The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1908-10-22
ELECTORS ARE JUST
AGENTS OF PEOPLE
They Are Not Officers in the
Sense That Officials Are
Known.
THEY RECEIVE NO PAY,
HAVE NO FINED TENURE
As Agents of People, Cannot
Resign Part of Trust With
out Resigning All.

IN talk with The Tribune Wedncs
dav night one of the most prominent
lawyers in the state bad the following
to say regarding the opinion of tho
Utah supreme court in connection with
the Taft Liberal ticket. Said this law-
ycT;
,''The court held that these electors
were officers. But they are not. They
simply are part OF the election ma
chinery, cog III the wheel of the ma,
chine used TO elect president, and
that part of the machine designated
by the constitution Of the United
States.
Gin the sense that we elect persons to
office TO perform the functions of the
government the electors are not Off"
GERS. They receive no emolument and
have no term The moment they cast
their ballots-,that is, cast the votes OF
the people--they have no further exist
ence as electors,
Simply Agents of People.
"They are, therefore. simply agents
of the people to see that the people
votes arc cast to effect the results in
tended by them. AS the agents Of all
the people who may wish to cast their
ballots 10 effect the election of GER
tain candidate as president they can"
not resign in part and still hold their
relations of confidence to the remain
Ing portion of the class who intend to
vote to effect the election of a particu-
lar candidate.
''This, therefore, raises a very seri
ous question as TO whether those cleo
;ors, having resigned rs to one portion
Of the people who wish to effect the
election of Mr.. Taft, will not also be
disqualified as to the other portion
whom they affect to represent as elee-
tors.
Should Result Depend on Utah.
''In the event that the election of
Mr.. Taft should hinge upon the vote OF
Utah alone it would give Mr.. Bryan a
chance to contest this state, as hn
would hold that the Taft electors In
Utah had resigned.
As n matter of justice and right,
Mr. Taft is entitled to have the benefit
Of every vote that is cast IN Utah to
effect his election, and 1t is not for
the agents, who form Il part of the ma
chlneTy to carry out the design of the
people. to resign as to r part Of the
people and thereby deprive Mr., Taft
of the effect which their votes would
have upon his election.
Cannot Resign Part.
"If. therefore, these electors do not
WISH W Tue DOuE OF
Republican voters ii is difficult to see
how they can lawfully represent por-
tion Of them. The query therefore is,
If they resign as to q portion or it |
is not their resignation effective as TO
the entire body2
fThere is no question that a person |
who IS nominated for u government of. !
fice may resign nomination lust the !
same as he may resign his office, but |
when person undertakes TO perform |
the part OF an agency he cannot re.
sign a portion of that and hold on to |
the balance arbitrarily without the
consent of his principals, which in this |
instance comprise all the people who |
intend 10 cast their ballots for Mr., |
Taft, or who, in this instance. form the |
body polite of the Republicans of
Utah.
Should Receive ALI Votes.
Gas a matter of justice TO Mr.. Taft,
these men ought to be compelled to re,
ccive and represent all the votes that /
viii he cast for Mr.. Taft or none at all,
and this appears 10 be the opinion oe
the best legal talent In Utah
"The paramount issue in this state
it will be readily seen, in so far as the
Republican party is concerned, is not
Mr.. Taft, but Apostle Smoot-every-
thing is subordinated to him. Smoot
and Smoot alone is the issue. You vote
for him or Won dim y voto for Tof4 ,,