Bridgeton pioneer., 1912-07-18

unrepresentative in the exercise of
their power. Forty or fifty national
leaders do not constitute the Repub-
lican party. The masses constitute
the party.
The Republicans of Maine, Massa-
chusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania,
Maryland, West Virginia, Ohio, ILL
nois, Wisconsin. North Dakota, South
Dakota, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska,
Washington, Oregon, California, Mis-
souri, and Minnesota, are the regular
Republicans, and they exercised their
regularity in the selection OF their
delegates to the National Convention.
The Republicans of these states
will give 251 of the 267 electoral votes
necessary to a choice. With Massa-
chusetts excepted, these states have
233 electoral vites, within thirty-four
of the majority of the electoral college.
They constitute clear majority of the
actual Republicans of the country.
Why should the majority secede from
the minority? Do they not owe it to
themselves and to the party to stand
their ground and fight on just as they
did in the recent primaries, rather
than to desert and save the party to
the control of those who, they claim.
are jeopardizing the party's useful
ness?
DIVIDED FORCES WEAK
''The Progressive Republicans in the
West will not leave the party. All of
East will not leave the party. If some
do, they will divide their forces and
weaken their cause. If, in the con-
trary, they fight within the party lines,
they keep their forces united for the
promotion of their principles.
In the days of Lincoln, patriots did
not desert the Union and leave its fate
TO its foes. but stood their ground and
fought for it's preservation and it's
perpetuity, and it is a better Union
today because they insisted that it
should not be divided.
What the Republicans of this coun-
try need in this hour, is not a. new
party, but a new leadership-a leader
ship unselfish enough to regard the
party more important than the indi-
vidual, >brainy enough to heed the
popular will, brave enough to fight
when fight is necessary, intelligent
enough to keep in touch with the pro-
gress of the day, and voice its bets
and highest ideals.
ITO that end, 1, as Republican,
believing that the party can serve the
needs of the nation as we'll in the fu-
ture as in the past, shall continue to
fight, but I believe, with Senator Cum
minis of Iowa, that that fight can be
made more successfully and with bet
ter results within than without the
party ranks.
Wrongs cannot be defended or con-
doned, but disappointment can be for
gotten, and Republicans can turn their
backs upon unwise and unfaithful
leadership, close up ranks, and fight
the party battles for the peoples
rights and the nations welfare.
The methods to be adopted to this
end are mere matters of detail, easily
adjustable. What is necessary is that
these methods are lawful, honorable,
in good faith, and consistent with the
governmental policies advocated by
the parties thereto.
"At least two methods would comply
with these conditions. At the pri-
maries in September, legislative and
Congressional candidates will be NOM
mated, who, in the state convention,
under the Geran act, can select cleo
tors pledged to their Presidential
choice; or two sets of electors COM
posed of the same men can be nomi-