The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1910-06-23
Pinchot and Garfield Ac-
cused of Pushing Roose-
welt Organization.
By JAMES A. EDGERrON.

that before the civil war, when
the Republican party was born? Is
the talk Of President Hugh L. Halbert
of the Roosevelt club of st. Paul that
a new though unnamed party is al
ready in existence and that its leaders
are Theodore Roosevelt, Clifford Pin
chot and James r. Garfield to be taken
literally? Are the fighting speech"
of Pinchot and the almost equally rad
ical one Of Garfield at the same place
and time to be regarded as indorse
ments Of Halbert's assertion? These
are questions now profoundly agitat-
ing the country, questions which only
the people themselves can answer.
It is true that a brief denial went
out and was published in a few papers
to the effect that Pinchot and Garfield
disclaimed any designs Of starting a
literal party. Yet their speeches were
the most bitter arrangements of both
dominant parties that have appeared
since the old Populist days. Even
Hearst with his announcements for the
Independence league never hunted the
elephant and the donkey with such ar
dor. What did those belligerent utter
ances mean if not an attack on both
organizations? Did they not imply
an onslaught from the outside? And
can an onslaught from the outside be
made except by a fighting force on the
outside? And does not such a fighting
force in itself constitute a new party?
Have not these men placed them
selves without the party breastworks,
whether they will or not? Gould they
get back even if they wished? May
they not have started a movement
that they themselves cannot control,
at least to the extent of keeping it
within the old party lines? The voters
govern the formation of parties, and if
the voters through the conservation
and insurgent movements have become
ready for Independent political action
may not the words of Halbert, backed
by the implied support of Pinchot and
Garfield, be sufficient to give this new
force definite direction? What is
party but a group of men acting to-
gether politically? Do not the conser-
vationists and insurgents already con-
stitute such a group? Was there not
q generally recognized truth underly-
ing Mr.. Halberts statement that a
new though unnamed party is already
in existence?
Three Significant Speeches.
Halbert's exact statement was as
follows:
The Roosevelt club has consistently
STOOD for the conservation of ideals and
the conservation of men and against
plumber and graft. This country has lived
on Its capital, but at last has awakened
to the fact that it will soon exhaust it's
natural resources by the inequitable dis
trlbut1on of its wealth in direct violation
OF the law of equal opportunity of it's citi-
zens. This condition has brought about
the formation of a new party without
name, but not without an issue nor with
out leaders.
That party has two wings, composed of
those called conservatives and those called
progressives, but the real division is COM
posed of those who favor the rights OF
the people as against those who favor a
monopoly of the benefits of the public do
main. That party may be unnamed, but
its leaders are Theodore Roosevelt and
our honored guests, Clifford Pinchot and
James R. Garfield.
Below are a few of Mr.. Pinchot's
most telling sentences. The reader
can decide whether their spirit is or is
not in line with Halbert's idea of
new party. Said Pinchot:
This nation has decided to do away with
government by money for profit.
The alliance between business and pol
ltlcs is the most dangerous thing in our
political life. It is the snake that we
must kill. The special interests must get
out of politics or the American people will
put them out of business.
Because the special interests are in pol
-1tics we as a nation have lost confidence
in congress.
The people of the United States be-
lieVe that, as whole, the senate and the
house no longer represent the voters by
whom they were elected, but the special
interests by whom they are controlled
The tariff under the policy of protection
was originally a means to raise the rate
of wages. 1t has been made a tool to in
crease the cost Of living.
The brand Of politics served out to US
by the professional politicians has long
been composed largely Of hot meals for
the interests and hot air for the people,
and we have all known it. 80
Clay hardens by inmobility: mems
minds by standing pat. 49,.
The black shadow of party regularity
as the supreme test in public affairs has
passed away from the public mind. It is
great deliverance.
1t is a greater thing to be good citi.
zen than to be good Republican or q
good Democrat.
A new life is stirring among the dry
bones Of formal platforms and artificial
issues Morality has broken into politics
Political leaders, trust bred and trust fed
find it harder and harder to conceal theil
actual character.
The motto in every primary, in every
election, should be this: No watchdogs Of
the interests need apply.
The old order, standing pat in dull mis-
understanding of the great forward SWEEP
of nation determined on honesty ant
publicity in public affairs, is alread!
wearing thin under the ceaseless ham
mering of the progressive onset.
The people of the United States deman,
new deal and square deal. They hav
grasped the fact that the special interest
are now in control of public. affairs. The
have decided once more to take control o