The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-01-23
Progressive Announce q Ma
ti0nal Organization.
Adopt Constitution and Issue
Declaration of Principles.
COMMITTEE Is. NAMED.
Includes Senator Joseph L.
Bristow, Of Kansas.
Offer of Help Is Extended to
the States.


the Republican Progressive league by
progressive Republican senators, repre-
| sentatives, governors and others-an
for the establishment of popular gov
ernment"-was announced here today.
Plans of the new league, which have
been under way since the assembling of
congress were concluded at a meeting
here Saturday night when a declaration
of principles was signed, a constitution
adopted and the following officers elect
ed:
President, Senator Jonathan Bourne,
Jr., Oregon; first vice president, Repre-
sentative George w. Norris, Nebraska;
second vice president, Governor Chase
Osborn, Michigan; treasurer, Charles r.
Crane, Chicago; executive committee,
Senator Moses E, Clapp of Minnesota,
Senator Joseph L. Bristow of Kansas,
Representative E. H. Hubbard of Iowa,
Representative Irvine L. Lenroot of
Wisconsin, Representative-elect Will
lam Kent of California, Clifford Pinchot
of Pennsylvania, George L. Record of
New Jersey, and the president, vice
president, treasurer, members ex-ofhcio.
The declaration of principles signed by
nine Republican United States senators,
the governors of six Republican states,
Is members of the house and others is
as follows:
I'VE the undersigned, associate our
selves together as the National Pro-
gressive Republican league.
Objects of the League.
''The object of the league is the pro-
motion of popular government and pro-
gressive legislation.
Popular government in America has
been thwarted and progressive legisla-
tion strangled by the special interests
which control caucuses, delegate con-
ventions and party organizations and
through control Of the machinery of
government dictate nominations and
platforms, elect administrations, legiS-
lators, representatives in congress and
United States senators and cabinet Of
ficers.
Under existing conditions legislation
in the public Interest has been baH1ed
and defeated. This is evidenced by the
long struggle to secure laws, but par
TALLY effective for the control of rail-
way rates and services, the revision of
the tariff in the interest Of the pro-
ducer and consumer, statutes dealing
with trusts and combinations, based On
sound economic principles as applied to
modern industrial and commercial con-
ditions, a wise, comprehensive and i'm
partial reconstruction of the banking
and monetary laws, the conservation of
coal, oil. gas timber, water powers and
other natural resources belonging to
the people, and for the enactment of all
legislation solely for the common good.
Just in proportion as popular gov
ernment has in certain states super
seeded the delegate convention system
and the people have assumed control
of the machinery of government has
government become responsive to the
popular will and progressive legisla-
tion been secured
Principles of the League.
1.-The progressive Republican league
believes popular government is fun
damental to all other questions. To
this end it advocates:
-"The election of United States SEN
ators by direct vote of the people; di-
rect primaries for the nomination of
all elective officials
1.-THE direct election of delegates to
national convention with opportunity
for the voter to express his choice for
president and vice president.
Amendment to state. constitution
providing for the initiative referendum
and recall.
"a thorough general corrupt prac-
tice act.
1.-THE league will cooperate with
progressives in the several states and
wherever acceptable, will render as
sistance in promoting the organization
of state leagues.
Whenever requested by any pro-
gressive state league, or by progress
S1VG lodO0ES III state legislatures
National Progressive Republican
league. will aid in the preparation of
appropriate bills and resolution and
will furnish speakers and literature
in support of legislative action upon
the propositions enumerated in the
five paragraphs SET forth in the fore
going declaration of principles
(SIGNED):
United States senators-Jo onathan
Bourne. Jr., Oregon; Albert ]. Bever-
idge, Indiana; Joseph L. Bristow, Kan
sas; Norris Brown, Nebraska; Albert
Minnesota; Joseph NJ. Dixon, Montana;
A. J. Bronna. North Dakota; Robert
H. LaFollette, Wisconsin.
Observation-Disclosures H. Aldrich, Ne
braska; Joseph NJ. Carey, Wyoming
Hiram w. Johnson, California; Francis
E. McGovern. Nc wisconsin; Chase Os-
born, Michigan: W. r. Stubs. Kan
Sas.
Congressmen-Henry Allen Cooper
Wisconsin,; William J. Cary, Wiscon-
sin; c. r. Davis. Minnesota; E. H
Hubbard, Iowa; G. N Haugen, Iowa;
Irvine L. Lenroot. wisconsin,; c. A.
Linbergh, Minnesota; Victor Murdock
Kansas; E. H. Madison, Kansas; E. A.
Morse, Wisconsin; John M. Nelson, Wis
consin; George w. Norris, Nebraska
Miles Poindexter, Washington.
Other signers-Alfred L. Baker, Il
linois; Ray Stannard Baker, Massa-
chusetts; Louis D. Brandeis, Massa-
chusetts; Charles R. Crane, Illinois;
Frank L. Dingley, Maine; James H
Garfield, Ohio; Hugh T. Halbert, Min
nesota Francis ]. Heney, California
Frederick C. Howe, New York; Fred
| S. Jackson, congressman-elect) Kan
sas; E Clarence Jones. New York
william T. Kent. (congressman-elect)
| ia; William L. LaFollette, congress.
| man-elecD Washington; Clifford Pin
chot, Pennsylvania; Amos Pinchot, New
York; James A. Peterson, Minnesota
| George L. Record. New Jersey; Gilbert
| z. Roe. New York: w. S. U'Ren, Ore.