The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-07-11
Political Signs of the Times.

Standing pat, seems to be pet
position with the Vermont delegation
in Washington. This same bunch of
stand patters' are always arguing for
progressiveness when it comes to ad-
dressing Memorial day audiences or
New Vermont parties. But then, it
must be presumed that those who
feed at the public crib should know
which side their bread is buttered, so,
the inference is that the stand pats
are getting theirs well buttered the
way things have been going right
along A few more Democrats in
Vermont will assist nature consider
obly. "-Windsor Journal
The Messenger deplores as much
as the esteemed contemporary the
manifest failure of the delegation,
sometimes as a whole, sometimes in
part, TO appreciate the nature Of the
change in public sentiment here at
home regarding certain great ques-
lions that have come or are fast com
ing to be vital issues in the political
| life of the people and the formation
of their national policy in this gener-
alton But it doubts very much whe-
Their The Journal, upon second
thought would actually desire to go
on record as ascribing their evident
stand pat attitude to motives OF per
sonal selfshness or bordering upon a
duplicity that talked one way at home
and voted quite another in Washing
ton On the contrary, what disturbs
The Messenger the most is that the
delegation is quite consistent in its
apparent stubbornness about these
things and talks at home the way it
votes in Washington.
This paper holds very cordially to
its belief that they are good men in
mistake, not schemers in Interior de-
sign And it does not hesitate TO re-
assert its opinion that their persis-
tence in mistake ignores an awaken
ed sentiment in Vermont for a
change in the national policy ia some
of these great affairs that must soon
er or later assert itself, perhaps 10
the great confusion OF what we have
so long been accustomed TO regard
as we'll night permanent party lines
here.
That this country is passing
through a transitional period in poll
ties and the organized forms of ex.
preston of political creeds is plain to
any student of public affairs. These
periods of transition come about
once in every generation, and the
| arta q
| beginning, or. at least, first positive.
lly manifested itself in the great free
silver campaign OF 1896. Since that
day. when sound money Democrats
deserted their party for the time-be
ing and became Mckinley Demo
Gratis" the evolution toward an en-
tirely new alignment OF political
forces has been openly under way
The financial issue has been put to
rest But the movement did not
cease with II. There has been a
gradual but persistent approach OF
the progressives of both OF the two
great parties toward common
ground OF understanding of the tarin
question. the regulation OF the bust
ness of great corporations, and sim
liar economic matters, and the lines
of differentiation today, instead OF
being drawn between the old parties
on the issues that precipitated or fol
flowed the Civil War, cross and re
lcross both of them in the singing Out
land enlistment OF the "progressives,
on the one hand, and the doubters
and standpaters on the other II Is
certain that ultimately the progress
siyes in both parties are going to de
lclare under a common banner the
warfare that they are and have beer
making in temporary alliance, while
the standpatters in both will be left
to shift for themselves.
The Messenger Is anxious TO see
this progressive movement continued
under the Republican banner. II !.
anxious to see Nermonts chosen rep
lresentatives of Republicanism aligr
themselves with the progressive'
that are to constitute Republicanism
land that must constitute Republican
ism If we are TO have any Republican
ism at ALL II is not mere pride o.
party name that inspires this II Is
the thought that until the Republi
can party fell into the hands of the
standpatters. it was the party o
progress. and the hope that free o
the power of the standpatters, Il vii
still be the party of progress.
But. in the last resort, call thu
movement what we may, hoist an.
banner with any party name that hol
estly describes it's purpose, let IA
have progress-St. Adams Messen
ger.