Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-08-26

BY SENATOR JOSEPH M.
DIXON.
Chairman of the Progressive National
Committee.

put forth as its platform a declaration
of human rights. 1t is not, IN the
ordinary sense, a platform at all The
Progressive party has really made a
covenant with the people. 1t presents
a scientific solution of the economic
situation that confronts ninety million
American citizens.
The Progressive program cOntem-
plates first a settlement of everyday
American problems in contradistinction
to the platitudes contained in the Re
publican and Democratic platforms
which offer no solution whatever.
The Progressive program deals with
the abnormal conditions in industrial
life in America. 1t promises relief from
the subnormal conditions of living
which affect every man. woman and
child living under our government
Meaning Not in Doubt.
1t declares for decided and definite
principles-compulso insurance for
loss of life or limb by men or women
engaged in industrial pursuits; a
minimum time of labor per day; a
minimum wage for men as well as
for women workers.
Our program declares for the con-
servation of natural resources; but il
goes further than that 1t declares
for the conservation of the people
theselves. and the conservation of it's
citizens should be the first duty of gov
eminent.
Every child born under the Ameri-
fla 10 ipl,t no
1t Is the duty the state owes to it's
future citizenship to see that the chill
dren who are to be the men and
women tomorrow have an opportu-
nifty to be the right kind of men and
women For this our program provides,
by definite, constructive suggestions,
which are perfectly feasible to enact
into law.
While carefully safeguarding the
rights of property, the Progressive pro-
gram declares broadly that the rights
Of human beings are greater than prop
erty rights, and if it is necessary to
sacrifice the one or the other the rights
of human beings must be protected
We are not seeking to do anything
Utopian or ahead of the times or i'm
practical, What we propose can be
done. We do not need to wait for the
slow evolution of human nature HUI
man nature is honest enough and suf-
ficiently advanced today to provide
good government if we can keep those
who would prey upon the people from
coming between the people and the
government
Program of Simplicity.
One of the things that commends our
program is its simplicity. No voter
who reads it lays it down with any
doubt as to its meaning 1t does not
require course of economies to un-
derstand what we are seeking to do or
how we are seeking to DO it,
We merely have voiced the protest of
the people who have suffered wrong
against the wrongs they have suffered
and against the men and the conditions
that have imposed those wrongs. Hav-
ing voiced that protest, we have found
scientific way to better the conditions
and to make it impossible for dishonest
men to take unjust advantage of hon
est men.
All we ask of the voter is to read our
platform and compare its specific utter
ances with the meaningless general
ties in the platforms Of the Democrats
and Republican parties. Then, after he
has done this. we ask him to COnsider
which he would prefer in office: Men
who promise to do something definite
and useful and are willing to leave
lifelong party ties in order to do it, or
men who subscribe to platforms that
promise nothing but offices to those
who sacrifice what convictions they
may have to their desire to continue to
feed at the public trough
Compare the Men.
Again. we ask that the voter compare
the men who are in our party with the
men who are in the others; place their
records side by side; consider their
achievements, and then go to the polls
and vote for the set of men who have
really done something.
We are on the verge Of change of
government. 1t must come, and it wiz
come. We propose to bring it about
peacefully and with no interference
with business that is honest.
The two old parties insist on the
same old way. Let them insist. The
people will get their way. but they are
likely to get it suddenly and perhaps
violently.
The worst enemies Of the two old
parties are the men in each who insist
no change is necessary. The Republi-
an party foundered at Chicago. led to
destruction by the men who could not
see the breakers ahead.
We as progressives have been able to
understand the needs Of the people
little better 70 serve them we had to
cave the Republican party, but We had
far ather desert decadent and deci-
mating party than desert the people Of
he United States