The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-06-11
The Roosevelt Program


 MT. RooseveIt's plans for intense political activity the coming summer and autumn cannot fall to be regard ed with genuine pleasure by the lead l CT of the democratic party n the White House MT. Roosevelt did not make MT Wilson president or the United States as he ma de MT. Taft president of the United States, but more than any other man or any hull dred men in any political party he l helped in the president-making pro- cess This is but another way of saving that the split in the old re- publican party made democratic rule inevitable
 It will require much more demo- l,cratic sblundering than Presi dent Will son is likely to permit, or be guilty of himself. it wills require much more bust ness depression than eondfti ons are likely to develop; it will require nfucl1r more dfssension within the democratic party than present indi- cations would justify one in antici- patfng to give to the disunited oppo- party in the next congressio ona1 elec- tions Control of Congress might be Wrested. from the democratic admin istratioh In November if there were a harmonious, solidifled opposition such as could have been quickly raI-
 
 the old days. MT. Roosevelt's polit- ical plans however. contemplate an Independent congressional campaign by progr ressfves that may virtually destroy what is left of the republican party in the two branches Of the na- donaI Legislature.
 Progressdves 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 de- feat the republican candidate rather than democratic cand1date, in case the success of the progressive candi- dates in case the success of the pro- gressive candidate should be hope less. There may be numerous fu- sions of progressives and democrats, and Republicans. Wherever United States senators are to be elected-by popular vote. be 1t reme1n bered-t11e e proeressives will have their own can didate. Mir. Beveridge in Indiana and MT. Pinchot in Pennsylvania are will probably run in Ohio. Mr Straus is said to have been selected by MT. Roosevelt as the progressive candidate in New York. The retir- ing senator in each Of those great states except Indiana. is a republi-
 The political situation was exceed ing1y simple in 1s12, and it is exceed ingly simple now Now, as then. the democrats need only to stand togeth- continue to hold both branches of Congress # the bulk of them remain loyal to MT. Wilson. What evidence is there that MT. Wilson. will not con tinue to command their confidence and support? All political etper1- ence shows that the bulkeof a politf- cal party. so well led and go far unit ed as the democratic party is to-day, cannot possibly be swerved from it's support at the polls by the campai gn- ing Nand criticism of the opposition Under. normal political conditions, when the mass of the voters are di- vided into two main bodies, the move ment of a very small number of vot- CTS from one party to the other suf- fees to overturn a p5rty's supremsey ins government But. in this case, it will be necessary in effect to tear the democratic party to pieces in order to defeat it. There is no present in- dication whatever that, with all tho taclxs the administration's opponents can make upon it's policies and record. the necessary demoralization can be brought about.
 The political advantage of business Oppression. in case business depres- sion should lengthen and deepen, will be thrown away if the opposition can not unite The political advanta ge VII PdpdAS 04SCOnbSAIsAFA Ln5 lG1All1n- istration's foreign policies will be thrown away if the opposition cannot unite The political; advantage in cident to the inevitable accurnu1a- ton of local or personaH grievances against party in power will be thrown away if the opposition cannot unite The democrats, like the Eng fish liberals in the past eight years, may stay in power Congress after Congress. by virtue of the discord among their natural foes, regardless of blunders of leadership on their | own side, regardless of the ups and downs of trade, regardless of general popular dissatisfaction with the, re- suits of specific acts Of Legislation
 Mr.. Roosevelt understands all this. ! But his plans contemplate two things -hrstsf the final destructi on of the republican party this year; second, the tT1umph of his new party in 1916. This program is nothing new It was developed. Immediately after President Wilson's election in 1912. MT. Roosevelt will be well content with democratic success in Ncve1n- berS we'll content with four yearn of absolute democratic supremacy in Washington What he looks forward to with hope and unquenched zeal is such a sweeping up of the pieces of the old regime in politics that he may confront the democrats two years l hence, in the next struggle for the i presidency. as the leader of the only I political host worth. counting as an oppositioni-s springheld R Republican. |
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