The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1912-06-28
B&NDANlTA HANDKERCHIEF is
The "RtoSEYLT BATTLE FLAG"
STANDS F0RPLAIN PEOPLE
Roosevelt Leaders Announce That the
Third Party Wi be Rapidly Or.
ganiEed-pla of Action
Quilted.

Chicago.-The "pryressivs' party,
born Saturday night, ws dedicated sun
day. IN the ~presenceof perhaps five
hundred men, some of hem recognized
leaders Of the movement others merely
~onlookers, the first fohal step was
ta''en. Gov. Hiram Johnso Of California
was empowered to appoin a committee
Of seven members TO coner with Col.
Roosevelt and formulate plan of 40
tion.
Here is the birth Of a rev party"
said Gov. johnson, when thi was done.
The movement is goig steadily
ahead" said James r. GarfGl of Ohio.
Those who think this is a fish in tho
pan are mistaken"
In the opinion Of the leaders the new
party enters the field with a frmidabls
equipment. These leaders, howeer, said
that as to the men who took a o%nspicu.
Gus part in the campaign for Col Roose-
velt's nomination, each must spnk for
himself.
The attitude of Gov. Hadley d Mis-
souri, was the chief point of discussion
along this line. The governor left own
without waiting to declare himself.
1t was said several weeks may ehpsa
before the programme is decided ulon.
Gov. Johnson, in the meantime, will act
as field marshal, and in cooperation with
Col Roosevelt, will decide upon the mem
bership of the COMMITTEES of seven aid
guide the preliminary work of organizt
tion.
The meeting was held in the head
quarters Of the national Roosevelt com
mittee, under the direction Of the most
prominent Roosevelt supporters, who
had not left town. Seated at a table
with Gov. johnson was Mr.. Garfield,
Clifford Pinchot, GOV, Stubs of Kansas,
Medill Mccormick of Chicago and Sen
ator Clapp OF Minnesota.
Scattered through the hall were a
large number of Roosevelt delegates to
the Republican national convention, as
well as some of the steam roller" dele.
gates to whom seats were refused. 1t
was impossible to ascertain how large a
proportion of the full Roosevelt strength
at the convention was represented, al
though it was said that nearly every
state which sent Roosevelt delegates to
Chicago had its share of me- there.
The bandanna handkerchief was adopt
ed as the Roosevelt battle flag"
Most of the delegates wore flaming
bandamas tied around their arms and
others were distributed by the hundreds
to the crowd. The bandanna, it was ex.
planned, stands for the plain people, who
ordinarily use them.
We're all plain people here, and this
is a movement of the plain people," said
one of the delegates.
Col. Roosevelt gave his sanction to tina
battle flag" by appearing with one
in his hand, which he waved to the
crowd on the street. His daughter, Mrs.
Longworth, wore a %bandanna on her hat.
Scattered through the hall were a large
number of Roosevelt delegates to the
Republican convention.
81 am not acting as the leader of this
movement" said Gov. johnson, when the
meeting of delegates had been called TO
order. "The active leader must be a
man from Il more accessible state than
California. l am merely acting as chair
man of this meeting, at which we are
to begin on the road which leads to POI
litical freedom"
Judge Ben B. Lindsey, of Denver, a
Democrat, arose,
Surely there can be no more solemn
occasion than this one" he said. 1--WE
are beginning on Sunday a great move
ment. l believe that we should begin
it by asking the guidance of him for
whom we are here
w. II. Nixon, OF Selma, Ala, a negro
Clergyman and a Roosevelt delegate, who
was excluded from the Republican con-
vention, began to rscite the psalm which
begins;
"The Lord is my shepherd" The dele
gates arose and repeated it with him.
A prayer by Nixon followed. Some one
began to sing America" and in a mo-
ment the others were singing, The meet
ing was in contrast to the u~proarious
ones which had been held in the same
room while the convention was in ses-
sion. The solemnity of the occasion,
which was believed to signalize the birth
of a new party, impressed itself upon the
gathering, and a hush fell over the crowd.
broken only by the voice of the speakers.
Gov. johnson, in his opening address,
appealed to the delegates to stay in the
fight they had begun.
This is a solemn OCCASION" he told
them, "as it was the last night when we
met to tender the nomination for presi.
dent to Theodore Roosevelt. The time
for action has come. Let us begin to
act, rather than to waste our time in
talking"
Mr.. Garfield made a motion, which was
adopted, directing Gov. johnson to ~
point the committee of seven.
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