Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1912-08-21
POSTS POLITICAL COMMENT
81 ON PRESENT SITUATION

Famous Reform Writer Writes HI.
Views on Progressive and
Democratic Parties.
The Progressive Party is not vel
a new party; it is a Republican
"bolt." So. far as representations
are at present possible it will neve,
be anything but a Republican 'bolt''
unless it becomes the Republican
Party. We're it to win the election,
it would probably take the place of
the Republican Party in American
politics; and not as a new party, but
as the Republican Party reformed.
Should it be second at the election,
the same thing would probably re-
suit, unless the Democratic Party
proved reactionary under Wilson's
leadership, as it did under Cleve-
lands. Should the Progressive Par
ty come in a good third, it may form
the inviting nucleus or the obstruc-
tive agency (according to circum-
stances) for genuine new party,
provided Taft is reelected, or if
Wilson, being elected, proves recre-
ant to his democratic professions.
Much Of this is conjecture, to be sure,
but the solid fact remains that the
Progressive Party is as yet only a
Republican 'bolt" and not new
party.
The platform Of the Progressive
Party is very like that religious creed
OF a new sect, into which every one
who Joined the sect was allowed to
insert a declaration of his own most
cherished faith. From direct legis-
latlon and woman suffrage, to South
ern State-pensions for Confederate
veterans, if anything is omitted it
must be because it's friends were COL
lectively and Individually overlooked.
Except, Of course, demand for en-
forcement Of the Constitutional guar
antees of Negro suffrage, and a de-
claration for the Singletax-both of
which were urged, perhaps injudic-
lously, and both Of which were ruled
out with deliberate prudence. Yet
most Of the platform demands are
good ones. Either in practical exc
cution of the democratic principle,
such as direct legislation and wo-
man suffrage, or for special anchor
atoms pending greater progress in
democracy, as the industrial de-
mands, they make a strong appeal
to democratic emotions. But they
are like a bundle of sticks unbun-
died. There doesn't seem to be in
the whole platform a clear declara-
ton of any unifying political or
economic principle with which to hold
them together consistently.
Of the leading candidate-but let
him pass for the present. The prin-
cipal consideration now is not the
leading candidate but the party; and
the party not alone in respect of
what it promises, but also of it's pos
sibilities Of performance.
Notwithstanding the uncertainties
Of the battle before him, Wilson's
election seems now assured. It
seems, too, that Roosevelt will be
second to him in the order Of the pop
ular vote, and Taft third. Which,
ever the result in that respect, how
ever, the election Of Wilson promises
a new era in the politics Of this
country, and better one than it has
experienced since the issue of chat
tel slavery submerged the old parties
Of the sos.
If Wilson is elected and proves
courageously true to the democratic
principles and policies he processes,
the old Democratic Party, regenerat-
ed, will probably be the new party on
the side Of fundamental democracy,
driving out Of it it's plutocrats and
spoilsmen, and attracting to it the
mass Of men and women Of demo-
cratic impulses and purposes regard
less Of race or class. Its adversary
will then most likely be the plutocrat-
ic Republican party of Taft, if
Roosevelt's party "Aukes'' in this
campaign; the paternalistic Republi-
can party Of Roosevelt, should
Roosevelt drive Taft from the field.
The latter possibility is to be pre-
ferred, for it would tend to align ag-
gressive paternalism against aggres-
sive democracy in the campaigns OF
the future.
In Wilson's acceptance speech the
democratic principle shines like a
star. 1t is especially luminous fol-
interpretative purposes in connec-
ton with what he says of bounties
for American ships. Restrictions
upon American shipping are by
Roosevelt's policy to be perpetuated
their daa daninu offoote ~4o ho o,,or