The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1912-04-11


all.
Washington, April Especially
The keynote Of the progr essive cam
paign in 1912 was sounded by Col.
Roosevelt in his Louisville. KY,
Speech on April g.. At that time
Col. Roosevelt made plain the is
sues which the voters Of the country
are called upon to decide at the
polls; made plain that there can be
mo middle ground between the rule
OF the people; the rights Of the many
against special privileges; right
against wrong and honesty against
dishonesty.
At the outset Col, Roosevelt shat
tered the claims Of MIR. Taft to be
called progressive, showing that
MIR. Taft has failed to carry out the
policies to which he pledged himself
before he entered the White House;
that he has been won over to the
side Of Especial privilege" and al
lowed the reactionaries who fought
him three years ago to 1ominatc his
administration.
In one Of Col. Roosevelts own SON
fences may be summed up his stand
in the present fight. He said:
I'VE who stand for the cause OF
progress, for thr cause of the up
lift of humanity and for the better
ment of mankind, are pledged to
n n n wa, n iSf,4 to-,
by tho few or many, by Il plutoc-
racy Or by mob"
Col. Roosevelt stated that the ma
ton is facing one Of The greatest
crises in its history. He declared
that victory for the progressives
above the dollar, the government
control Of "big business" the conse.-
walton Of natural resources, and the
restoration of power to the people
themselves. Victory for the reac-
tionaries, headed by MI. Taft, how
ever, he stated, means the control
Of the government and the courts
in the interest Of big business and
2 return to that condition when COM
mercial corruption in league with
political allies, seized the most valu-
able of tho count"y's properties.
While severely arranging Mr..
Taft for dilatory tactics, Col. Roose-
welt was sufficiently charitable not
to charge him with anything moro
than timidity and lack OF comDrC-
hensOn
Every man who, directly or indi-
rectiy, upholds privilege and favors
the special interests, whether he
acts from evil motives or merely be-
cause he is puZZle-headed or dull Of
mental vision, or lacking in social
sympathy, or whether he simply
lacks interest in the subjects, is a
rcactionary.
The man is Il reactionary, what
ever may be his professions, and no
matter how excellent his intentions,
who opposes these movements, or
who If in a high place, takes no in
tercst in them and does not earnestly
help them forward.
I'VE are in a period Of changes;
I'VE are confronting a greet period Of
further change. Never was the need
more imperative of men Of vision
who are also men Of action. Disas-
ter Is ahead Of us If we trust to the
leadership Of men whose hearts have
withered and whose eyes are blind
cd, who believe that we can find
safety in dull timidity and dull in
action"
Col. RooscvelL's proof Of inabi1-
ity Of Mr.. Taft to successfully guide
the ship Of state, and at the same
time his verdict on the subject OIL
Mr. Taft's claims to being q progress
sive, arc contained in the following
sentences:
-Four years ago the progressives
supported Mr.. Taft for President and !
he was opposed by such representa-
tive3 Of special privilege as Mr.. PEN |
rose Of Pennsylvania; Mr.. Aldridge, |
Rhode Island: Mr. Gallinger, Of New
HAMPSHIRE; and Messrs. Lorimer, |
Cannon and Mckinley, Of Illinois. |
Guggenheim and Evans Of Colorado, |
and Mr.. Patrick Calhoun, Of San |
Francisco. These men were not
then, and they do
not pretend to be progressive now.