The Monroe journal. [volume] (Monroe, N.C.) 189?-1965, 1911-03-28

ZION IS lent duutu lOlCt u. Tue SHIN
ing circumstance that at this very
juncture the country is discussing
and seemingly expecting a new par
ty and that the progressive move
ment has arisen in much the same
way that these other movements
arose and represents in a general
way the same tendencies. In all eI-
cept name it is really in itself new
party. All that remains TO make the
parallel complete is for it to declare
for independent political action.
For the Republican party again to
become united it must be either all
reactionary or all progressive. That
it will ever again be all reactionary
is so improbable as to require no
discussion. Will it then be all pro-
gressive? In the newly elected Con.
gress the regulars have more than
two to one over the progressives in
the Republican membership Of the
House and more than three to one
in the Republican membership Of
the Senate. To say that this one
half or one-third will rule the party
would be the proverbial tail wag.
ging the dog. The reactionaries are
by no means annihilated. Dazed
they may be, but before they will
finally relinquish control Of the or.
ganization they have ruled so long
there will be more serious battle
than has yet occurred. Already the
tariff and corporation forces are re
forming their lines. In the main
they have the President with them.
True, he has invited the insurgents
into conference, has promised to re-
store their patronage and has spoken
in his message for a parcels post,
physical valuation Of railroads, and
a stronger tariff commission. Yet
on the two main questions Of the
tariff and the trusts, he has recon.
mended that there be no farther
present Legislation.
While the President defends Bal.
linger and the Payne-Aldrich bill,
while he holds to his present advis
ers and advocates ship subsidies, he
is not liable to 60 far in the direc-
ton Of harmonizing the insurgents
The other regular Republican lead.
ers can DO even less to that end, fol-
they are less progressive than Mr.
Taft. Already large and inhuen.
tial section Of them are advising q
return to the policies Of Hanna and
Mckinley and to the days OF large
campaign contributions as the only
means Of winning elections. What
ever the President may attempt tc
do, this element would dearly love
to throw LaFollette and his followers
Ioverboard.
As for the Democrats they are more
harmonious, at least for the time
being. Yet their party has been di
vided into Bryan and anti-Bryar
camps and the moment they are il
power the old lines Of cleavage are
almost certain TO reappear. Bryan
still has his hold on millions Of Dem
ocrats and even If he were personally
eliminated Organism would remain
As a matter Of fact the same figh
between progressive and reactionary
is on in the Democratic as in the Re
publican party. This has been made
apparent by the fight between Gov
ernor-elect Wilson and former Sena
tor James Smith in New Jersey. |
will become more evident as soon a
the Democrats are in responsible,
control of the House of Representa-
tiyes. The inevitable result will b
that the progressives OF both parties
will vote together, as they alread.
have done on so many occasions, AM
that the reactionaIies Of both partie
will vote together. Thus in spite o
themselves they will become ADJ jest
ed TO the new and natural align
ment.
The old partisanism is dying on
and the new partisanism is arising
In the late election the people vote
for Democrats only where they ha
no progressives to vote for. In Ten
nessee they could turn 10 Reput
lican against the Democratic ma
chine.
III r. -mN1