Franklin's paper the statesman., 1912-07-13
Our Letter Box
ROOSEVELT-CAN HE ORGAN
IZE A PERSONAL POLITICAL
PARTY?"

This is an address delivered by At
torney W. B. Townsend of Denver,
before the Colored Republican
League, Colorado Springs, Colorado,
July 4th, 1912.
Mr.. Townsend said in part:
There is an attempt to organize in
this country a new political party. If
it is done it will be an extremely
difficult task under any circum-
stances, and it will require a great
outlay of money for Legitimate ex-
penses." 1t would have to present
an issue which stirred the convic-
tions of the people throughout the
country and which was ignored or
neglected or inadequately recognized
by both the regular parties. There
would have to be something like
crisis to give it vitality and perfect
success either immediate or far dis
tant. The situation would have to be
such as to incite a spontaneous move
ment in many states, if not in all
states, which appeals strongly 10
large part of the people, If there was
to be any hope OF success in nrst
campaign. Organizations would have
to be formed and supported by these
people in several states, districts and
localities. 1t would not be created,
directed and fnanciered from any one
center or by any small body Of men.
Is there any such situation con
fronting the people now?
Is there anything that can be called
proper uprising, due to urgent Is
sues of any kind and the failure OF
either party to accept them? There
we're what we call Progressive IS
;oI, l,a,
miliar for some months, but they
have not been overlooked or neglect
ed by either party. The Republican
party at Chicago recognized them and
adopted a modified conservative pro
er4ssive platform, and President Taft,
who was renominated, has always
professed to be progressive and has
given fair evidence of being so in
most important respects. The Demo-
cratic party has We'd with it by be-
| ing more emphatically progressive in
the sense now given to that term,
only stopping at the precipice OF ex-
treme radicalism. 1t has gone as lar
as any considerable part OF the people
have demanded or will sustain the
movement. While ex-President Theo-
dore Roosevelt, who is trying to start
and to lead a new party because ne
was defeated in his efforts to Obtain
the denomination for a third term at
Chicago has been more violently rad
ical in his avowed principles and pur-
poses than anybody else he has pre-
sented no real Issue which would diff
fereptiate his third party from others
SO as to win any strong support. ihe
fact is, that his fight" as he and
his followers delight to call 1t, has
been personal from the beginning,
teeming with abuse for all who DO
not agree with the man on horse
back" the only man who has organ
lied in this country an Ananias cluo,
who has used the words "brigand
land "thief" to the end that he might
be a personal dictator Of this repub-
Ilic. It may be admitted that Roose-
welt set out to lead the party with
which he has heretofore been identi-
fed, along progressive lines, from
convictions ("the eleyenth-hour con-
victions") of the wisdom of its taking
such course, but made the mistake of
assuming that he alone was capable
of guiding and inspiring it and that
Ito accomplish his purpose. he must
be a candidate for president again
; He did not wait Cincinnatus-like for
the voice of the people whom he
whoops about must rule, to call him
from seclusion at Oyster Bay. He
set out to make himself the candidate
and used every art and devise of the
shrewd and resourceful politician to