The Washington times., 1913-03-12


to disband. not more than fifteen per cent OF
them would Join the ranks of the Republicans.
/ do not wish to be understood as meaning that
there is any apparent possibility of the Pro-
gresSive party breaking up. | use the express
sion merely to bring clearly into the foreground
the attitude of the Progressives in their hostility
to the old party, and to point out how idle it is
for Republicans to look for any considerable
accession to their depleted ranks from the Pro-
gressives. .
Where Democrats Would Gain.
The Republicans, as matter of fact are
relatively much better off with the Progressives
in the field for the reason that if the latter were
to 60 out of business, many more of their vot-
ers would 90 over to the Democrats thar to thi
Republicans, probably three or -feur to one.
This would enormously increase the already
overwhelming lead of the Democrats over the
Republicans. =. - : :, ~
Nothing is clearer at this writing than that
the incoming Administration will be enphati--
ally progressive, and that the Democratic party
will be under the control of its progressive
wing. The chances are that the ground of the
Progressive party will be well covered by the
Democrats under Wilson's and Bryan's leader
ship, and that the Democrats will even sweep
far over into the territory of utter radicalism.
Apart from the questions of tariff and
wider nationalism, there is nothing of a strictly
progressive or radical nature that the Demo-
Gratis cannot take on without in the slightest de-
gree moving from the foundational rock on
which they stand The Progressives have no
patent on ideals or uplift or reform that the
Democrats cannot adopt. Neither have the Pr
gressives patent on any ideal or reform meas
ure that the Republicans cannot adopt.
One Plank the Chief Obstacle
There is little in the Progressive platform to
which the great bulk of the Republicans seri-
ously object, save the one plank on the recall
of judicial decisions. And one plank alone,
plank of this nature, does.not furnish differen-
tiation enough to justify the maintenance Of
two. distinct parties, rendering each hopelessly
Intellectual in combating the solidified Demo
cratic forces. .ssE -
can understand how single issue, if it be
big enough, justifies firm and unyielding
stand against any compromise whatever. Lin
coin had such an issue in his fight against slaV-
cry. II was, more than an isSue-a cause,
great human cause: 1t was so big, so over
whelming, that all else in the platform of his
party was, for the time, incidental to it. 2
Some members of the Progressive party,
might we'll say good many of them, have
somehow or other come to fancy that we, like
Lincoln, are fighting for great cause. This, to
my mind, is an error. 1t cannot be squared to
the facts. A great cause is one thing, and po-
litical policies are quite another.
The policies of the Progressive party 60 fur
ther in the matter of primaries in the Square
deal of man to man, in social justice, equaisuf-
frage, industrial evolution, the initiative, refer
endum, and recall, than either of the two old
parties. Moreover, there are in the platform of
the Progressves spirit of uplift, pledge OF
reform, measure of idealism, and human
note of brotherly love, that do not exist in thu
platforms of the Republican and Democratic
parties.
But no one of these, nor all of them COM
bined constitutes real cause, cause like that
of striking the shackles from fraction of the
human race.
Bread-and-B Butter Issue Obscured.
This reform idea has so possessed the
thought of the new party, and the spirit of up
lift and idealiSm has SO dominated it, that the
bread-and-butter issue has been largely OBJ
scured And without the bread-and- butter issue
as the cornerstone of party, without economic
policies that mean good business and general
without constructive craftsmanship
that turns the wheels of enterprise, no party
however big in ideals, can live True, the Re-
publican party started with an ideal, but il
speedily developed great, broad, economic poll
cies under which we have made the greatest
material advancement of any country in the