will not in my judgment control
the convention. We may by pledging our del
egates take them out of the list of those who
go there to consult, to deliberate, and finally
TO do the wisest and best thing for the whole
country; but 1 predict that nevertheless it
will be deliberate convention and will not be
carried off its feet by any maneuver whatever.
The Nations idols are all dead and have gone
to their reward. There remaiu many worthy
to continue the great work of Lincoln, of
Grant of Garfield, OF Logan, of Blaine and the
host OF "Republican saints departed"; but do
not believe it wise for to undertake to name
the one man among all the survivors who shall
lead especially, as it is by no means certain
that the one we name will be the choice of the
convention. NO aspiring candidate has so en-
deared himself to the people of California by
any public service in her behalf as To haya an