The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1913-03-20
COL. ROOSEVELT SPEAKS
Addresses Conference oil Pennsyl-
vania Progressives On the
Duties OF Party
Urg~s Need of Tisorough Organize
ton for studying aad Securing
Ideals On Which Platform - Basrsi
Speaker Crested by Large Audi
ence.

Speaker Greescsi b, Large Audi
enee.
Former President Roosevelt ad-
dressed a large audience in Phila-
delphia a few nights ago and urged
the need of a thorough organization
for studying and securing the ideals
on which the platform OF the Pro
gressive party was based. The occa-
sion was the first annual Progressive
Conference of the State Of Pennsyl-
vania
In introducing Colonel Roosevelt.
Dean Lewis said:
We have met here tonight 10 lis
ten TO the man who is the leader
in the most wonderful awakening OF
the individual and group conscience
of modern times. There are few who
doubt that he has done more than
any one man TO arouse the consci-
ence OF the people He is a great
personal force making for better
things"
AoioHtI fNOsOtNtit saII IN
The Progressive party has been
founded primarily to render social
and industrial service This means.
OF course, that there must be clean
politics. Rotten politics in the end
means rotten business and rotten
conditions generally. The first requi-
site in any increment for any species
of betterment in this country must
/ be honest.
The Progressive service branch
| of our party activities is devoted to
/ social research, ir organized. effici-
ent shape, and is endeavoring TO cor
relate it with the acts of law-making
| bodies and the needs of the public.
Our party is not in power; il is
not in office; hut it is our duty 10
/ formulate public opinion and prepare
/ II so that it shall insist on action
along the lines we indicate. We rec
! ognize the urgent need of strengthen
/ ing our party by means of organiza-
/ ton; extension Of the machinery:
| but we recognize with equal empha-
sis that machinery, while imperative
I ly necessary, is of use only If treated
as practical means of securing ap-
! piled realism. The Progressive SER
vice is organized because our party
for the first time in the history of
/ any great party in this country, rec
ognizes that the party organization
can best be strengthened by contin-
J nrPaniznd 70
mite aims and ideals
Il wish to congratulate you men
in Pennsylvania upon the fight the
Progressive party is making in the
Legislature to achieve it's purpose
and thereby justify it's existence. All
your proposed laws are good: the
primary law for instance, and the
| corrupt practices act. But peculiar
Importance attaches to the three acts
| proposed for regulating child labor.
| Tor regulating the employment of
women, an6 for creating a minimum
wage for both women and children
Inc underpayment of wage-earners
is one OF the worst evils OF our pres
ent industrial system, and IL is not
only an evil in itself, but 1t is at the
bottom of the sweatshop problem.
The Progressive party was found
ed primarily to meet the great awak-
ening OF conscience which we have
seen In the American people during
the last few years. Thoughtful rlen
and women have grown to realize
that 1t is impossible that either our
present political or our present ia
dusfrial conditions shall continue un-
changed If the Republic itself is to
i've and prosper. Self-government Is
incompatible with dishonest govern
ment; and political democracy and
business oligarchy cannot perma-
nently exist in the same country side
| by side