Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-08-05

CHICAGO, August 5.-''The first words
of the Constitution are We are the peo-
pie, and they declare that the Constitu-
tons purpose is to form a perfect union
and to promote the general welfare To
do just that is the very heart OF the
progressive cause" declared Albert J.
Beveridge, temporary chairman Of the
progressive national convention, in calling
that body to order today. Mr.. Beveridge
told. in DETAIL the purpose and program
Of the Progressive party. Abuse" said
he. will only strengthen it. ridicule only
hasten its growth, falsehood only speed
its victory.
knowing the price we must pay. the
sacrifice We must make, the burdens we
must carry, the assaults we must en-
dure-knowing full we'll the cost-yet we
enlist and we enlist for the war For
We know the justice Of our cause. and we
know. too. its certain triumph
Mr.. Beveridge spoke in part as fol-
lows:
I'VE stand for a nobler America. We
stand for an undivided nation. We stand
for broader liberty, fuller justice. We
stand for social brotherhood as against
savage individualism. We stand for an
intelligent cooperation instead of a
reckless competition. We stand for mu-
tual helpfulness instead Of mutual hatred
We stand for equal rights as q fact Of
Life instead Of a catchword Of politics.
We stand for the rule Of the people as a
practical truth instead OF O meaningless
preteHse. We stand for q representative
government that represents the people
We battle for the actual rights OF man.
Program Of Constructive Reform.
ITO carry out our principles we have
a plain program Of constructive reform.
We mean to tear down only that which
Is wrong and out of date, and where
we tear down We mean to build what il
right and fitted to the times We harken
to the cali Of the present. We mean to
make laws to At conditions as they are
and meet the needs of the people who
are on earth today. That we may do this
we found a party through which all who
believe with us can work with US, or
rather, we declare our allegiance to the
party which the people themselves have
founded.
For this party comes from the grass
roots. 1t has grown from the soil OF the
peoples hard necessities. 1t has the vi
tally Of the peoples strong convictions.
The people have work to be done and our
party is here to do that work.
Bosses and Special Interests.
The chairman discussed the republican
and democratic parties, the boss sys-
TEN" and special Interests. saying:
'At the present moment notorious
bosses are in the saddle Of both old par
ties in various important states which
must be carried to elect a PresiGAnt
Neither Of the old parties nominees for
President can escape obligation to these
old party bosses. nor shake their practi-
cal hold on many and powerful members
Of the national legislature.
Under this boss system. no matter
which party wins. the people seldom win.
but the bosses almost always win
Continuing his discussion of parties, Mr..
Beyeridge said:
1.-The south has men and women as
genuinely progressive and others as gen.
timely reactionary as those in other parts
OF our country. Yet. for wen known rea-
sons, these sincere and honest southern
progressives and reactionaries vote to-
gether In a single party. which Is neither
progressive nor reactionary. They vote a
dead tradition and q local fear. not a
living conviction and a national faith.
They vote not for the democratic party.
but against the republican party. They
want to be free from this condition: they
can be free from it through the national
progressive party.
THE root Of the wrongs which hurt
the people is the fact that the peoples
government has been taken away from
| them. Their government must be given
back to the people. And so the first
purpose Of the progressive party is to
make sure the rule OF the people. The
| rule Of the people means that the people
| themselves shall nominate. as well as
| elect. all candidates for once. including
| senator's and Presidents Of the United
| States"
Remedy for Business Ills.
| Mr. Beveridge said American business
| is uncertain and unsteady compared with
| the business Of other nations. What
| them he asked, must we do to make
| American business better? We must dc
| what poorer nations have done. We
| must end the abuses Of business by strik.
| ing down those abuses instead Of striking
| down business itself. We must try te
make little business big and all business
honest instead of striving to make bic
business little and yet letting 1t remain
i dishonest. As the Sherman law now
| their mutual affairs and be sure tina,
i they are not lawbreakers. This IS tho
4 main hindrance to the immediate and
permanent revival OF American business
i Under the DEGREES Of the courts the oil
/ and tobacco trusts still can raise pSicei
unjustly and already have done so.
/ such business chaos and legal para
doxes as American business suffers from
can be found nowhere else In the world. :
The speaker declared the progressive
party win accomplish reforms vital Il
American business
Non-parttsan Tariff Commission.
I'VE mean to put new business laws OF
our statute books which VIII tell Amer
lean business men what they can do and
what they cannot do. The next grea'
business reform we must have TO steadil,
increase American prosperity IL to chang
the method OF building our tariffs. TIL,
tariff must be taken out Of politics and
(Coktinued on Fifth Page)