The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-09-12
THE REPUBLICAN CONVENTION.

AIRING SOME DIFFERENCES OF
- opinion in the committee on resO-
buttons. the Republican convention at
Ogden yesterday was about as smooth
an exhibition OF machine execution as
Utah has ever seen. The Kearns-
smoot combination named its candi-
dates for supreme court judge ard con-
gresham. ran the convention about
as II pleased and failed only IN its ef-
Tort 20 secure an Endorsement Of the
presidents attack on beet sugar
through the Cuban reciprocity meas
ure. The reason for the reciprocity
stumble does not involve a lengthy
search. Reciprocity was the rock on
which the combine split temporarily.
Apostle Smoot is heavily interested in
beet sugar factories and he could not
permit any action that might remotely
threaten his personal income. There
fore, he passed the word around that
reciprocity must be defeated, but he
stood With Senator Kearns for every
thing else in sight. With this single
exception, the convention might as We'll
have instructed the secretary 10 consult
senator Kearns as 20 his wishes and
cast the ballot accordingly.
Whether the people OF Utah want TO
have their choice of candidates mace
FOR them in this fashion remains to be
seen. There used 10 De IN impress
ZION here, and not long ago either. that
he plain people had right to he con-
suited in such matters. both in the
conventions ana at the polls, and such
sn Impression stin prevails in Demo-
ratio circles.
As TO the candidates. little Is 10 be
said either for or againsc them per
'onaily, Judge Mozart has made an
average record on the district bench
and Is regarded as a man of good
CHARACTER, The chief objection 10 him
Is the way his nomination was secured.
II the supreme court OF the state is
properly an object OF common political
dickers, II r Is right for an aspirant 10
That high Pace 10 seek support in the
same way the average politician works
then Judge McCarty's domination was
eminentiy nj. IL. however. the MEM
beers Of the bar and the people Of the
state OF Utah believe a supreme tourt
Justice should be free OF sucn political
obligations. Judge McCarty is in a fair
way 10 be beaten.
MI Howell. the nominee for the
house Of representatives. is Il pleasant.
popular man, entirely without the ex-
Rerience which is supposed to tit one
Tor the office 70 which he aspires. In
personal character no criticism can ue
heard of him. but in the qualifications
which go 20 make successful. service
able congressman he IS about as def
eient as anybody the Republican party
could have selected. Like the nom
inee for the supreme court, Mr.. Howell
Is the choice Of a cliqde ane was Sc
lected because OF his supposed vote
getting qualities with very little re-
gard for the demands which he would
have 10 meet II he were elected.
Neither Judge McCarty nor Mr.. How
ell should be difficult men 10 defeat n
capable men are named t. opposition.
AS might have been expected. the
platform Is a safe S.~aadle on the
question Of closest import q Utah
namely. the presidents determination
20 reduce the tariff on Cuban sugar and
allow It TO compete more successfully
with the beet product. Instead OF
meeting this issue squarely, the com
mittee on resolutions and the conven-
ton limited the declaration 70 a broad
side, unqualified" Endorsement Of the
presidents administration. In every
other particular, the platform is an
arrogant assumption that the bounty OF
nature, the blessings or the Lord and
the misfortunes of the nations chief
competitors are all alike attributable
10 the wisdom of the Republican
party
The platform might have been writ
ten by a school boy and PROMULGATED
by kindergarten convention as an
example of hish-flown bombast. for
all Il contains OF specific issues or
statesmanlike logic. The trusts are
practically ignored. the tariff is by in
ference out OF the ken OF Utah Re-
publieans. the freedom or servitude OF
The Fihpinos is immater!al as a cam
paign question.
a Republican candidate on that plat
form may take any position ne pieases
on any question of the day and be
perfectly sure that he conforms to his
party's policy in Utah. Altogether il
Is an ideal Republican platform.