Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-02-07
SENATOR BRISTOW TELLSWHY
He RETURNS To REPUBLICANS,
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
And File Will Never Give Up the
Name=.-Defines the Situation.

United States Senator Joseph Little
Brstow of Salina, Kansas, a close
friend of former President Theodore
Roosevelt and leading spirit in the
fight to, bring the United States Sem
ate up to date, is still a Republican
and will seek to be returned to the
Senate as the candidate of that par
ty in 1915. In view of the effort now
being made to bring about a coalition
of the anti-Democratic forces in this
State, the reasons he gave his con-
stituents for remaining with the Re
public party are of absorbing interest.
AS printed in the Salina Journal, they
are as follows:
Il have been frequently asked
whether / would stand for reelection
as q Republican, or as Third party
candidate. While I think the people
of Kansas are far more interested IN
what l stand for in the Senate than
they are as to the ticket upon which
l shall run, yet because of these IN
| uuiries l feel / should make some
statement upon the matter before re-
turning to Washington.
Il believe that the rank and file of
| the Republican party is thoroughly
progressive / am convinced also that
a large majority of this rank and hle
want to work out the progressive re-
forms that are demanded, through
their old party affiliations rather than
through a new party. l therefore feel
IT nv DUTY to continue to work with
| them in the future as l have in the
past. If we all work together we will
succeed. If we divide we invite
| failure.
THE defeat of 1912 was crushing
retuke to the party leadership, but
not a desertion by the rank ana me
| from the party itself. L beneNe 'hae
| a vast majority, of the membership
| of the Republican party favor the al
yanced political doctrines Tor which
| Col, Roosevelt, Senators LaFollette'
Cummins and others have been stand
ing for years, but they do not ieel
that il is necessary to leave the ola
Marty and create a new one in order
| IN accomplish the results desired. me
whole body of the party is becoming
| nrooressiye. Conservative old New
York has moved up and is standing
todov where Kansas stood five years
ago.
"The sentiment that clusters around
tho +ra ditions and achievements Of
the Republican party is very GEAR 10
millions of honest progressive Arheri-
| cans These men will not apanoon
the party through which they anu
| tba,r fathers have fought so many pat
| Ties for human rights IS long as there
is hope of accomplishing the desifeo
| roforros through that organlzauoH.
| uha action of the national committee
In changing the basis of representa-
ton and revising the rules for the
oroa nization of the convention, gives
f,,ll onnortunity for such reforms.
Tsasing the number of delegates upon
tho votes cast in the respective states
ga aistricts. and changing the rules
for organizing the convention SO as
to give seats in the temporary VI
ization to delegates elected ny s.a.e
nrinaries on their credentials HiaAo
impossible repetition OF the gross
abuses practiced in the Chicago con-
vention Of 1912.
nvhese rules and the representa-
ton nroyided, make certain that ~
the future. our conventions Will De
controlled by the rank and HE VI
the party. Believing this, ana I'D ms ~ :
| absolute confidence IN the honesty OIL
nDrnose and thorough progresslveiies,s
of that rank and file, l feel tna' an
who have been working for the risn'
solution of our economic propieihs'
and who have already accomplished SO
much. should continue to worh W
aetber for future success.
at seems to me that this is the oiiiy
feasible way to achieve results anu
definitely accomplish the reforms IN
our social, political and Industrial me
which we have begun, and the compile
1tion of which is so necessary TO our
national welfare. To do otherwise IS
to abandon the field to politicai OF
| ganization, which however progressive
some of it's members may be, is,
/ through the caucus system, controlled
/ by the old southern aristocracys Whlcn
still clings to the belief that the ne
gro is a beast Of burden, and that the
poor white man is but little better
Unfortunately, this vast region OF our
country, has as yet, been little moved
by the spirit of modern progress or
human welfare.
History demonstrates that three
strong political parties are not prac-