The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1908-11-06
HIGSEN PROUD
OF PARTY'S HOLD
PREDICTS 1912 PLATFORM WILL
CONTAIN LEADING ISSUES.

Springfield, Mass, Nov. 6-Thomas
L. Hisgen, independence party candi-
date for the presidency, issued the fol-
lowing statement yesterday from his
home in West Springfield:
II was pleased to receive such a
large vote in my home town. Returns
from the country at large are as yet so
incomplete that 1t is impossible for
us to know just how many votes this
new party polled The growth OF
sentiment towards a new, party is nee
essarily slow. Because Of our lack of
political organization throughout the
nation and also because Of our lack Of
funds, we are unable to reach any large
proportion of the voters in this one
campaign. Practically without cam
paign we have made, surprising gains
in Vermont, New Hampshire and other
states, and, in view Of the fact that ali
other political parties in Massachusetts,
were united we have held our own in
this state. The first national conven-
tion of the party was held in July. In
few short months 1t has demonstrat-
ed that there is no state in the union
where its principles have no support
New Party's Achievements.
During the next four years political
organization that we would have had
In this campaign If time permitted will
be completed and in 1919 the inde-
pendence partyswill be In aaposition to
strongly contest for the electoral vote
of many Of the states in the union.
Although we were not successful in
electing our candidates this year, the
party has won a victory achieved by
no other party in this campaign. 1t
made political corruption and trust
methods an issue. 1t exposed Foraker,
retired Haskell, and made it dangerous
for any party to publicly recognize
such men as Bailey, McLaurin and AL
drich as leaders. That these expos
ures had an immense effect on the ma
tional campaign is conceded by all. The
voters believed that the republican
party under the domination of Roose-
welt and Taft represents less STANDARD
Oil and trust support than the demo-
cratic party under the leadership OF
Bryan, in view of the trust affiliations
of some of his prominent supporters,
and this is. shown by the vote.
"Other issues were completely OBJ
scured by. the. moral issue of bribery
by privilege seeking interests of vote
selling officials, who are the greatest
danger of popular government in this
generation ~g s-
"The independence party made sup
port from the corruptionists something
to be dreaded and the friendship for
these interests something to be denied.
E,% $Sss 4 .FisEstb Only Begun.
"It offered to the voters the clean
est and best of all platforms. 1t is my
prediction that in 1912 the leading is
sues of the independence platform will
be the issues of that campaign. The
battle this year was but a preliminary
skirmish. We did not confine our ef-
forts to the state considered pivotal
by the republican and democratic
parties, but in every state of the
union. from Maine to California, we
have been preparing an organization
for the great battle Of 1912.
ITO the candidates in, those states
including my. own, where we were un-
able to carry on vigorous local cam
paign because Of our far flung battle
| line and who conducted their cam
paigns so well. / wish TO extend my
praise; to my friends and supporters
am thankful, and to other citizens in
terested in my canvass can say con-
Quoted campaign which I believed
and still believe, was necessary; that
its object was not included within OF
terminated by the campaign just
closed. / am encouraged by the prog
ress of the movement, and ! believe
the principles of the party will ulti-
mately prevail"