Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-11-14
7. R. SAYS BATTLE
HAS JUST BEGUN
Regards Polling of Over 4,000,-
900 Votes by Progressives
Unparalleled in History.

New York. Nov. 1l-ThcOdorc RoOsc-
welt made Il formal statement Tonight
hearing upon the election and the fu-
turc Of the Progressive party. In line
with previous expressions of his own
and OF his colleagues. he reiterates that
1.-THE Progressive party has come to stay"
and far from being over. the battle has
just begun
lie regards the partY's showing in poll
ing over four million votes in the face
| OF numerous obstacles naturally in tho
path of a new movement all 'litcraly I'M
paralleled In the history Of free govern
| mont" Tn" statement follows:
| Il congratulate the progreSSiN"s Of the
country. that is congratulate those good
men and women vino. with sincerity
! of purpose for the common good, have
/ had the vision to look into the coming
Years and see what the future demands
! from us who work In this present.
What the Progressive party has done
! since the theft OF the republican or
! ganization 10y the republican bosses at
| Chicago last June is literally unparallcl-
| cd i'm the history of free government.
worked under representative Institutions.
| Three months have gone by since some
! hundreds OF earnest men and women
| gathered To found the new Progressive
party. Without much money, without
| any organization, against the wealth of
the country, against the entire organ
| izel political ability of the country,
against the bitter hostility Of 20 per
| cent. of the press of rhe country, against
| the furious opposition Of every upholdor
| of special privilege. whether in politics
or in business. and with the channels
| of information to the public largely
| choked, the Progressive party has polled
between four and four ana one-half mil
lion votes: has hopelessly beaten one OF
the old parties, both in the electora
college and In the popular vote; mas
taken second place in the nation. ant
either first or second place in some 3
of the AZ States
NO task in any way approaching thi
has ever before been performed by an.
party in our country Such a feat, per
formed by volunteers hastily brought to
gether and without any previous cooper
alton with each other, against the train
ed veterans Of the political arena, thes
trained veterans including the entir
mercenary forces OF politics, should be
source of pride not only 10 those VIII
performed the TASK but to all believer
in good citizenship and in the capacit
of Americans for self-govcrnment.
During the campaign | said repeated
. ~ thai this was in no shape or way
one-man movement, but :. movement 70
great principles, movement which ha
I sprung, as all healthy movements in on
@ democracy must spring. from the heal
d and conscience OF the people themselves
This truth must be kept steadily be
II fore the minds Of all of us. The Pro
II grossive party has come t" stay
l. either Of che Old parties Will endeaV'
h to put into legislation any one OF OF
v plank, it can count upon our heart
1t support IN so doing; but we will not TEL
y contented until the entire platform
l. enacted into law and becomes part
our political system, national and stat
Is II am proud indeed that the great sol
fortune has been mine to fight should
AZ to shoulder with the men and wom'
u who in the ranks and in various pos
e. tons of leadership, have waged III
lie great battle for social and industrial in
tice So far from being over the bait
'r has lust begun. We will not rest co
III tent until every feature of the progre
~ siVo>piogram has been put into effect al
when this has been done unaUestionab
there will have opened to us new av
h, to work for the moral and econOn
nd botterment OF our people.
by tSigncd) "THEODORE ROOSEVELT