The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-06-29
ENORMOUS FUND
TO AID COLONEL
La Toilette Declares Roosevelt
Responsible for Defeat of
Progressives.

Washington. Juno 2s.-senator La
Toilette has written the following
editorial in the current number OF
La Follette's Weekly:
Until Roosevelt came into the
open as a candidate for the presi-
dency. Ave months ago. there was u
strong and rapidly growing progress
pive movement within the Republican
party. 1t was based upon clearly de-
dned principles. 1t stood forth as the
representative of modern political
thought on fundamental democracy.
1t had assumed national proportions.
1t was united.
Into this movement. when IT gave
promise OF national success. Roose-
Welt projected his ambition TO be
President third time. He spent
weeks carefully planning 'spontane-
pus CALI for himself. He responded
by announcing that he would be a
began to drag. He and his friends
were in despair. Thin came his de-
feat in North Dakota. He became
desperate.
Big Campaign Fund.
"An enormous campaign fund was
raised. headquarters were opened IN
New York. Washington. Chicago and
States cast and west. Newspaper
writer's were engaged at large prices
10 boom his candidacy Special trains
were hired. and the receptive cand!-
hate started In frantic pursuit OF the
nomination. In the history of Amer
lean politics Eiere has never been in
= primary campaign 70! presidential!
nomination. an approach TO the e%-
travagant expenditures made in his
campaign. Men VIGOROUSLY Identified
with the steel trust and the harvester
crust became his most active sup
porters. Leading .eactionaries. stand
~
Hanna and Quay sort became mis-
closest political friends and repre-
Hentatives in many States.
nguaGGiocede-6Qo riilycmfw m en- c
"a number OF the newer recruits TO
the publican-Progress!ve cause. men
who, before 1903. with three Or four
exceptions. had either been Indifferent
or opposed 10 the progressive move
ment. became the noisiest supporters
OF Roosevelt. the winner II mat;ered
not to them that Roosevelt had CO.
operated with Aldr!ch or legislation
during the entire seven years he vas
President. They forgot that II was only
when Roosevelt was out OF Office and
In Africa through the united efforts
OF men who for years had been hght!ng
special interests. that the progressive
cause became a national movement
That Roosevelt was for TAFT in 1910
gressives as pirates and traitors that
he waited until little more than a year
ago. balancing the chances before de-
Gliding whether 10 cast in his lot with
the progress!vcs IN this presidential
year, counted for nothing with the class
az progress!ves who wanted TO win
not a real progressive v.ctory-iust a
victory.
And they did win precisely that kind
Of victory. They carried ove-wheim-
.ngly the great stand pat States Of
Illinois and Pennsylvania. Tina: stamped
the Roosevelt candidacy with us true
character. No real progressive could
have secured anything like such vote
In either OF those two States.
II had, however. the outward seem
ing OF success. the sort OF success
that intoSicates-that catches the
crowd. II enabled Roosevelt TO win in
two or three really progressive
States. Fortunately. II did not enable
him 10 secure tho nomination which
would have compromised the progress
tive movement and defeated real
achievement for years
Upon Theodore Roosevelt and his
followers rests the responsibility OF
having divided the prograssives in
their arst national contest. s,imu-
lated by an overmastering desire TO
WIN, tNeS denounced iCEi1ly 10 con-
"iction and principle as stubborn sell
fshness. In the convention they put
forward no platform-no issue. They
made no fight against the reactionary
platform adopted. They substituted
vulgar personalities and the coarse
epithets OF The prize ring for the Sc
rious consideration OF great economic
problems and 70. the t!mn being
brought rIdicule and contempt upon
great cause.
But the progressive movement does
rot consist OF few Self-constituted
leaders It consists OF millions Of
thoughtful citizens drawn together
ny a common belief IN certain prin-
c!ples. They will termit no comhi>
nation OF special interests and political
expediencey 10 secure control OF the
progressive cause. which is ultimately
to redeem democracy and restore gov
eminent to the people"