The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-08-21
Future of Progressive Party.

Montaville Flowers, chief of the speakers bur-
of the Progressive party, who spoke at the 10
zeal chautauqua, declared in last evenings Pal
ladum that "the Progressive party will not only
live but will grow larger time progresses"
Mr.. Flowers words read by apprecia-
tive host of Progressive readers, for Wayne coun-
ty is the banner Progressive county of the United
States Four thousand seven hundred voters
lined up behind the new party last fall and gave
good plurality to every candidate on the Pro-
gressive tickets in this county.
Those voters were gained not through whim
o. caprice but through thought and conviction.
The intelligent people of this county realized that
the time had come for radical change in politi-
cal ideals and practises and they backed tneir
realization with their votes.
You hear lots of talk by the old liners about
the "boys" who are coming back to the "old par
ty." When you try to track down these "boys,
however, you can not find them. There is no
break in the solidarity of the Progressive party
lines. Once Progressive, always Progressive.
The recent Progressive city primary proved that.
Sixty per cent of the voting strength of the party
in last falls presidential election turned out to
register their choice for the mayoralty candidate
at that primary And a sixty per cent party pri-
mary vote is greater than the old line parties ever
experience except where the machines are
spending money hand over fist to get ''their' can
didates on the tickets.
All the efforts to rehabilitate the old Repub-
lican party have so far failed. The Chicago con-
ference of the few remaining progressive Repub-
licans came to naught. The Barnes, Penrose,
Healing, Fairbanks, Crane, Taft gang will have
none of progressive reorganization of their"
party. If there is to be any reorganization they
will do it. And they can, too, for their machine
absolutely controls the old party.
= Why waste further effort and time on the old,
broken down organization? Let the old tories
and reactionaries have the memento of their
wanton and destructive policies. Those who be-
lieve in the progressive thought of the age have
a party right at their hands that is suited to
their ideals and their needs. Composed of those
who fundamentally think and act alike it is a
much more congenial and effective vehicle for
Progressives than the old Republican party.
The participation of the Progressives par
ty in the coming municipal campaign is right in
line with their expressed determination to fight
the enemies of efficient and equal government all
along the line. Turn where you will in old line
city government and you find waste and more
waste And waste is but the common, garden
variety name for ineffciency. The Progress
sives believe they remedy these evils of local
government. They believe they can put a stop
to the wastes and corruption of the old system.
They ask for chance to try out that belief and
prove to the most skeptical the efficacy of Pro-
gressive principles applied to local city gov
eminent.
And in November when the votes are count
ed in Richmond, you will find that city is
going to take chance the new being better
than the old