The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-05-13
ONLY TWO PARTIES.
Says Roosevelt-Party of Progress and
Party of Privilege.

New York, May l3-A dollar dinner,
given last night by the New York coun-
ty committee OF the National Progress
sive party, and designated as confer.
ence, resolved itself into a discussion by
the speakers Of political issues. A letter
was read from Col. Theodore Roosevelt
who could not attend, in which ne came
out strongly for the direct primary Dill
being advocated by Governor Sulzer.
Among those present was John Purroy
Mitchell, recently appointed collector OF
the port of New York by President VIII
son. The speakers, Congressman Waiter
NJ. Chandler. Leonard NJ Walstein, VIII
liam l.. Ransom j. j.. Fitzgerald Mrs.
Frederick Nathan Amos Pinchot and j..
j. O'Connell, discussed the coming mu-
nicipal campaign, the general trend OF
their remarks being opposed to fusion
with any other party.
In letter to Dean George w. hirch-
way, chairman of the dinner committee,
Col. Theodore Roosevelt expressed his re-
grets at being unable to attend and
called attention to the fight being made
by Governor Sulzer for direct primary
bill which he said he favored next to the
progressive bill introduced at the session
of the legislature Just closed. Colonel
Roosevelt's letter follows:
Il wish | could be with the progress
sives of New York county at their din.
ner. As that is impossible, let me send
my hearty greetings and call attention
To the battle which is at this moment
being waged in this state for thorough
going and effective direct primary bill
While | think the progressive bill was
the best bill introduced, | nevertheless
most cordially back the bill urged by
Governor Sulzer, for that bill means
substantial measure of positive gam;
and the envenomed opposition OF both
the Murphy and Barnes machines to 1T
is of itself sufficient proof that it IS em-
phaticalIy in the interest of the people
as a whole. The alliance between the
two machines and the legislature shows
how absolutely correct was our char
aeterizaton OF them last fall.
Really at present there are not three
party organizations. There are but two,
tie party of progress and against it the
party of privilege, the party of reaction.
This party of reaction is in two divis-
icns. called Republican and Democratic,
tne DeIIeF 10 MAKE tHtEtlft tiiN NoAi'ii'S'
opposition of both machines to the pol
icy of genuine self government. Nothing
pleases the representatives OF privilege
so much as mock fight between the
two old parties, and that is all that the
fighting between them is.
"Whether Mr., Barnes is on top or Mr..
Murphy is on top. makes no difference:
in either case privilege is enthroned, and
in both cases the people are deprived OF
real power The bosses and the ma
chimes of the two old parties are en-
gagged in the effort to keep the state gov
ernment out of the hands of the people
and under the bipartisan control OF the
old party bosses.
Il have been glad to support Governor
Sulzer in this fight. and | earnestly hope
that the Progressives will take the lead
in the battle for thoroughgoing direct
primary measure Ii should be borne in
mind by all voters that the men who
are now in the legislature, both Repnb-
licans and Democrats, were put there on
their solemn and direct pledges that they
would give genuine direct primary
bill; vet now each Of the old parties has
eaueused in the legislature to defeat
the solemn pledge in its prediction
platform. There can be no more ia
grant type OF political treachery and
falsehood | cannot believe that the
people will submit to such action; and
only BY supporting the Progressives can
they avoid submitting OF such action