The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1912-08-18
PLATFORM IS A PROGRAMME.
Also n Contract to Bc Kept After
Election, Rooscvclt says.

l,E'ENE BEACH, Mass, Aug. 1,.--COl.
Theodore Roosevelt invited men and
Ucmen of every creed and color to
Join the Progressive party. In a speech
which he delivered before a large crowd
here to-day. He outlined his pro-
gramme In considerable detail, saying
the people have the right to decide
how they shall live"
Col. Roosevelt said In part:
Men and Women of Massachusetts
and ON the Platform on which stand !
make the same appeal of serious and
sober purpose to the women as to- tho men
II CON" TO TINS State, with its background
of adherence to lofty ideals, and ask you
in tho name Of Massachusetts past to
place tn. Massachusetts, of to-day on the
side ot thus" who to-day battle for all
that is highest and best In our national
lif" ours Is a movement Of genuine
progress We WHO at til" moment i~ad II
are "nd"aN orinG with what strength is
Nou"hSsfed TO rIs. and according to the
lirht that Is iiv'n us. 10 represent the
hopes. tn. desires, the high enthusiasm
of the earnest men and women Of this
country. whose purpose is to smite down
the wrong that sits in high places and
to bring nearer the day when Justice shall
be done alike to great and small through
out tho land.
In making my speech here In Massa-
chusetts on behalf of the Progressive
party l wish TO emphasize the fact that
We are absolutely clear from affiliation
with either of the old parties; that We
regard both the old party machines as
hopelessly corrupt and incompetent, and
that we appeal TO the rank and file OF
both the old parties equally to stand
win! us for good citizenship in the spirit
of true Americans. Ex-Democrats and
ex-Rcpublicans alike we hope will shaer
,,fL L,,,t
Srcssive party, aud we invite into our
ranks men and women entirely without
regard to their former political affiliations.
to their creed. their birthplace or the
color of their skin.
The first essential IN securing the right
Of the people TO rule Is to secure the un-
sparing condemnation Of dishonesty in
nomination or to steal an election Is even
worse than to steal Il purse. for II is n
theft of the peoples rights. it is theft
from the people as n whole.
Two years ago the fight against Mr..
I.orimer was started by a great Chicago
newspaper and was continued by certain
private individuals. And We who then
took part in that fight did so at a time
when the average public man obviously
thought 1t would come to nothing. Grad
ualy. and especially In the recent con-
test in the Republican primaries. We ham
I1ltTtu IL lntD tnt UthuS or tne pOlltlClSlS
that the people were against Lorlmer and
Lorimerlsm; and then the very men who
had been seeking to profit by Lorimer's !
support so long az they believed he would
he useful and some, even. OF the men who
had hitherto defended him turned against
him, But friends. remember that our
real concern was not in smashing one
bad man who by improper methods had
secured his own election TO the Senate,
but in smashing the kind OF politics which
he symbolized. 1t Is a bad thing to win
a Senatorship' by such methods as Mr.
Lorimer employed, but II Is not one whit
worse than to steal a nomination for the
Presidency by such methods as were en-
ployed by the bosses who controlled the
Republican convention at Chicago last
June.
Certain OF your New England Senators,
| regret to say, took the lead both In con-
ducting the campaign for the defence of
Mr.. Lor!mer and in putting through tho
steal OF the Republican nomination at
Chicago. Whatever else is to be said
against these Senators, at least their ac-
! tion in these respects was consistent.
When Senator Crane. Senator Aldrch
Senator Penrose, Senator Guggenheinl,
Senator Gallinger. Senator Dillingham;
and their associates, together with Sena-
tor Bailey Senator Johnson and their as
| sociates on the Democratic side, stood by
Senator I.olimer and Senator Lorimer' y
right to sit In the Senate they were doing
precisely and exactly what Mcssis. Pen
rose, Crane. Guggcnhcim, Gallingcr ana
their prescntativcs later did when thcy
secured the triumph Of Lorimcrism in the
Republican convention at Chicago.
We Progrcssives propose to give the pco-
pie power to rule their own nominating
conventions and to control their own part Y
organizations. just as We propose to max"
them the real and not the nominal masters