The Daily Missoulian., 1912-10-23
GREAT MAJORITY HELPING
BULL MOOSE
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campaigning for fellow progressives
like William Allen White of Kansas
Others are doing neither, but are
working for the cause in the only way
they have learned how to work. One
man has temporarily given up all his
time to it and is now doing day and
night shifts, free of charge, in the pub
lie department of the national head
quarters. (And when a writer, agen-
tie reader, gives all his time it means
all his earnings. There is no partner
to look after his business in his alb
sence, no salary that goes on Just the
same" When an author shuts dowr
his desk his whole plant is shut down.
have recently seen "a list of no less
than 35 other writers of national, many
of them international, repute, who be-
cause of their belief in the new party
have offered their pens in it's behalf.
I consider this one of the most Sig
nificant things in all this memorable
campaign. Not just because they are
doing it gratis including those who
can get $500 or $1,000 apiece for their
short stories, and also those who can
not and are therefore the more gen
erous of the two.) The significant
the unprecedented feature of all this
is that they are Interested enough tc
do it at all. r.
Why are they doing it?
1t would tbe difficult even for the
average ignorant Wall street broker to
believe that there is much sin it for
them" No pay. and if it's publicity
they're after they could get as much,
or more, with pay included, by writing
something else. Much as it may be
regretted by those who think they
know human nature because they
live by fooling it, this group of writ
ers (the preliminary 35, who are but
"a nucleus) are going into this thing
from conviction.
Some of them, like Richard Harding
Davis, for instance, or. Frederic Pal
mer, might be accused of offering
their services from a mere sense of
personal loyalty to Colonel Roosevelt
though after reading the formers de-
scriptions of the Bull Moose conven-
tion, it would be hard to fancy Mr..
Davis in any other party no matter
who headed it.
Others, like Herbert Croly, author of
The Promise of American Life" who
is to deliver the Godkin Lectures at
Harvard this year, might be accused of
backing the new party because it's
platform backs many of his ideas,
ideas he was working out during the
10 years spent upon his notable and
much-quoted book The same might
be said of Walter Weyl, the outhor Of
"The New Democracy" Only more
so. He, l understand, had a hand in
writing the platform.
Still others, like Hamlin Garland,
John T. McCutcheon and Henry
Kichell Webster, are adherents of the
new party, perhaps because they live
in the middle of the country and feel
that they see better what the whole
nation needs than some of those who
live on the edge of the United States
and can't see any nation at adjust
states and individuals in them.
Be all that as it may. The plain
fact is that with or without personal
admiration for Theodore Roosevelt,
the new party appeals to strong in
dependent minds because, without
sophistry or evasion, it stands square
ly and constructively for certain very
definite things which, soon or late.
quaint, old-fashioned America has got
TO recognize II it is going to keep its
place in the civilized family Of ma
tions.
These writer's, with the imagina-
tton to see it and without special priv
ileges enough to fear 1t, believe that
fn
ty for that purpose, and are willing to
lend a hand in the forming. Win
ming or losing this fall is mere in
cident with advantages and disadyant-
ages on both sides.
Those who do note care to believe
that Theodore Roosevelt has really
acquired this new view of things don't
have to. But very few will deny that
by experience, temperament and train
ing he is the most efficient public
servant in the world. The object of
electing president is not to bestow
a blue ribbon upon the prettiest yir-
gin In the village; it is to get the best
possible hired man to do some work
for US. If he wants. as an extra fee.
the personal satisfaction of working
in the lime-light-I believe that is. the
most common accusition--why not
let him work In the lime light? The
idea Is to get the job done.
OF course. one is frequently informed
by practical politicians that 1T. r. is
Just working you idealists! II, he got
into office he wouldn't even try to do
any of the new things you people
want"
II He would Immediately turn around
ssss east II f SO gta: