The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1912-07-05
On Wednesday the Progress
i've Political Organization
Launched, Following the
State Conference.
LEE CHAIRMAN OF
STATE COMMITTEE
George Stout Secretary, and
Thirteen Other Members
to Be Appointed by Lee
I. r. Is Favored. ... .
BY r. G. LEEDS.

BY the will of a large majority OF
the $50 Progressiyes of the State of
Indiana who. on Wednesday. formed
the Progressive Conference at the
Claypool Hotel, Indianapolis. the new
Progressive Party of Indiana has been
born. A committee of fifteen. composed
of Edwin Lee. chairman. and George
Stout, secretary, and thirteen members
to be appointed by the chairman in ac-
cord with the wishes OF their respec-
tive districts in this state, has full
charge of the preliminary arrange
ments for the formation of the new
party. The names OF the other men,
bers of the committee will be an
nounced the first OF the coming week.
Acting in response to the wishes ex-
pressed by large majority of the del
egates at the conference, who repre-
sented the will of most of the rank and
file of the progressives of the state,
this committee can not do otherwise
than recommend to the state conyen-
tion OF progressives that will soon be
called that the name of the new party
shall in no way be suggestive of the
old party whose actions have done SO
much to make necessary the formation
of the new.
Pleads For Old Party.
William ID. Headrick, an Indianapo-
lis delegate to the conference. eloou-
entity pleaded that one more effort be
made to save the old Republican party
In this state. He advocated carrying
the progressive fight into the Repubii-
can state convention that will soon be
called and there make one last great
effort to overthrow the domination OF
the Healing ng-Hemenway-Fairba ma
chine. His sentiment and love for the
old party We're warmly applauded
There was not a delegate present
whose heart did not warm to the sug-
gestion.
Headrick's plea. however, did not
prevail Delegate after delegate arose
and pointed out the futility of trying
to blow the breath of life into an or
ganization that no longer represented
the people. II was showed that even
progressive success in the state con-
vention was but an empty victory so
long as the national committee remain
ed as at present constituted. A nation
al committee that would seat enough
fraudulent delegates in 1912 to make
a majority that would preserve the
power of the committee and make DOS
sible the nomination of man for pres
ident who would be the willing recipi-
ent OF stolen goods. would not hesitate
to repeat the procedure in 1916 and
1920 and SO on. Furthermore. this pro-
cedure never could be stopped as long
as this committee delegated to itself
the right TO fill vacancies caused by
men removed for refusing to support
a nominee elected in fraud
Headrick's plea for the old party
was lost before the unscaIable wall OF
a fraudulent national committee per-
petually blocking any future efforts TO
secure the fulfillment of progressive
ideals through the Republican party
Favored A New Parry.
II was the sense of the conference
that an entirely new party be organ
lied in this state. and nation. And In
order that the movement should be
properly started in Indiana a commit
tee of fifteen was authorized to have
full charge of all preliminary organi-
ration. Edwin Lee. former state chair
man of the Republican party and re-
cent Roosevelt state chairman. was
chosen chairman of the committee and
authorized to appoint one member for
each of the thirteen districts Of the
state after conferring with progress
sives in the various districts as to the
men they would suggest. George Stout,
late secretary of the Roosevelt cam
paign in this state, was chosen as sec
retary OF this body.
Reports delivered by the delegates
from the various districts of the state
showed a widespread demand for an
entirely new party. The people were
shown to be unwilling TO wage further
a useless fight to reform party IN
which reform Is so effectually blocked.
Furthermore. II was freely stated that
Woodrow Wilson. Democratic progress
sive for president, did not mean pro-
gressive success In the minds of many
of the people for the simple reason
that he is not backed by a progressive
Democrat party. 1t was declared that a