The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-05-06
THE lNsuReeNr PURPOSES.


been misrepresented or misunderstood
from the beginning. Mr. Hewlett has
written letter TO The Herald in which
he outlines the purpose of the tentative
organization which IS struggling with
the Smoot forces In the state. Accord
ing to this statement of purposes and
principles. the idea is twofo'l--to nom
mate the Republican candidate for
United States senator i'm the state con-
vention and to give to representative
convention delegation, instead Of send
ing the congressional delegation, al
ready highly and sufficiently honored
by the people of the state. The prin-
ciple of permitting the voters of the
state to register a choice for sem
ator. either in primary or in a state
convention, is being more generally re-
cognized each year, and it cannot be
long before some method of going di-
rect to the people in senatorial selections
VIII be mandatory and general
throughout the Union. AS to depriving
senators and representatives in con-
gress from participating in national
conventions, this is a different matter
Men who are strong enough AMI willy
enough to secure nomination and cleo
ton to high places will be found in the
future, as in the past, able to force
themselves on national convention del
egations, for here is the field Of ma
tlonal politics, something that appears
to be frequently forgotten by honest
laymen. For instance il is matter
of vital Importance to Mr. Smoot to be
able to go to Chicago, and after ex-
hibiting his captive delegation to The
Taft managers be able to assert Here
is band of devoted men, ready to die
or vote as the supreme caliph may di-
rect" Mr. Hewlett and his friends
should, however, be able TO force a de-
finite expression in the state conven-
ton regarding the. senatorship. If
Smoot is actually the choice OF the Re-
publican party of the state, there
seems no valid reason why the conven-
ton shouldn't say so and nominate
him for the Office he now holds. If he
isn't the choice. and if his present cleo
ton is due to facility in securing" IA
vorable legislative delegations in the
counties of the state, as is asserted, the
state convention is the place to develop
the fact. According to the insurgents,
Smoot and his friends are afraid to ace
the issue, and have with malice or stu
pidity misstated the real ground of the
insurgent uprising. Mr.. Hewlett's let
Grafton. If he speaks the truth, the in
surgent demands are such as any
honest convention, made up of dele
gates without strings or fears, wouldn't
hesitate to consider. The letter fol-
lows:
AS one of the leaders of the so-called
insurgents, I trust you will give me the
space in your paper to define clearly
what our position is in regard to this
movement.
There seems TO be a deep misappre-
hensiOn somewhere. and l believe this
should be cleared up, so that the public
can fully understand what we are con-
tending for
While some in this movement per-
hapS have some personal ambitions 10
satisfy, yet l firmly believe the MAORI
~ who are working for the independ-
ent movement are standing for g
higher principle. My stand has been
from the start and is at the present
time, for but one principal object. anG
this is the nomination of the United
tl IA an
tion. l have been in the Legislature
when a United States senator was
elected. and eighteen members in eau
Gus decided who should be senator for
the state of Utah. Salt Lake county
alone has fifteen members of the Leg
islature. According to this, Salt Lake
and one other county of the state,
which has three members of the legis-
lature. can decide for the state of Utah
who should be United States senator.
Another reason why the senator should
be nominated III the state convention
instead of by the Legislature is shat 10
senatorial fight will be on when the
legislature cOnvenes; il can get right
down to business and make laws Tor
the state without bitterness Of any
kind, and instead of consuming half
the time in senatorial fight it can de-
vote all its energies to making good
laws Tor the state in which we reside.
rather than quarreling over a United
States senator
Is IL not much better 10 have state
convention of nearly 600 delegates Sc
lected from every section of the coun-
try say who should be the next senate:
from the state, than have eighteen men
elect senator? Whoever was nom
mated at that convention members of
the legislature would be in duty bounl
to vote for, and if they do not feel like
voting for the nominee of the conven-
ton. they should not accept a nominal
ton to the legislature. Last year, i'm
the state of Idaho, Senator Borah was
nominated in the state convention by
the Republicans. and Fred Dubois 6oi
the Democrats, and the people knew
clearly who would be the next senate.
in case either party won at the polls
and Borah was elected and added
strength to the ticket by making
brilliant campaign.
In the coming state convention. who
ever is nominated, the people will have
the choice of voting for the members
of the legislature, and 1t will be their
choice. II this nomination is made at
the state convention, as one Repubii-
can. no matter who the nominee is,
pledge my hearty support to help elect
i =. xnTtn Is