The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-10-22
PROGRESSING BACKWARD.

| 1t is the same old story, but none
theless interesting. In the special jul
| dicial election which was held Monday
in Illinois, the candidate of the Pro-
gressive party finished a poor third to
| the Democratic and Republican can
| didates. He was no less than 5000
votes behind the Republican who came
| in second, and nearly 5000 votes in
| the rear of the successful Democrat
| This is only more convincing evidence
| that the sum and substance of the Pro-
gressive party is Theodore Roosevelt,
and without his personality directly at
stake, the Progressives show surpr1s-
ing weakness. Perhaps the real sig
nificance of this latest overwhelming
defeat for the Progressives is best
shown in a dispatch from Peoria that
was sent to the reliable Chicago Rec
ord Herald by one of it's staff cores
pondents on the eve of this election. 1t
reads in part:
THE Progressive party is facing a
crucial test at tomorrow's special cleo
ton of justice of the supreme court
in the Fifth district. Politicians
throughout the state and to some ex-
tent in the nation are anxiouSly await
ing the result.
gain or lose much in prestige. The
first real opportunity will be given to
find out whether the Progressive party
has retained the remarkable strength
exhibited in central Illinois at the
presidential election last year or
whether the large p1uralities piled up
at that time were the result of Theo-
dore Roosevelt's personal popularity
rather than the principles for which
the new party stands.
No part of Illinois was more
strongly for Roosevelt than the fifth
supreme court district. Six of the ten
counties were carried by Roosevelt.
Three counties went for Wilson, while
only one, Grundy, was carried by Taft
In the gubernatorial contest the Pro-
gressives did not make quite good
a showing, although Frank H. Funk,
their nominee, carried several of the
counties. A Progressive representa-
tive in congress, w. H. Hinebaugh of
La Sale, who has been honored with
the Craftsmanship of the national Pro-
gressive congressional committee, was
elected from the twelfth congressional
district, which is partly within the |
fifth supreme court district. Three or
four Progressive mem bers of the leg |
islature were elected from this terri |
tory.
Progressive leaders have realized |
how much depends upon the supreme |
court election from the standpoint of |
party prestige and have made the |
best campaign of which they are ca |
pable. A dozen or more Progressive |
men and women orators toured the |
district last week. While the Repub-
ing personal canvasses, with no at
tempt to hold large mass meetings,
the Progressives have been producing
more noise than both of the old par
ties put together.
The voters have had no opportun
lty to forget that Progressive candi-
judicial campaign in the his
tory of the district.
The attitude of the judicial candi-
dates toward the social justice laws
proposed in the Progressive platform
has been the issue injected into the
by the Progressive orators.
The voters have been told that Arthur
H. Shay, the Progressive nominee,
would decide in favor of humanity |
in ruling on a question of public pol
icy which might arise in determining
the constitutionality of an act. The
suffrage law has been the one
most cited as being at stake
With defeats for the Progressive
party piling up on each other with I'M
relentless regularity. and in the local
ties where they were strongest in the
last presidential election, it is little
wonder that many of them who are
0bsessed with desire for office should
hesitate about announcing whether or
not they will continue with that party
or return to the Republican fold; and
that others should begin to suggest
hat harmony with the Republicans is
most desirable.