The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-05-17
PLEDGE" OR INSTRUCT"

| Tt is curious to see a contention
arise, as 1T has arisen in this State,
over the assumed difference between
pledging'' tho Utah delegation to the
National Convention at Chicago to sup.
port President Taft, and "instruct
ing that delegation to support the
President The difference is between
the word ''pledge' and "instruct. -
OF the two. we should naturally con-
slider the word pledge to be the more
binding and the more certain to hold
the delegation to President Taft 3 snp
port; this because a pledge is or
dinarlv held TO be inviolable, whereas
an instruction is liable to be lodged
where the instructed one may see fit
to do the dodging. If delegate says
TO candidate that he pledges himself
to that candidates support, the candi-
date has good deal stronger reason
to expect constant and earnest sup
port from that delegate than if the del.
eeate should merely say, "T am in
| structed to vote for you And when
the formula is expressed "We pledge
sent us in the National Republican
Convention to use all honorable means
to secure his TTaft'sl nomination, !"
that means. if words are to have their
real force, stronger guarantee of sup
port than a mere instruction, if, in
deed. there could be any difference in
the actually of the case. Practically,
Of course, to pledge support and the
use Of all honorable means to secure
the nomination means precisely
the same as instructing the
delegates to vote for President
Taft. If there is any differ
ence.. that difference, as stated before.
Is in that the pledge Of support and
of use of all honorable means is more
binding than a mere instruction. A
set Of delegates going to the conveu,
tion under instructions might be sup
posed to lack something of hearty in.
terest In carrying out the instructions;
but delegates going under a pledge are
more firmly held,
We hear that these supposed points
of difference were threshed cut in com
mittee and also IN the convention at
Provo, and that the word "instruct'
was left out under the supposition that
1T might be stronger and more binding
than the pledge. This suppostion,
however, shows curious lack OF
knowledge Of the force of the words,
Precisely the contrary is true as a
NH nj "a pal h,,t
question there is no difference trace
able
This is said merely on the matter of
the words used, 1t has nothing TO do
| with a possible act of treachery which
| many claim to be in contamination, to
the effect that whatever the pledge, in.
struction, or whatever form of words
| were used or might have been used,
the delegation will do as it pleases any
way under the dictatlon of Smoot. We
very strongly suspect that this may be
the case. and that. as a question of
what actually will be done. it is hard.
lv worth while to discuss the bearing
of the words ''pledge'' and Gin
struct'' as to what possible difference
might be found between the two, What
will actually be done will be. Of course,
what Smoot desires done at the time
that Utah is called for its vote. Smoot
being above and beyond all instruc~
tions or pledges, the supreme boss Of
the State, the one whose word is law
by reason Of his agency in the eccles
iastIcal dominance over politics in
Utah, will decide for the delegation
what ii must do when the time comes
OF course, he will not care anything
about instructions or pledges, but will
hold himself free to act according as
the exigencies Of the case may seem
TO him best to his own advantage. And
so. while the word pledge ought, in the
| true definition of it, to be stronger
guarantee of the support Of the Utah
delegation than if it were merely in.
struct we all understand that these
things are TO be taken seriously only
| if the "living oracles' conclude that
that is the best course. If those or
acles conclude that it is not the right
thing. or the most advantageous thing.
to follow the pledge or instruction,
neither pledge nor instruction Will be
! followed.
The result OF il all, therefore, is that
pledge and instruction alike are for
Taft. but pledge, instruction, and all
honorable means to nominate are each
and avery one and all collectively TO be
dropped in the waste basket at the will
of the "hviDG oracle who is at the
head of the delegation, and who will
determine its action without any ref.
erence whatever to pledges, instruc.