The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1910-11-17
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER II. 1910
ROOSEVELT AND THE FUTURE

DOtn IN New 1OIk anu Tue ua'ich'
appears to The Advocate as case
either Of the wish being father to the
thought or Of Grass ignorance Of the
conditions which obtained before the
landslide Of the eighth inst.
Before it was definitely known
which cause.-the regular or pro-
gressive Republican-the Colonel
would espouse, there were unmistak-
able evidences Of disatfection great
and widespread within the ranks Of
the once dominant party. Foss wiped
out a substantial Republican major
ity in q Massachusetts congressional
district. A New York district. long
regarded as safely Republican, had
deserted to the enemy. The De
Almond Missouri district elected his
successor with an increased majority
and Maine, the bell-wether Of the
Republican flock, had broken from
the fold.
The position that Col. Roosevelt
was responsible for any Of these de-
fections is not tenable. There was
and Is an almost nationwide belief,
however erroneous it may be, that
the tariff written upon the statute
books by the last Republican Con-
gress. increased the cost Of living.
Looking about for some relief from
conditions rapidly becoming intoler-
able, the common people hit upon the
Democratic party as a panacea for
their ills as we'll as CLUB with which
to emphasize their hostility to stand
pat Republican policies. Whether or
not the Democratic party offers a
solution is largely matter OF specu-
lation with all signs pointing 10 the
negative,
1t is neither traitorous to the Re-
publican party nor defamatory OF the
Democrats TO say that capital large
ly controls the policies OF both. A
group Of seven men, J. Pierpont Nor
gan. William Rockefeller, James
Sullman. Geo F. Baker, Henry c.
Prick. Daniel G. Reid and William c.
Moore, whose combined fortunes ag-
gregate about thousand million dol
lars-have the "say"-the final
say in determining the attitude OF
either Of the great parties toward
questions of national import. They
control the funds essential to the
successful outcome OF national cam
pa1gns, and it is reasonably safe to
state that those funds will not reach
the treasury Of any party which is
r not subservient to the wishes Of the
givers.
Mr.. Roosevelt recognizes this
dominancy Of the few over the many
and seeks through New National
ISM to restore to the people their
r1ghtful power. In his doctrines,
capital sees curbing Of its influence
over legislation and has thrown it's
weight, for the time, in the Demo
cratic side Of the scales. If the regu-
lar, or stand-pat, wing Of the Repub-
mean party Is in the ascendency be-
lore the next national election, the
Republican party will get capitals
support; but if that rapidly growing
faction represented by Col Roosevelt
Is IN the saddle, the moneyed inter-
-e6ts-Will- Aoek -to-the- Democratic
standard
In the latter event it follows that
unless the common people arise to
the OCCASION they will find that they
nave simply changed masters in
name but not in fact
AS The Advocate sees it, the hone
OF tine masses lies in progressive Re-
publicanism or in Socialism prefer
ably In the former, because it is safe
and sane while the latter presents too
many Vagaries to tempt those who
lear TO venture far tr.m tue auc,,,t
landmarks. New Nationalism n,
progressive Republicanism, is the
nope OF the masses, 1t offers to them
participation in public affairs and is
pledged to conserve 10 them those
interests which belong to all tho peo.
=, pie AS between old-lnc Rcpubll.
canism and rock-ribbed Democracy il
: IS the safer course, safer because il
Is nearer the right.
because 1t Is nearer right, It's i'm
mediate future is the darkest. But
being nearer right, and right vii
hnalIy prevail, It's final and contIn
Hed supremacy IS more assured.
Prosnostications are neither prof,
able nor conclusive; nevertheless
!. we venture the prediction that. nn,ns
one or the otAer OF the two grca
parties adopts ana adhercs 70 p1at
forms giving the pcoplc greater pro
q lection from the woa1,h, F<.,