The Washington times., 1912-06-28
.BLAMES ROOSEVELT
|. FOR DIVISION Of THE
PROGRESSIVE PARTY
La Follette's Weekly Scores
Colonel and His
Methods.

MADISON. Wis, June 29.-La Fol-
lette's Weekly. issued today, contains
the following editorial:
Until Roosevelt came into the open
as a candidate for the Presidency. five
months ago, there was a strong and
rapidly growing progressive movement
within the Republican party. 1t was
based upon clearly defined principles.
1t stood forth as the representative of
modern political thought on funda-
mental democracy. 1t had assumed ma
tional proportions. 1t was united.
Into this movement, when it gave
promise of national success, Roosevelt
projected his ambition to be President a
third time. He spent weeks carefully
planning a spontaneous cali for him
self. He responded by announcing that
he would be receptive Cadidate. His
candidacy began to drag. He and his
friends were in despair.
Then came his defeat in North Da-
kota. He became desperate. An enor-
nous campaign fund was raised. Head
quarters were opened in New York,
Washington. Chicago and States East
and West. Newspaper writer's were en-
gagged at large prices to boom his can
QlQdCy. opeCldl trains were HlTeu anu
the receptive candidate started in
frantic pursuit of the nomination.
Extravagant Expenditures.
In the history Of American politics
there has never been in a primary cam
paign for a Presidential nomination an
approach to the extravagant expedi-
lures made in his campaign.
Men notoriously identified with the
Steel trust and the Harvester trust be-
came his most active supporters. Lead
ing reactionaries, stand-patters, and po-
litical bosses of the Hanna and Quay
sort became his closest political friends
and representatives In many States.
Gained Newer Recruits.
"A number of the newer recruits to
the Republican progressive cause, men,
who, before 1909, with three or four ex-
ceptions, had either been indifferent or
opposed to the progressive movement.
became the noisiest supporters of Roose-
welt the winner
1T mattered not to them that Roose-
welt had co-operated with Aldrich on
legislation during the entire seven
~ was only when Roosevelt was
out of office ana in AFRICA. through the
united efforts of men who for years
had been fg1ting special interaests, that
the progressive cause became a national
movement.
THAT Roosevelt was for Taft in 1910
when Taft was denouncing all progress
sives as pirates and traitors that he
waited until little more than a year
ago, balancing the chances before de-
Gliding whether to cast his lot with the
progressives in this Presidential year,
counted for nothing with the class of
progressiVes who wanted to 'win'-not
real progressive victory-just a vic
tory.
Carried Standpat States.
And they did win precisely that kind
of victory. They carried overwheIm-
ingly the great standpat States OF Him
ois and Pennsylvania. They stamped
the Roosevelt candidacy with its true
character, No real progressive could
have secured anything like such a
vote in either of those two States.
1T had, however, the outward seem
ing OF success. the sort Of success that
intoxlcates-that catches the crowd. II
enabled Roosevelt to win in two or
three really progressive States. For