The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-08-30

| issues that were living then but are
dead now; we must hake the principles
OF Abraham Lincoln and apply them to
the issues of the present day. The ma
tional Progressive convention at Chicago
thus applied the principles of l776 and
1860 to the issues Of 1912.
No Hone in Old Parties.
| "Both of the old parties, on the con-
| trary, have confined themselves to
threshing yer again the old straw.
| There is not one particle of hope for
social or economic reform contained III
| the triumph of either the Democratic or
Republican parties. Each is moss ridden
and privilege controlled Neither dares
! to face the real issues of to-day. Each
proposes sham remedies and tries to dis
tract the attention of the people from
their real needs by the empty sound and
| fury with which they quarrel over false
issues. The two old parties have utterly
lost touch with the facts OF modern eco
| monte life, and they serve no other pur-
pose than that of screens each for its
own sinister alliance of crooked politi-
clans and crooked finaneiers who rule
and pillage with impunity.
1T is no wonder that where this is the
case the average man grows to regard
politics as "a game between two sets
of sharpers at the expense of a muddle-
headed public. Instead of representa-
tive government ours has become an UNI
representative government, and the pop
rlar will is continually frustrated by
the politicians, misrepresented in the
legislature, set at naught by the courts,
and tramped on by the forces of priyi
lege Neither of the old parties shows
even the least faint promise of breaking
up this condition of affairs. The tri
umph of either would perpetuate it.
The leaders of neither show even aa
understanding of what the problem
means. There is nothing in either the
Republican or the Democratic platform
which so much as hints at even an I'M
derstanding Of what issues are really
vital to our people.
"The Progressive platform, on the con
trary, boldly grapples with these issues.
Remember that loyalty to a name often
means the most dreadful disloyalty toi
the principle for which that name once
stood. In 1860 LOYALTY to the parties Of !
jefferson, jackson and Henry Clay could
find expression only by repudiating Of
Tue phftitN tidt SUN Dott tHt HdHits VI |
those great men and joining the new
Republican party. SO in our day We can
be loyal to the Republicanism of Lincoln
by seornfullv tossing aside the Republic |
canism that dances in letters of corrup-
ton under the whips Of Penrose, Barnes
and Guggenheim. The Progressive party
is the only party OF to-day which In any
shape or way represents the Republican
rarty Of Lincoln's time, and in reality
it is continuation Of Lincoln's party.
State and National Campaigns Linked
Nov here in Vermont remember that
your state campaign is hitched with the
national campaign. This is so In the
first place because our opponents, repre-
senting both the old machines, are doing
everything they can to elect their respec-
tive candidates here with the avowed
purpose of thereby Influencing the effect
in other states.
1T is so in the next place because our
Progressive platform deals with great
reforms which must be largely accom-
plshed through state action no less than
through national action. No man has i
right to call himself Progressive at all
il he IL supporting either of the old
parties, whether in the nation or in the
several states. Neither of these old par
ties has shown the slightest understand
ing of the need for social and economic
reform. Whoever supports either OF
Continued on sixth page.)