Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-08-08
LIVELY ROW ON PLATFORM
Plain Words by Committeeman
Planks Called Verbose. PedngoEfc
and Lacking in vitality.

Chicago, Aug. b.-The committee Of the
national progressive convention got in
to n lively row soon after organization
was perfected tonight and some pretty
plain words were spoken in discussing tho
proposed declaration of principles of the
new party.
1t was apparent from the first that the
platform probably could not be completed
before late Tuesday night or Wednesday
morning. 1t IL due to go to the convention
Wednesday afternoon.
After full discussion in the general COM
mittee the plan of the leaders tonight
was to appoint a subcommittee of seven
10 confer with Colonel Roosevelt and to
work on. the platform with him. The idea
will be to condense into crisp. short
planks the various advanced ideas 10 he
outlined to the convention tomorrow by
the colonel, in his so-called confession
of faith speech. 1t was said tonight
thai practically all of the progressive
ness In Colonel Roosevelt's speech will
be adopted in the platform.
Soon after the committee met to-
night, the draft of n tentative platform
was presented by a group of leaders
in the new movement who had met
severed times to discuss the matter.
The draft was said to express the COM
bined idea of Dean Lewis Of the law
school of the University OF Pennsyl-
vania. Dean Kirchway of the law
school of Columbia University. Clifford
Pinchot. Chester Rowell of California.
Charles Mccarthy of the legislative
reference bureau at the University of
| Wisconsin, Medill Mccormick of Chica-
go. James II. Garfield of Ohio and
other close personal friends of Colonel
Roosevelt.
1t required an hour and a half to
read this tentative platform and i'm
mediately a dozen members of the
committee attacked it with vigor. WILL
liam Dudley Foulke of Indiana head
ed the assault. He declared that the
platform should be shortened to one
quarter it's length.
Hugh r. Halbert of Minnesota took
the loo as soon as Foulke had finish
ed his criticism. He called the plat,
form verbose. pedagogic and lacking
In vitality.
This platform as presented" said Mr.,
Halbert, does not even note the birth
of this new party. 1t seems to me thai
thio AdSt SHOulu pe SET IOTtn IN terSe, en-
ergetic fashion.
Furthermore. this document makes a
violent attack upon the Aldrich currency
plan without Offering the slightest rem.
edy. A reasonable currency plan, the
question of the high cost of living and
some adequate method of handling the
trusts are vital points and should be set
forth above all else"
Several other members of the commit
tee took a stand similar to that OF Mr..
Halbert and various planks were torn
apart and derided. 1t was then announced
that the committee would be engaged in
revising the platform until Wednesday
morning before it would be in shape for
submission to the convention.
The on resolutions was named
to-day by the various State delegations
one member being chosen by each State.
New York's representative on the resolu-
lions committee is George w. Kirchway
Pennsylvania's, William Draper Levi and
Nermont's, Frank +. Howard. Among
others are Herbert Knox smith for Con-
necticut, William Allen White for Kansas
and Senator Joseph NJ. Dixon of Montana
Miss Alice c.. Carpenter of Boston
named by the massachusetts, delegation
as a member OF the committee on plat
form, Is said to he the first woman to iii
such a place at a national political con.
~vention. Miss Carpenter has been active
as a sociological worker and also as
a writer.