Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1913-07-24
THIRD PARTY
OECADENCE
Senator TrOutman Cites Figures to
Show Progressive Decline.
DO NOT WANT A NEW PARTY
Votes in Missouri, Michigan and New
York Show RoOsevelt's Party
Is ON the Wane-Repub-
lican Success.

Topeka, July Ex-senator James
: A. Troutman, in an interview given
4 out today, strikingly points out the
decadence of the Progressive party.
He drives the fagt home with fig
. lures, comparing voting in the fall
election of 1912 and elections held
; this spring in Michigan and St.
Louis, and with party enrolment
which is just being finished in New
York. In the elections tremen-
dous slump of votes from last fall
is shown, with corresponding Re-
publican success The party enroll
ment in New York finds only a
handful now declaring the third par
ty as their preference, in compare
son to the number that voted the
Moose ticket there last November.
Senator Troutman brings out that
this shows only very few OF those
Republicans who voted for Roose-
welt last fall had any intention OF
forming new party alignments, and
are embracing the first opportunity !
to show their allegiance to the Re /
publican party.
Senator Troutman said in part:
I'm November, 1912, Colonel
Roosevelt received 214,584 votes in
Michigan. In April, 1918, the Pro- i
gressive candidates for justices of
the supreme court received 9O,584t
votes, loss of 123,526 in five
months In the April, 1913, cam
paign speeches were made by Col
onel Roosevelt, Senator Beveridge,
and other Progressive leaders, who
appealed to the voters to stand by
the Progressive candidates. The
Progressives had a plurality of 62,-
900 in November, 1912; the Repub- ,
licans a majority of $4,000 in April, :
1918. ,
In November, 1912, Colonel {
Roosevelt received 24,691 votes in (
st. Louis. In the city election in 4
April, 1913, the Progressive candi- '
date for mayor received 4522 votes. Il
The municipal campaign was dis o
tinctly partisan, and the Republi-
cans, Democrats, Progressive and a
Socialist parties each made an ag- |;
yressive canvass. Colonel Roosevelt ii
wrote a letter appealing to the Pro-
,ressives to vote for Gerhart (the
candidate for mayor.
This letter was printed in the city n
'apers and sent as circular to all
oters.
"In his letter Mr.. Roosevelt de-
lounced the Republican candidate fe
Or mayor, who was a delegate to til
be Chicago convention. The Re sa
ublican (Kiel) was elected and re- F,
sived 1O.625 more votes than were II
ast for Mr.. Taft, while there was da
lump In the Progressive vote Of or
O,169. co
Al 4NCW a OAA stHSIC 40 . PAOtAM
iary enrolment Of voters, each Of GU
hom declares his party preference. GU
My those who enroll as members FOL
a given party can sign nomination SIX
lpers for candidates of that party. in,
his party enrolment has just been ths
lmpleted In fifty-two of the sixty on
10 counties of the state. Roosevelt lat
ceived ss0,O21 votes in the presi- ed
initial election, but only S0,377
i've enrolled as members OF the the
aggressive party. Only one in thir- ent
en- Of those who voted for Roose- far
1t for president now declares him tao
II a member Of the new party: In TIL
& city Of New York, where the las
lionel polled 1ss.sss votes in No !
mber. but 1878 Progressives vii
We enrolled for the 1918 campaign. fol
These three incidents. in widely pou
oarated territory. (Rliehigan. Mis- 2aE
ari ana New York;. demonstrates Zee
acluslvely that very few men who loa,
- a. 1880 zf.s.ls...srA. -. 49,.