The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-03-28

are now LOOKING 70 II as luelf INST Il
great hope for the better government
Of the nation.
On the other hand, the Republican Il
party itself has suffered some losses |
of extremists. not by any means in
such numbers as the loss to the /
Democracy, but still real. and with a
very constant threat of more. With |
the intensifying popular unrest over
economic problems and the persist |
ent proposal of wild and visionary |
schemes for relief on the one hand |
or the stubborn refusal of the ultra |
TO seek any relief what |
ever, on the other. the Republican |
party will be put to its election |
whether its best thought and best !
energy and brains and purpose are to |
be applied to the solution of these !
new problems, or whether 1t, too,
shall suffer the fate of so many poll
teal organizations in the past and
lapse into the same state of hopeless
incompetency that has befallen the
once proud Democracy. The Demo
cratic party is struggling to reassert
itself and to attach to its support,
under the promise to grapple with
these problems according to the lat
ter-day spirit of popular desire, the
new element of fresh and active and
ambitious young citizenship that is
coming on to the stage of politics.
The Republican party must do the
same and it must first put an end
forever to the ultra-cOnseryative ele-
ments that now seek to dominate it,
must free itself from the control or
influence of the popularity distrusted
interests" it has so long fOstered
and permitted TO sit in its high plac-
es and direct so much of its policies.
or, II will be beaten from the start.
The opportunity is ripe for a coali-
ZION between the Independent pro-
gressives of the Democratic party
that have already sought the shelter
Of the Republican fold and the indie
pendent progresslyes within the Re
| publican ranks in Il powerful party
that can successfully face, both the
radicals. Missionaries, and extremists
that would disrupt the government
| by tempting it into the fairy fields of
rainbow experiment with empty the
cries, and the Bourbons and stand
patters that would invite disaster no
less tremendous by doing nothing at
all.
The hour has struck for the Re-
publican party to begin the long
deferred housekeeping that shall es
tablish itself more powerfully than
ever in the confidence OF the Ameri-
can people All the logic Of events
and circumstances points to 1t as the
rallying place of the level headed
progressives who are to meet sue
cessfully the great and serious prob
lens of the day The people are de-
handing new leadership and more
liberal policies The opportunity is
Al hand and it must be siezed before
it has passed. The deposition Of
Speaker Cannon from the committee
on rules in the House of Representa-
tiyes after one OF the most spirited
parliamentary contests in recent his
tory is but the merest prelude to the
struggle that is before the party.
More of the old leaders, more of the
Representatives of the dstrusted in
terests," more of the Bourbons and
standpatters must be deposed and
their policies scattered to the winds,
before the work is done. Not revo-
luton should be the watchword, not
a crazy uprising of embarrassed re-
sentiment that inevitably makes OF
Incorporate reaction a worse condi
ton still, but a wise and mastery
coordination OF far-sighted states
manship with clean and lofty public
purpose that shall work out through
deliberate and -judicious evolution
the salvation Of the party and the
greater good of the nation.
New men are coming on TO the
scene of action. some new leaders OF
Influences for party good, hitherto
lnconspicuous or unknown, were
doubtless developed in that struggle
for the deposition of Cannon. The
name "insurgent" may, ii wise coun
sells prevail. one day come to be {
token of merit for distinguished
pioneers IN the reconstruction of The
party. Some of our ideas of part,
regularity" are being recast ii
these days and men are beginning L
honor a manly independence that IL
times of stress puts the countr.
above party or that, when part,
needs reform, does not mistake
protesting leader against whom tn,
, reform is in part directed for tn,
, party itself. 4. We Americans are no
so muleishly partisan as we use,
! to be, and the threats of old-tim
thick-and-thinners that made the paI
ty an African fetch no longer ar
: terrifying to men that mean to b
. Republicans always if they can b
patriots first. The old Republican
regime must be broken and new me
;. must take its place,
=, Vermont is alive TO the seriousness
= of the struggle and the fortunes G
:. the Republican party that depend III
: on it, The people of this state ar
i earnest and loyal in the support c
- President Taft and his adminstr;
!, ton, but they are no less determine
that the Republican party shall b
!, freed from some of the encun
q brances that even now lmperl tn
: success Of that administration in th
! minds of great part of the peopl
= Of the country. There is no tren
a bling uneasiness here, the people al
d - - So