The pioneer express., 1912-08-23
Emerson Branch R. 6. MAsTERToN, Mgr.

hiding their identity under the cloak Of
the House caucus the individual mem-
bers have avoided 80 far as possible
their responsibility to the voters who
elected them. So far as progressive is
concerned, the bulk Of the work has
been done by the Progressives in the
Republican party. Earnest Progress
sives should consider whether the cause
will in any way be advanced by support
ing third party candidates and thus
splitting our forces.
$50 far as the national situation is
concerned, there is no Disgusting the
fact that the nominees are not the
choice of the rank and file of the Repub.
lican party. Almost without exception,
every state having an adequate primary
law declared against the denomination
of President Taft. 1t must further be
conceded that there is wide spread
conviction that not only were the bulk
of the Administrations delegates from
the South, where there is no Republican
party, reinforced by number from
Northern states where party bosses had
the power to name them, but that ques-
tionable methods were also used at the
Chicago convention and that persons
were seated as delegates who had no
right to sit in the convention. That is
doubtless true and it is just as true that
If all Of the contesting delegates honest
ly and regularly elected, had been seat
ed, it would not have given to the pro-
testing candidate majority of the dele
gates in the convention. But even il q
candidate we're deprived by unfair
means Ola nomination Justly his, such
wrongful act is not a broad enough
founaation upon which to build q new
party. A,party is sometimes more than
q mere organization to elect someone to
public Office. tits an aggregation Of
men having the same or similar ideas
upon questions vitality affecting the
public welfare. It is not something
that can be created in day, but is the
result Of years Of growth. When true to
itself its declarations Of principles are
an approximation to the convictions Of
the majority Of its members, and it's
nominees are men whom the majority
believe viii carry out those principles.
"The Progressives are the majority in
the Republican party, and they should
realize that temporary setback is not .
defeat. The reactionaries have made
their last stand, and it is already becom-
ing evident how barren of results their
fruitless victory will be. We must con-
slider whether resentment at . distaste-
full nomination is sufficient reason for
surrendering into the hands Of the re-
actionaries what we have succeeded in
wrestling from their grasp. Political
parties have often made nominations for
which the people have rebuked them at
the polls by defeating the candidates
thus nominated. There was vast diff
ference, however, between repudiating q
party candidate whom the voter does
not find chat he can consistently sup
port, and leaving the party and attempt
ing 70 build . new one because Of dis
tasteful nomination. Parties to be per-
luanent must be founded on principles
and not only on some one name person
atty. ls
I'm North Dakota all Of the candi-
dates nominated for Congress and most
Of the other nominees are Progessiyes.
The platform adopted will undoubtedly
be progressive. With Republican can
didates selected BY the people in an
open primary standing on progressive
platform, I can not SEQ what tho Pro
gressives would have to gain by placing
third party candidates ID tho field
ls7@s1