The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-09-27
PURELY A PERSONAL PARTY.

The large popular objection
among the Roosevelt supporters to
/, the placing in the field of pro-
gressive state ticket in Minnesota
is no peculiar situation, declares
The Minneapolis Tribune.
1t is repeated in most states east
and west. Where a third ticket has
been put out, it has been forced by
the personal influence of Colonel
! Roosevelt, and has driven some of
his former supporters to the sup
port of President Taft. In a few
states where the Roosevelt party
had control of the organization, it
was refused fatty. -. '.'
In Vermont, the third ticket, nom
mated reluctantly, received the small,
, est vote of any. In Maine, where the
so-called progressiveS united heartily
with the conservative republicans,
, the democrats were defeated.
In other states, especially in the
west, where the so-called progress.
; ives are strong, the progressive
vote may be stronger than the re.
publican, but it has small hope OF
success, except in the few where the
progressiyes control the organiza.
ton, and there is practically no re.
publican state ticket.
J. The reason is clear. Men who are
willing personally to appoint and
vote for Roosevelt electors, can see
no sound reason for creating a third
party in the state and are exceed.
ingly reluctant to make a hopeless
run for office, with no possible re.
suit except in some states to re.
duce the republican vote and elect
the democratic ticket.
He is the clearest proof of the
pure fiction of the third party, ex
cept as a personal expression OF
Colonel Roosevelt's devouring ambi
; ton to recover the presidential Of
| fee for at least eight, years more
That is all there is to the so-called
progressive party. F - III.
No public issue or popular de,
mand brought it into being, except
j the unmeasured popular desire to
satisfy Roosevelt's craving to run
and preach to the country again
from the White House. Small az
this desire may prove when its
votes are counted, it is clearly far
larger than the public willingness to
make a new party on no other is
sue, or than the readiness of fol
lowers to face certain defeat or
state tickets merely to please its
despot.
The republican division which has
menaced the party for many years
is not in the least measured by the
so-called progressive organization
That contains far less real progress
ives than either the republican OF
the democratic party. ~.s ,'';,
| 1t has lodged the eal'progressive
policies to catch cheap and hysteri
cal voters with gilded professions
without repelling the forces of mo
:: nopoly or special privileges whose
power and money is as necessary tt
recover = for Colonel Roosevelt hi!
craved job as it was when he pro
flied by the holding up of Archbolt
or the shaking out of Hartman. =
i Neither the colonel nor the pro
gressive platform promises the leas
hope of the tariff reduction to ;
level just to the consumer, which il
demanded by a majority of -th'
masses in both parties. 2 Neithe
gives any more hope of trust regula
ton than Colonel Roosevelts admin
: istration itself, which protected
friendly monopolies to, punish trust
Indifferent to his ambitions.
Sane and unselfish progressives
1even those who give personal sup
port to Roosevelt's ambition, see N,
! demand or reason for new party
| Whether republicans or democrats
the only motive of party reformer
is to purge and reform their own OF
: ganization, in the legislative as vel
: as the executive branch.
The so-called progressive part
has no demand or purpose excep
to give back to Roosevelt the 10
:, he wants. The popular reforms ar
to be gained by choosing a col
: gress, whether republican or demo
cratic, that will cooperate with tn
executive in obeying the people
mandate.
: The only effect of third ticket
for congress and state election
would be to delay or defeat the ia;
, if, trust, labor, and other popula
). reforms the people have been clan
. oring fors@ SO long. Roosevelt trie
? to force them because he is indi
6 ferent to. these things SO long as b
4 can get his job back.
r. S.r5 - - t.h'
:. Doing the Manly Thing. y