Perth Amboy evening news., 1912-04-11
ROOSEVELT VERSUS TAFT.
A Comparison Between a Progressive
and a Reactionary.

In his Louisville speech Mr.. ROose-
welt suggested these standards for dis
tinguishing between the progressive
and the r~eactionary:
Every man who fights fearlessly and eff
fectively against special privilege IN any
form Is to that extent a progressive. Ev-
cry man who directly or-indirectly UP
holds L-ivllage and favors the special in
terests, whether he acts from evil motives
or merely because he IL puzzle headed or
dull of mental vision or lacking in social
sympathy or whether he simply lacks In
terest In the subject, Is a reactlonary.
Every man Is TO that extent a progress
sive IL he stands for any form of social
justice, whether 1t is securing proper pro-
lection for factory girls against dangerous
machinery or securing a proper limitation
OF hours of labor for women and children
in industry, for securing proper living
conditions for those who dwell In the
thlCkly crowded regions of our great cities,
for helping, so far as legislators can help,
all the conditions of work and life for
~wageworkers In great centers of industry
or for helping by the action both of the
| national and state governments, so far as
| conditions Will permit, the men and WON
en- who dwell in the open country to in
crease their efficiency both IN production
on their farms and In business arrange
ments for the marketing of their produce
| and also to increase the opportunities to
give the best possible expression to their
social life. The man is a reactionary,
whatever may be his profession and no
matter how excellent his intentions, who
| opposes these movements or who II In
high place takes no interest in them and
does not earnestly help them forward.
The Metropolitan Magazine in an edi
torial makes this comparison between
President Taft and his predecessor:
The present incumbent Of the Office is a
man Of comfortable habits. He enjoys
good food and fast motorcars. His recre-
alton Is golf over the links or Two of the
most exclusive country clubs In America
II he were John ID, Rockefeller or the
Duke of Westminster he could not be
further removed from the atmosphere OF
manual labor. One cannot conceive Mr.
Taft spending days among the miners OF
Pennsylvania or the steel workers OF
Pittsburgh. Nor can one picture him TAX
ing any pa %ssionat interest In the to!llpg
masses. If they get what tho law allows
them he is we'll content to dismiss them
from his well balanced mind.
The other candidates are like Mr., TAFT
with the exception of Roosevelt. He is
| different, not because he does not lik
the good things OF this world; he prob,
ably likes them just as much as Taft
Who doesn't7 But he Is not dependent OF
them. And he has Il burning sympathy
with the pooS wretches who never car
enjoy them. He is a rich man, compared
with the vast majority OF his fellow coun.
tryneu, but tho comforts of life are not
enough for him. He was born with the
divine discomfort. He cannot be easy IL
wealth so long as the wealth OF the few
is quilt upon the misery OF the many
Roosevelt has been for days among the
miners of Pennsylvania Probably hi
would much rather be shooting lions oil
leading q regiment in battle. But the in
Justice OF life so impresses itself upon hin
that no cannot rest until he has at least
done his share to improve things.
This comparison Is a keen analysis OF
the reasons underlying the events OF
the last four years which must newt
ably eliminate in making Mr.. Roose
welt the peoples candidate for the pres
tdeucy in November. Kansas City
Star.