Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-08-01
HYPOCRISY,

Pretending sincerity in reform, the
Iowa Progressive (bull moose) party
at the very outset OF its career
brands itself hypocritical and a trap
for fools.
Avowing allegiance to Roosevelt, if
spurns his counsel and compromises
him by making It appear, in failure to
nominate third party ticket in state,
districts and counties, that the move
ment inaugurated by him as a revo,u
tionary movement with social Justice
as its aim is a one-man movement
and the party he seeks to establish a
one-man party.
The Iowa progressive party is In the
attitude of inviting suspicion of its
motives, distrust of its deeds, and i'm
peachment of its good faith. Whereas
to become a considerable factor 1t
must first settle all doubt of it's sin
cerity-this is to be accomplished by
sincerity in its leadership-it writes
in letters that burn over the face of
the whole movement an impeachment
OF its sincerity.
Federal jobs its leaders do not hold
nor could they hope to hold them un.
der Taft. In spurning him they there.
fore put aside no temptation. they
shun no flesh pots. Their opposition
TO him is resentment on this accou If
/ in part, and yet it would not find omen
expression II there were not the ce .
tainty OF his defeat.
! Where they have Jobs, or their al
/ lies have Jobs, in state. districts, and
counties they are not members of the
Roosevelt party, but republicans, SUD
/ porting republicans, fearful Of the de.
Feat OF republicans. And being that
they are against a third party ticket
In state, districts and counties.
They are willing to support the
republicans whom railroad influence
has nominated for state Offices, and
standpatters implacable in their oppo
sltion TO every progressive tenet.
they are willing to support such con
Eressmen as Pickett, whose record
reeks with subserviency TO the trusts
they are willing to support any and
every man on the state. district and
county republican tickets no matter
who or what they are-and II not &c
support them, then not to oppose
them openly. All this they do while
they cry 70 heaven OF the purity Of
their ideals. the unseffishness of theiI
aims, the patriotism Of their aspira
tions.
They cannot succeed IN this attemp,
TO fool the people. They cannot
build house on shifting sands and
impress the people that they intend
the structure to be enduring They
cannot from one side OF their face
proclaim themselves national progress
sives and from the other side pro
claim themselves republicans: they
cannot run with the hare and hun
with the hounds; they cannot carry
water on both shoulders; they canno'
cut of the tail from the hide; they
cannot be one thing to one man and
another thing to another man;-the!
cannot do these things, or be These
things successfully. Their hypocris.
is too glazing not to be apparent L
the dullest minds. What they are no
for, they must be against. A move
ment based on hypocrisy. will hav,
the respect of none and il will hav,
the contempt of all. The only wa,
the sincerity OF the new movement
can be proved is by making that move
ment extend from the top down-frou
president 70 constable. Otherwise 4
were an abortion. and otherwise pa
triots were traitors