St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1914-06-03

did not make Mr.. Wilson president
Of the United States as he made Mr..
Taft president of the United States,
but more than any other man or any
hundred men in any political party he
helped in the president-making pro-
cess. This is but another way of
saying that the split in the old re-
publican party made democratic rule
inevitable. The continued split in
the republican party, which Mr..
Roosevelt's plans now insure, will
make the prolongatiOn of democratic
rule inevitable.
1t will require much more demo-
cratic laundering than President
Wilson is likely to permit, or be gull
ty of himself; it will require much
more business depression than con-
ditions are likely to develop; it viii
require much more dissensiOn with
in the democratic party than present
indications would Justify one in an
.ticipating to give to the disunited
opposition success over the demo-
cratic party in the next congression-
al elections. Control of Congress
might be wrested from the democratic
administration in November if there
were a harmonious, solidified oppo-
sition such as could have been quick
ly rallied into a powerful fighting
force in the old days. Mr.. Roose-
velt's political plans, however, con-
template an Independent congress
sional campaign by progressives that
may virtually destroy what is left of
the republican party in the two
branches of the national Legislature.
Progressives are to run for the
House in every district in the United
States, if candidates can be found,
and everywhere the object will be
to defeat the republican candidate
rather than democratic candidate,
in case the success of the progress
sive candidate should be hopeless.
There may be numerous fusions of
progressives and democrats, but
mighty few fusiOns of progressives
and republicans. Wherever Unit
ed States senators are to be elected
by popular vote, be it remem-
bered-the progressives will have
their own candidate. Mr.. Beveridge
in Indiana and Mr.. Pinchot in Penn
sylvania are already nominated. Mr..
Garfield will probably run in Ohio.
Mr.. Straus is said to have been Sc
lected by Mr.. Roosevelt as the pro-
gressive candidate in New York. The
retiring senator in each of those
great states, except Indiana, is a re-
publican.
The question is, will the people
follow these progressive leaders in
their program of continued destruc-
ton of American industry and Amer
lean credit? The tremendous fall
ling off in the progressive vote
shown in the state congressional pri-
maries of the last three months
show conclusively there is no hope
of progressive victories in the fall
elections. The most that party can
hope to do is defeat the republican
party and keep the democrats in
power for another term. Under
these conditions we cannot believe it
possible the voters of the progressive
party will follow the dictum of
their bosses in this matter. The vot-
er is the master of his own vote and
there is no power that can or should
compel him to vote against his own
interests. He can decide whether
present conditions shall be contin-
ued or the success and prosperity of
republican policies shall be reinstat-
ed. We believe, Notwithstanding the
orders of a few bosses from outside
the state to the progressive Office
seekers in conclave at Brattlebor6,
the voter will assert his indepen-
dence and vote for clean govern
ment and better times.