1912–13 Volume 37 No 1–5 - Phi Delta Theta Scroll Archive

142 THE SCROLLWhile to the Fraternity in general the convention is the thing ofutmost present importance, to each chapter the selection of its delegateto the convention occupies a similar position. In the eyes of allin attendance the convention judges each chapter largely by its delegate.What he is and what he does is the main criterion of what hischapter is and does. We feel confident that our chapters will havethis idea clearly in mind when they ,elect their representative, andhence send to Chicago their very best, whether he be athlete, classroomleader, orator, social light or specialist in any line of collegeactivity. But no one of those lines or any kind of chapter politicsshould wholly influence a choice. Neither should any delegate bebound and gagged by instructions. Those may be harsh words butsuch a condition cannot be more correctly described. An instructeddelegate cannot possibly cut much of a figure in a convention heldfor the purpose of free and open discussion and action, and such isthe true purpose of our convention. A delegate certainly ought toknow so far as possible the sentiment and feeling of the members ofhis chapter on questions that are likely to come before the conventionand he ought to act in accordance therewith just so far as that sentimentand feeling accords with what is best for the Fraternity as awhole. It ought never to be forgotten that Phi Delta Theta is trulya nation wide organization and in cqjivention assembled should alwaysact by following the expressed will of the majority. Such isthe fundamental principle of real democracy and real democracyis one of our ideals. There will no doubt many divisions of opinionoccur, many warm and spirited discussions take place but we believein the end that, with a spirit of concession and compromise on thepart of those on the farthest end of any controversy, all disputedquestions will finally be decided in a manner that will redound tothe credit and uplift of our entire brotherhood. No delegate withbinding instructions can be of much assistance in arriving at thismost desirable result, hence, we ask chapters to refrain from so doing.A further reason for not instructing is the fact that with seventythreeactive chapters, each with their own individual problems, tenprovinces with different conditions to meet, east, west, north andsouth with their peculiar positions to maintain, no one chapter canpossibly have a sufficiently broad outlook to determine in advance howto act upon any question, whether of expansion or contraction or.internal or external improvement. Colorado cannot say to Vermont,