Imperial Valley press., 1912-11-04


activities in the last few months hav
not only by his national writings, bu
territory.J
Votes for Taft in this election will
be the ballots of the samurai. who are
muteIy and heroically committing har
kari in futile tribute to "the grace OF
a day that is gone" These men dis
like Taft; they have small use fol
his cause Yet there is touching
pathos in these struggles of the old
guard dropping their ballots into the
box in vain protest against the chang
ing order. Many of the old guard
more virile in their anger than Others
will vote for Wilson. He will get thou
sands of these spite votes. He is
entitled to the votes of the old line
states rights Democrats, and Wilson
will get them. Then Wilson will ge,
besides the spite votes of the angry.
Taft men, and the unthinking votes : :
the habituaI Democrats, a number of
votes from timid progressives who, ue-
string to save their votes, expect TO
be on the winning side if they vote
for Wilson. They are the band wagon
riders. A few will vote for Wilson,
understanding what he is for; but most
of the Wilson votes will not be sor
Wilson and his cause.
But the Roosevelt votes, be they few
or many, will be cast for definite
purpose-for a distinct cause. The ma,,
who casts his vote for Colonel Roose-
welt will be casting it where it will
count.
The Progressive votes will not be
nondescript votes of dumb protest, O..
blind spite or votes of habit or votes
of fear. Every Roosevelt vote will
mean the determined purpose of tn
American people to do a specific thing.
There is no mistaking what that thing
is. 1t is a sincere attempt, guided by
the best scientific knowledge of mod
ern times-knowledge that satisfies an
accurate mind like Edison's-to change
the environment of the poor-their
housing, their wages, their hours of
labor their shop conditions, and the
conditions o. competition among work
ers. More than that, the Progressives
have a definite purpose to change the
conditions Of life in America as IL is
related TO wealth, so that the average
man may have a larger share in the
civilization which he creates. Conser-
Sation, control of the trusts. a scientific
tariff board adjusting tariffs, not as
logrollers but as economic experts, al
these things will be folded up in the
Progressive's ballot. 1t will mean
Notwithstanding definite in the
progress of humanity.
The Progressive ballot will count 1t
will not be merely one of many mixed
ballots meaning spite and regularity
and fear under the Democratic rooster
The Progressive ballot means human
progress-and nothing else.
Moreover, no other ballot can NEAR
that. Wilson has progressive prede-
lictions. He means to go forward. He
would rather go forward than back
ward. But he will have to appeal u
a party caucus in congress dominated
by the solid South-which is reaction
airy by instinct. and ammany, which i
reactionary from self-interest. Tam
many and the solid South are shackles
that bind Wilson to conservatism IN
spite of himself. He cannot go for
ward. He can only look forward witt
hope. He is tied to the post.
But the Progressives will move. The
have no party traditions to bind them
With Roosevelt as president the Prog
ressives will have fighter who win
his battles. The long line of achieve
ments of the Roosevelt administration
is a guaranty bond back of the Prog
ressive program. Roosevelt in tho
White House four years ago did what
he did with congress against him. He
dragged an unwilling party by the ears
into achievements of the first order
Today Roosevelt in the White House
can unite the Progressives of both
parties and win. For the Progressives
of both parties will unite under Roose-
welt. Under Wilson, who must go no
further than the Democratic caucus
there can be no union of progressives
Little can be done. Under Wilson the
Progressives in congress can go no
further than the Democratic organiza-
ton, and that organization is still boss
bound. Murphy and Ryan and Tag
gart and the southern conservatives
still control. The voter who wants tO
make his vote count-not merely IN
winning election, but in helping men
in the same lot with the spite vote.
from Taft, the organization votes from
the Dem ocrats and the timid votes from
the bandwagoners.
The only vote that will count is a
Progressive vote-a vote for Roosevelt
and the Progressives all up and down
the line. 1t has been nearly sixty
years since the country has. seen such
another movement movement i'm
PEELED by great moral purpose. This
movement cannot lose. 1t is here 10
stay. Until the Progressive platform
is our national law, the Progressive
party will be a dominant factor In
American politics. 1t represents a
great cause. 1t offers humanity or
this continent it's only political sal
vation. 1t promises to do for labor
what the Republican party did for the
slave, and like the Republican party
it can only help labor by broaden
ing the powers of government-by
Strengthening the union. States right.
cannot solve the labor problem. Il
could not solve slavery. Wilson is "a
helpless as Buchanan, the Democrat
who thought that slavery was a loca
problem. States rights cannot solve
the problem of conservation, nor will