Arizona republican., 1908-03-11
PHOENIX ARIZ. MARCH II, 1908.
SENATOR LODGE ON INSTRUC-
 

In these parlous days iii Arizona
 when the federal demand for a hog
 tied delegation to Chicago is so insist
 ent, the words of United States Sena-
 tor Henry Cabot Lodge of Massachu-
 setts, are not amiss. MT. Lodge was interviewed by the Washington corres- pondent of the New York Tribune. an administration paper. The interview
 mainly had to do with certain public utterances by Senator Crane in oppo- sition to the administrations plans in Massachusetts.
 Mir. Lodge, expressing regret that he and his colleagues were not agreed on a presidential preference, was gratified at their agreement that the Massachu- setts delegation should be left free at Chicago. He said:
 No; Senator Crane has simply made a formal and public statement of what he had said to me repeatedly in private conversations when we have been talking this matter over, and no doubt he has said the same to many others. His position, indeed, is really as well known as mine. I am for Taft, and if the state convention does me the honor to choose me as a delegate it will do so with the full knowledge that I in- tend to vote for Taft at Chicago. l nave the greatest possible respect and regard for my colleagues wisdom and Judgment, and I wish very much that his opinions and mine on tnIs point CO., incided.
 But there is another point in con- nection with this matter, am happy to say, on which we are more in ac- cord. Of course, as every one knows, every state or district convention is a law to itself, and has the unques- tioned right to pass instructions or to adopt resolutions or make any declar ation it pleases, but I have always supported and sustained the practice of Massachusetts conventions of not seeking to bind their delegates by in structionS as is commonly done in many other states. Do nor misunder- stand me. There is a broad distinction between instructions and the express sion of a sentiment or opinion by those whom the delegates represent. For ex- I olution which was adopted by our state convention declaring its prefer enc Cor Mr. Reed, I was careful tc say at the beginning that "Massachu- sets republicans have never under taken to pledge or bind their delegates to a national convention" I attach great importance to the independence of the representative. and I have tried to the best of my ability to defend the representative principle against efforts for legislation which, in my judgment, would impair it or break it down. But, 1 strongly as I feel on this question, I have always believed, as a matter of course, that conventions or public meetings or consciousness were abso- lutely entitled to express to their rep resentatives their opinions and their | wishes fl they desired to do so.
 "To every republican in Massachu- | setts the action of the coming Chicago | convention is just as important as it l is to me. Every republican in the ] state has the same right as myself to | express his opinion as ro his choice i for president and to make his opinion ! known as l have made mine known. i This is a very different thing | from attempting so to bind the dele gate as to make him a mere machine | of record"
 Senator Lodge is President Roose- velts most intimate personal friend | among men prominent in public life. | He is the presidents chief spokesman | and defender in the senate. He there fl fore stands acquittcd-in advance of be- Il ing a reactionary" or an "oppUrtun- ist"