The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-04-17
INSTRUCTED OR UNRESTRICTED.

INSTRUCTED OR UNRESTRICTED.
Some discussion has arisen amon.,
party leaders as TO the advisability Of
instructing the Utah delegation to the
Denver convention for some special
candidate. SO far as can be asccr-
tanned the sentiment of the party is
against instructions, and The Herald
believes il the part of wisdom to GER
nit the delegation TO use its own iudg-
ment after il gets into the convention
Whatever preference there may be as
10 candidates, the Democrats of this
state are not committed to any one
mans fortunes. though they recognize
. Mr.. Bryans party services. The ques-
ton with them. as with their fellow
Democrats all over the country. is. not
who is the most conspicuous Democrat.
but what candidate possessing presi-
dental qualifications would make the
best race?
Not a few of Mr.. Bryan's followers
seem to assume that il is some sort of
bad faith to suggest that possibly he is
not the strongest and most available
candidate to come before the conveu-
ton. A very large number of loyal
Democrats. however. have serious
doubts as 70 whether he would get as
many votes as either Governor John
son OF Judge Gray or Judson Harmon.
With them it is a party duty 10 select
as their candidate the one man VINO
viii be strongest before the people.
having regard at the same time for the
hieh character and executive ability
required in a president
They have a. right to their convic-
tions on this subject. and Mr.. Bryan's
supporters make a grave mistake in
assuming that he is entitled to have
the nomination without opposition OF
question so long as such a sentiment
exists. Whatever. service he has rem
dered the Democracy-and it has been
very great-he has been repaid a
thousand fold by the honOrs already
accorded him and the loyalty with
which he has been followed.
the most brilliant leader is the best
timber for the presidency Webster and
Clay and Calhoun. Blaine and Reed
and Conkling are all instances i'm dis
proof; and Mr. Bryan's career so far
has paralleled all of these i'm some
particulars. He is unQuestionably the
most brilliant Of public leaders i'm this
country; he has proved his sincerity.
his ability as an orator his personal
strength with the radical element of
his party. Blaine in his best dav
could not attract such crowds. and no
man in modern political history has
exerted more profound influence on
the policies OF his own and the oppo-
sition party.
For all that, the very qualities which
have made him the premier among po-
htical speakers have Injured 20 his dis
advantage at the polls. He has opin-
ions of his own on any question that
may arise. and ne has fastened to
commit his party to these opinions
whether the party was ready to adopt
them. or not. He has advanced some
ideas that were distinctly opposed to
all the traditions of his party: he has
committed himself TO policies of cen
tralization that read like a parody on
Jeffersonian Democracy. These are
cited only as instances of The public
atterances which have weakened
Bryan in the south and made his
friends in the north hesitate to nut him
forward as the official candidate of the
party
IF. when the convention assemblies in
Denver. it is found that two-thirds of
the delegates are for Bryan, he will
have the enthusiasts support Of Utah
Democrats. II the convention, after
deliberation and conference among the
delegates. decides that some other can
didate would make better race. then
the men who compose that body should
be free TO act accordingly. To commit
the. delegates in advance is 10 bar the
unrestricted liberty or choice which
should be cardinal principle in such
ga fherinss: and Utah Democrats have
eonfidenee enough in their representa-
fives 10. believe that they win act for
me best iIterests OF the party, " ithout
iresrelsd d1restions- b.;fore the time for
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