New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-09-21
ROOSEVELT TELLS Why
HIS PARTY SHOULD LIVE
univ Political Means Recognlz-
inn Need of Solving Democratic
Problems by New Methods.
PLEA FOR COMMON PEOPLE
Article in THE Century" Says
They Should Have Direct Con-
troll Over Their Govern
mental Agencies.

-. President Theodore Roosevelt, In an
-.,o,e IN the october Century" declares
81. "fundamentally the reason for the
l'e '.,.,ce of the Progressive party is found
100 facts: First, the absence OF real
s,s.;nction between the old parties WhlCh
sorresnond TO those parties. and second
~ determined refusal Of men In control
ho,b narties to use the party organiza-
- and their control Of the government
..r the purpose Of dealing with the PROP
,or,s really vital 10 our people.
ue saws that fifty and sixty years ago
~. was q genuine division line between
Bspublicans and Democrats that the re
-,,b,icans OF those times stood for a COM
s,nation Of all that was best In the poiiu-
al PHILOSOPHERS of Jefferson and Hamll-
Tho outbreak Of the Civil War
100 the majority of the conservative
lass into the Republican party. because
ro,ional dissolution was the issue. Inc
n.r,ocratic party. on the other hand, he
-, after the Civil War, found its po-
.,,,on one of mere negation or mere an
,.rorisrn 10 the Republican party.
After the issues raised by the war were
,s,,led. the party bonds were those Oh
name. custom and tradition, rather than
principle
"rach marty contains within its leader
chin and membership men who are nope
,ssslv sundered by whatever convictions
thew really hold, and who act together
,trorIv for reasons Of personal or party
, .~,ad,encv." Mr. Roosevelt argues. IL
!, imnossible to secure the highest ser
rics for the people from any party which,
Ike the Democracy, is welded 10 states
tights as against those peoples rights
which can be obtained only by the eXer-
rise Of the full power of the national gov
eminent"
he declares also that sincerity OF de-
votion 10 any principle Of concern 10 the
rsonle as a whole is not to be expected
from party which "is usurped ana heiu
nv the powers that prey in the political
and business world"
Issues of Present Generation.
"Where neither party ventures to have
any real convictions upon the vital issues
AZ the dav. il is normally impossible 10
use either as an instrument for meeting
those vital issues" continues Colonei
Roosevelt. Most Of these issues, he says,
have become such during the lifetime Oh
the present generation. He is not consio-
ering issues which concern internauohai
relations. Those issues must always De
settled exactly along the lines OF gen
eral policy laid down by Washington
The issues at hand are those due 10 the
profound social and economic changes OF
the last half century, 10 the exhaustion
~ the soil and of our natural resources
10 the rand growth Of manufacturing
towns and great trading cities ana 10 u
relative lowering Of the level OF lie IN
many country districts.
'The present day need OF our people 10
10 achieve the purpose our predecessors
IN the Democratic movement mao AZ
heart. even though ii be necessary W
abandon or reverse the methods by Whlch
thew in their day sought TO realize anu
indeed often did realize. that purpose
The Progressive party is the only poilu-
cal instrumentality in existence to-day
which recognizes the need or achleVihs
this purpose by the new methods "hich
under changed industrial and social con-
ditions are alone active.
Colonel Roosevelt asserts that the rank
and Ale OF the Republican party is win
the Progressive movement but that they
have no real power against the bosses
and adds:
"The doctrines laid down by Mr.. Iait
as law professor at Yale give the the
oretcal justification for the practicai ac-
tion Of Mr.. Penrose and Mr.. Smoot Inc
doctrines promulgated by Nicholas Muir
raw Butler. when he writes Mr.. Barnes s
platform, serve to salve the consciehceS
Of those who, although they object 10
bossism on aesthetic grounds. yet sincere
" fee, that governmental corruption Is
preferable TO the genuine exercise oil pop
ular power"
What Progressive Party OFFERS
As 10 lust what the Progressive parry
offers Mr.. Roosevelt says that it does nor
believe in combining governmental ACTIVITY
to the city, and that the rear propleNa ~.
frxy