Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1912-07-05
THE NEW PARTY AND THE
DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION.

THE NEW PARTY AND THE
DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION.
The work of the Baltimore conven-
ton is favorable to the new Progress
sive party. 1t is, on the whole, the
best thing that could have happened for
this new party.
If the program of the reactionaries
had been carried through and conser-
vative placed in nomination, with con-
servative platform, the field for third
party would undoubtedly have been
broader, but not better.
With Governor Wilson, a radical, in
nomination on radical platform and
under radical influences, the danger of
founding the new party on too radical
lines is removed. With Taft occupying
the reactionary ground and Wilson the
radical, there remains distinct place,
for the new party, place of sane,
sound policies that will be wisely and
courageously progressive and at the
same time constructive and encourag-
ing to industry.
But the question of progressiveism is
by no mesns all that is involved in this
new party. 1t has a distinct work to
do in giving to the people of this coun-
try better politics, cleaner politics,
free from boss rule. 1t has a distinct
work to do at this particular juncture
in rebuking the Republican party for
its high-handed methods and down.
right robbery in the recent campaign
for delegates to the Chicago conven-
ton and in that convention itself.
1t has distinct work to do, as only a
new party can do. in squaring itself to
the needs of the hour and to the needs
of the future, unhampered by party
traditions and by the sinister influences
which, to a greater or less extent, pos
sess an old party. Indeed, it is ques-
ton how many decades party can sur
vive before it becomes permeated by
the corrupt influences of bossism and
special interests, and passes beyond
UrSL-rdIe usefulness.
1t has distinct work to do in the up
building of a nationwide organization
that shall end the vicious one-party sys-
TEN now established in the Southern
States, which has made possible the
wretched Southern Republican delegate
farce. The Republican party was
started as an abolition party, and has
been and will always remain sectional
party. AS such, it does not meet the
demands of the hour. 1t has made no
progress in fifty years in the political
life of the South, and, if it was to live,
it would make no progress in another
half century
Ever since the reconstruction days in
the South, that section of the country
has had practically only one party, and
to have one party is beneficial neither
to State nor to a party itself.
There should be party against which
there is no prejudice in any section of
the country, and which can successfully
compete with the other party on the
line of ideas and ideals rather than or
geographical lines.
1t would be far better that the new
party be founded right, with less allur-
ing prospects of immediate success,
than to swerve from the best standards
for the sake of winning quick triumph
at the polls. The question of victory
in November is entirely secondary to a
right start, entirely secondary to build
ing wisely and well so far as it goes.
This does not presuppose, however,
that the new party, under the leader
ship of Mr.. Roosevelt, will not give q
good account of itself in the coming
election.
In fact, the chances of its doing SC
are far bettar than wara tho chancas nj