The Irish standard., 1904-05-28
OUR DUTY CLEAR.

Now that the last lingering hopes of
the most enthusiastic Hearst supporter
that his candidate has any chance of
nomination has been dissipated by the
action of the conventions in the past
two weeks, there should be no further
effort on the part Of anyone to commit
the Democrats of this state to Il man
known so far in advance of the conven=
ton to have no show. From any stand
point one may view the matter, there
can be no halfway good reason as
signed for asking the Democrats of
Minnesota to instruct for him. 1t
would be out Of place for this state to
instruct for anybody, even though the
candidate instructed for was morally
certain of the nomination. Democrats
from certain Republican states like
Minnesota should not enter Il Demo-
cratic national convention in the role
of dictatOrs, but rather as the follow
ers of the sentiment of Democratic
IL we StNIllOl itlu Tic
party, we should at least have the good
taste and mOdesty to appreciate our
helplessness and should have the pa
triotism and party loyalty to encourage
the Democrats of those states who
must bear the hard knocks of the fight
to come in the fall months. There is
not Democrat in Minnesota foolish
enough to believe that the state will
vote for any Democratic candidate, and
yet there are many so devoid of politi-
cal tact, so hopelessly Indifferent to
party success that they insist upon
committing the representatives of this
state to one man as against any other
Democrat mentioned or to be men,
toned. The very unreasonableness of
the demand will defeat them il moth
ing else. Minnesota has never in
structed its delegates to Democratic
national convention. 1t will not begin
this year. There are enough Democrats
in this state with the welfare of the
party at heart to forestall the efforts
of those who through mistaken ideas
of what the Democratic party is insist
upon doing that which many Of the
solid Democratic states of the south
hesitate to do. Hearst will not be
nominated ut st. Louis. OF that fact
there is not the least doubt. The Dem
ocrats of the nation may we'll disregard
the action of our state convention
They can, if we should by any chance
commit the folly of instructing for
anybody, treat us in the convention as
so many obstructionists, and merely
tolerate us instead of looking to us for
advice. Those now advocating instruc-
lions say that they want instructions
in order to prevent the nomination of
this man or that man. If this were
their real purpose, they could do much
more in that direction by sending the
right kind of delegates free to act in
the way which will best serve that
end in the convention. We believe
that Minnesota will not be caught nap
ping, as was Iowa. BY the time our
convention is held the ACCESSIBILITY of
sending our ablest and best men to a
convention which promises to be de-
Lucrative body working in the interes
Of Democracy, will Ike apparent to ev-
cry one. We have no quarrel with
those Democrats who are opposed to
the candidate whom we think offers
the best presidential timber. We
would rs earnestly oppose instructions
for him if such were essayed rs we
oppose instructing for Mr.. Hearst. If
N1innesota's action is matter now Of
Indifference to the national party, it is
not matter of Indifference to the par
ty at home. Within few months
there will be Democrats all over the
state nominated and striving for local