The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1912-09-13

bitter struggle. during which 1t was
only too clearly shown that a majority
OF the delegates did not regard him as
their first choice" What finally pro-
cured for him the required two-thirds
vote. was undoubtedly the acceptance.
by a number of western delegates, OF
the claim made on his behalf, that he
was more genuinely, or more obviously,
or more intensely, or uncompromising.
ly, progressive" (whatever that may
mean) than any other of the con.
spicuous candidates
| Now this question as a progressive
mess, while its injection into the prob.
lem under the condition of that par
ticular criis undoubtedly operated to
his advantage, may well prove to have
later caused him to be confronted with
an embarrassing and even dangerous
dilemma in the very different condi-
tions of the longer continuing stages
subsequent to the nomination
That greater 'progressiveness"
which, when only abstractly imputed
to him for righteousness" won for him
the nominating votes of those demand
ing that sort of thing, without proving
fatally prohibitory of the support of
these differently minded, might easily,
If and when it should later have to be
expressed more definitely and in de-
tail, prove TO be, either dangerously
disappointing and unsatisfactory to
progressive" enthusiasts, or, on the
other hand, equally or even more dan
gerously alarming and repellent to vot-
ers Of the other, the so-called 'reac-
tionary," school. 1t is question of
fact, for instance, whether the candi-
dates carefully prepared speech of
acceptance" by the very qualities which
have won for it the warm approval
and commendation of the great east
ern papers and business men-who are
openly and scornfully opposed to what
in 'the west" are called progressive"
policies-will not seriously endanger
his popularity at the polls in those re-
gions and with these voters whose en-
thusiasm for "progressiveness" is
quite as great, to say the least, as the
enthusiasm for sane and safe" con-
servatism is among the others.
All this ! realize, and candidly ad-
NIT that, but for the spontaneous self
division" which has just happened to
the late lamented republican party,
we might well fear possible other
defeat due to the failure of one wing
or the other of our party to support
our candidate But in the actual case
it seems incredible that the party
unity which, after all, did survive that
awful struggle in Baltimore, can pos
sibly be so far impaired in the actual
voting at the polls, by the inorganic
ed, unavowed, unconcerted disatisfac-
tion of individuals, as to counteract
appreciably the terrific vote reducing
effect wrought upon our adversaries
by that complete separation" into
two bitterly hostile segments, which
occurred at Chicago Wilson will al
most certainly get the great bulk of
our usual vote, and very probably
thousands of votes from eX-republicans
who will prefer his "progressiveness"
to Roosevelt's and his conservatism"
to Taft's and who, by thus going to
him, will feel that they are taking
to the woods. and thereby avoiding
both the dismal swamp" of Taftism,
and the "erupting Volcano of Roose-
veltism,
Hopeful of Wilson's election, | am
also confident of the success and sub
stantial utility of the country of his
administration. ! believe him to be
on the one hand sincere in his profes-
sions of interest in certain proposed
reforms, of some of which | cannot
conscienuously approve, but, on the
other hand, | am convinced that he is
too intelligent. too well informed, and
too careful of his reputation for sense
and patriotism, to go to dangerous
lengths, in actual practice, in any at
tempt to carry out impraeticable or
unjust policies. no matter how earn
estly pressed upon him by well-mean-
ing but mistaken Missionaries.
Show Gets Boquet.