The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1913-03-20

Within a week we have read three noteworthy addresses
upon the political situation as it affects the future OF the
republican party. One of these was delivered by Senator
Cummins of Iowa; another was by Uncle Joe Cannon OF
Danville; the third was by former Senator Beveridge OF
Indiana. Here we have the triangle applied to a political
situation. These speeches give us three dlffefug views
of the future. They represent three states OF mind when
we may accept or reject, one or all, as they seem to us to De
reasonable.
Senator Cllmmins states, first, what we have all known
and what some of us have stated with all the emphasis we
could command, that the republican convention OF last
summer did not represent the sentiment OF the majority OF
the republican party in its action. me Iowa man declares
that the use of federal patronage and the control OF south
ern delegates-representing no republican strength at all
led to the defeat Of the will of a great majority OF the re,
publican voters of the country; He goes further, too and
declares that the only hope of the republican party lies in
getting rid of the machinery by which such manipulation
of conventions is possible, and he concludes with the asser-
ton that unless the republican party takes steps to discard
this system of machine control, it is doomed. All OF which
is true.
Former Speaker Cannon declares with characteristic
assurance and in the manner OF a longtime cog IN
the machine, that the republican party will continue to do
business at the old stand; that it will welcome all who want
to come in without any adjectives prefixed to their repub-
licanism; that it will not bulge an inch from its position;
that it will return to its own as soon as the people nave
time to think.
The Philadelphia address of Senator Bcveridge, delv-
cred last Friday night, affects the republican situation indi-
rectly, as it dealt with the progressive party's attitude, past,
present and future. 1t followed a brief talk by Colonel
Roosevelt. Both these talks, stirring and inspiring, fore
told the permanence and the ultimate triumph OF the pro.
gresslVe party, because. It's principles are the principles OF
the people and because the principles of the people are, as
Senator Beverjdge said, guided by higher WISDOM"
OF the Cummins view, it can be said that it is correct in
its premises and wrong in assuming that the republican
party can ever become again the party Of the people. OF
the Cannon forecast, it can only be said that it is the utter
ance Of a man talking just to hear himself talk, 1t does
not appeal to the reason of any student of the situation.
The Beveridge opinion is being strengthened every day by
developments in every part of the country. There is no.
body who honestly doubts the permanency OF the progress
sive movement; there can be no honest doubt Of it.
The progressive movement is extending its scope of terri
tory, ~enlarging the number Of its fighters, establishing the
correctness of its principles, every day. 10 quote Senator
Beveridge again, They say our party departs from the way
of our fathers, but we are following the principles that the
fathers established, and we mean to make good the fathers
wishes and to re-establish the fathers government, and we
will certainly realize the meaning of our flag, as expressed
by John Quincy Adams, o bright flag, O brave flag, O flag
Of the free