Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1913-09-20
Bismarck, Saturday, September 20, 1919
The Progressive PARTY a Year After

The Progressive Party a Year After
The small vote cast for the candidate Of the
progressive party in the holly contested election n
the Third district of Maine last week has naturally
been the subject OF much rejoicing in republican
quarters. With two of the foremost national leaders
of the party, Messrs. Barfeld and Beverldge, taking
part in the campaign-thoueh, to be sure, It should
be mentioned that the democrats and the republican
put forth similar exertions-the progressive vote turn
ed out to be only half of that cast for Roosevelt last
year, while the total vote was larger than that cast
in the national election, says the New York Post. An
eyenk more recent Straw is furnished by the judicial
election in the Peoria district of illinois, where the
progressive candidates for judgeships averaged only
about two votes to the precinct; in Peoria city itself,
the aggregate vote polled by them was s., whereas
the same precincts gave Mr.. Roosevelt last November
1878 votes-nearly a hundred times as many. Scat
tering results, coming from time to time from almost
all parts of the country, have, ever since last years
election, been telling somewhat the same kind of story
with almost unbroken regularity. 1t is not surprising,
therefore, that Mr.. Charles D. Hilles, chairman OF
the republican national committee, should have taken
occasion to sum up, apropos of the Maine election,
this series Of happenings, which he regards as clear
proof that the progressives are "homeward bound
all over the country, that the uprising last year was
a one.man affair, and that with that man out Of the
running nearly all Of those who followed him out
of the party will come back into the republican fold.
Political prophecy, however, is one Of the most
hazardous of occupations; and Chairman Hotchkiss:
of the New York State Progressive committee, is
quite justified in refusing to admit that the figures
50 ~strikingly, arrayed by Mr.. Hiles have anything OF
fnality in them. He falls back upon the difference
between a national election and local elections, says
that the interest of the progressives is centerd on
national issus, and declares that he has no doubt that
the party's vote will rise again when it Shall face q
national crisis. But while all this may serve as an
excuse for what has happened, and while it would
indeed, be rash to assert that a resnrgence OF the
party in great strength three years from now is out
Of the question, yet the change that has come over
its condition, the change that has come over its spirit,
cannot be denied and cannot be explained away.
What gave the party it's distinctive character, what
made it appear to be a sign and portent such Is
rarely seen in the political skies, was the consuming
ardor of it's champions, the religious fervor which
broke out in all it's great assemblages, the seeming
dedication of thousands Of men and women to a
cause of transcendent import, a cause challenging the
unstinted and undying loyalty OF all Its adherents.
Men who enlist in such a service are not In the
habit of reckoning, from day to day, the exact degree
of need Tor their manifestations of devotion to 1t.
m On sthss eontrary they are glad of every opportunity
that may present itself, in season Or out of season,
to bear their testimony to the cause. Surely, the
simple act ~ going W III pOIS "uu uo'h6 So"h'>"
could be expected of every one of the faithful, if only
to give the world assurance that the flag was Kept
fyinR. and that the fight would be resumed In ful
yieor when the war cry sounded once again. The
small and listless responsesSt III thet roll call which
election after election, and enrolment after enroll
ment, has shown is in sad contrast to the thunoer
and the shouting of a year ago. '
Nevertheless, discouraging as has been its show
ing nm to the present time, what will actually happen
to the progressive party depends on developments
which it. is now impossible to forecast with conn
dence.s Foremost among these is the course OF ousl-
ness. and the general condition of prosperity ana
comfort, or the reverse. If matters should 80 padlS
a thing which the judgment Of the business world
does not look for, but quite the opposite-if, contrary
tc expectation, there should be poor times in business
with slackness of employment and the accompanying
discomfort among the masses, the republican party
might be expected at once to resume It's old position
OF leadership upon the tariff issue. 1t was, a1ter all
the discredit into which the party had fallen upon
that issue which was the starting point Of its break
down: Roosevelt's attack, formidable as 1t certainly
was in itself, was but the final assault upon q strong
hold whose defenses had already been sadly impaired
and Of which the garrison had become Thoroughly de-
rnorauxed. liza reaction should set in against tariff
reform, the prestige of the republican party would be
at once revived, and it is difficult to see how, in such
a situation. the progressive party could hope to make
much OF q showing.
II, on the other hand, as we all hope, the next
two years are to be years of satisfactory business
and Of general prosperity, It seems inevitable that
the democratic party will enjoy q standing before the
country such as 1t has not possessed since before the
Civil war. To nave overthrown the high tarih system
without bringing on that disaster which has constant
" been preached as its sure consequences would OF
itself count tremendously In it's favor. But It seems
highly nrt bable that q settlement of the banking and
currency question. which has vexed the country Tor