The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1912-07-14
Bull Moose Movement
Like the Lincoln PARTY
In 1856 Many States Supported the Call for a
National Convention Just as They
Have Done Nop.

Philadelphia, July 13.-When progressive
leaders from forty States issued a call
for the convention, at which the National
Progressive party is to take concrete
form. they followed an example set for
patriotic men who smashed party lines
for their cOuntrys sake.
The call for the progressive conven-
ton. which is to be held in Chicago on
August ., was made public in New York
after a series Of conferences between the
progressive leaders and Theodore Roose-
Welt, around whose standard the pro-
gressives have rallied II Is addressed 10
the people of the United States, with
out regard to past political differences.
That quoted phrase is historical. 1t
was the opening greeting in the call for
the convention at which the Republican
party was born. and the death knell OF
slavery. then the chief bulwark of special
privilege was sounded.
Just Eow, when the revolt against the
domination of both politics ana Industry
by special privilege has made the new
political movement imperative. the strik-
ing similarity between conditions out of
which grew the party of Lincoln and
those existing to-day Is Of the utmost
significance.
"Hs w
In 1856. as now. the coalition between
the political bosses and special privilege
was working smoothly. Human slavery.
recognized as an institution even by the
Constitution. had complete control of
one party and had cowed the other into
a state of subservienCe. Tnc great senti-
ment OF the nation. which held that hui
man rights were above property rights.
Of in no
government.
Then, as now. earnest men. whose
vision penetrated the future, We're fight
ing an oligarChy as powerful in its way
as that against which Theodore RoOse-
welt and his followers are waCing war
to-day. and fighting il in the face OF the
same sort of abuse which the benefici-
aries of special privilege ale directing
against the progressive movement. The
same sort of drab newspa pers were max
ing mock Of the new movement: there
was the same false cry that the integrity
of the Constitution was being attacked;
there was the same raIIyinS cry Of party
regularity
Nominated Buchanan.
The Democratic National Convention of
1856 met in May of that year in Gin
cinnati. and nominated James Buchanan
for President. The platform dealing with
the burning question of the hour had
this to say about slavery:
THAT Congress has no power TO in
terfsre with slavery in the States and
Territories. the people CT which have the
exclusive right to settle that question
for themselves" The WhiS party. con-
Irolled by big business m the North:
was too cowardly to face the issue.
The men who believed that human
,hA iCht w
that their hope OF preventing further
aggression lay in the formation Of
new party. The new movement had
been started in several OF the free
States. A mass convention. attended by
representatives from many States, had
been held in Pittsburg on Washington's
birthday, and there the call for the first
convention of the new party was adopt
ed and issued, just as the call for the
formation of the new progressive party
was the outcome of the mass convention
at Chicago. which called upon Theodore
Roosevelt to head the progressive move
ment.
Historic Call Of 1855.
The Republican party call was as fol-
lows:
The people Of the United States.
without regard to past political differ
cnces or divisions, who are opposed TO
the repeal of the Missouri compromise.
10 the policy OF the present administra-
ton. to the extension of slavery into the
Territories, In favor of the admission OF
Kansas as a free State and of restoring
the action of the Federal government to
the principles of Washington and JEFF
ferson. are invited by the National Com
mittee. appointed by the PittsburG con-
vention of the twenty-second OF Febru-
airy. 1856, to send from each State three
delegates from every Congressional dis
trict and six deiegates-at-lar to meet
In Philadelphia On the seventeenth day
of June next. for the purpose of recon-
mendinG candidates to be supported for
President and Vice President Of the
United States
The call for the 1856 convention was
signed by the representatives Of twenty