The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-08-30
LEEDS MAKES
A REPLY TO
7. NICHOLSON
Takes Exception to the In
situation that the Pro-
gressive Party Is Being
Led by New Bosses.
CONTINUED from Page One)

ate on Progressive county ticket
than that, regardless of the rank be-
trayal they suffered at the Republican
national convention, they should feel
bound now to support Taft. To make
this point very clear l will give my
reasons for definitely casting off all
ties with the Republican party and &C
lively working to promote the organi-
cation of a AArw party, that l believe
will fill the needed place in the po-
Elitical and economic life of our people
that the Republican organization in
Its moment of supreme trial, with the
most horrifying and cynical contempt
that has almost ever been shown, dis
'dained.
What Greatest Evil Is.
1t was not primarily that Colonel
Roosevelt was defrauded of the nom
ination he had honestly won at the
hands of the people, as shown by their
votes in the great Republican states
that expressed their will through the
presidential primary. The use of the
seventy odd stolen" delegates in this
regard was not OF such prime import
lance to me as it was in it's effect
on the controlling membership of the
national committee. Those delegates
were stolen not for the sake of nom-
iinating Taft-Roosevelt or Hadley,
Leither one could have had the nomin-
alton if he had not questioned fur
rther the legality of the seats of those
hdelegates-they were stolen for the
purpose of perpetuating the control Of
Who fjCpa1 conmiftoo which mounts
to control of the party, in the hands
of the corrupt bosses that work for
the big corrupt business interests.
Drunk with a false sense of their pow
ler these bosses-Barnes, Healing, Pen
rose, Crane ct al-after they had used
their fraudulent majority of delegates
to elect fraudulently majority OF the
members of the new national commit
tee, the national committee that will
be in control of the next Republican
national convention and free to re-
peat the actions Of the last in all
their rottenness, they compelled
their" convention to pass a resolu-
ton that any national committeeman
who refused to support the head of
the ticket-Taft-could be removed by
his fellow-committeeme - the boss
controlled majority, of course-and il
the man so removed or a man of SIM
liar views was returned by his state,
then this precious national committee
of boss owned puppets could them
selves elect his successor. Theodore
Roosevelt colled this the completed
vicious circle" In full accord with
that characterization l left the party
that was SO ruled because l realized
the uselessness of further attempts to
reform from within. The cards were
stacked and the rules of the game so
changed that they always would re-
main stacked. l was not fooled and
/ would not be a party to fooling the
people, as far as l personally was
concerned or as far as the Palla-
dium's influence was useful.
Under No Obligation.
l feel that the result of that Chi
cage convention has released me from
any obligation to the Republican par
lty l believe every true Progressive
feels the same. In that feeling, there
fore, / have gladly welcomed the work
that has been my share in organizing
the Progressive party. 1 have worked
and still am working to but one end
in that respect-to make the new par
ity straightout and independent party
mot mere party of protest. an adjunct
of the Republican party, or half
breed" party.
In view of this believe the Progress
sive party in Wayne county in particu-
lar, and in every county in general,
should nominate complete county
ticket. l differentiate between county
and legislative tickets. The first is
composed of those candidates who, if
elected, will administer the affairs of
the county from it's court house. The
second contains those who, if elected
will take their places as state officers
in the general assembly at Indianap-
oils and enact legislation that affects
every man, woman and child in our
state. The Progressives of Indiana
have nominated state ticket for the
major state offices and headed it with
Albert Beyeridge. They have backed
up these candidates with the most
progressive and advanced platform OF
political and economic principles this
state has yet seen. l contend this
much would not even be doing half
it would amount to nothing-if legis.
lative ticket covering every legislative
office to be voted on this time were
not also nominated. Without this the
Progressives will stand no chance OF
obtaining the majority necessary in
the general assembly If our platform
pledges are to be carried out by us.
Efficiency Is The Test.
l believe strictly county officers
should be nominated and elected or
"a non-partisan ballot. The efficiency
of the man is the important considera
ton in municipal or county govern
ment. Party government should be
kept in its proper place. the state and
nation. The Progressive party. how
ever, is the only one that will evel
enact the legislation that will give us
non partisan government in our cities
and counties. The old parties are toe
Interested in bclstering up their state
AMI national machines by making cit,
and county officials important cogs In
those machines. Therefore, feel thai
the Progressives should at this time
dominate complete county tickets In