The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-03-24
SEN. CLAPP ATTACKED
BOTH OLD PARTIES
In Addressing Progressive Party State
Convention in Maine sExtolled
Theodore Roosevelt

Bangor, Me-, March 24.--TwoI great
parties, one conservative and the other
liberal, WAS the picture of the political
future painted by United States Senator
Moses t. CIapp, in speech at the Pro.
gressive state convention to-day. There
was. he said, no fundamental line of de.
narration between the Republican and
Democratic parties at presnt and pend
ing the inevitable new alignments he
urged the delegates to stand firm FOL
Progressive principals.
Senator Clapp said in part:
'In free government. political parties
always have, and always will, come into
being as protest against the inability
of existing parties to meet conditions as
they develop.
"Fhe name OF the Democratic party
as applied to a political party, has al
ways been rnisnomer. The party has
never been Democratic. 1t has always
involved the idea that few men shall
dictate the purpose and policies to the
many.
"The Republican party. in its ineep-
tion, was based upon the broad principle
that government, if for all, must be by
all. Ii was the abandonment of this
principle under Mr.. Taft that lead to
the ruin Of the party.
Humanity speaking. progress has
never come from the upper strata, but
has reflected the impulse, the purpose
and the sacrifice of the lower strata.
Government, if for the people, must be by
the people. If for the few. then let it
be by the few This enternal fundamen-
tai difference separates the Progressives
from the Democrat and Republican par
ties. From this principle flows every in
cidental issue.
"The question now arises, what of the
futureg II is dangerous to prophesy, all
though it is always safe to make deduc-
tions. Prior TO 1912, we had in this
country the grotesque spectacle of two
great political parties, not with broad
line of demarcation running between
them. but basic fundamental line run
ming through them. The question of
whether the duty on cotton cloth shall
be g. 3-S or 65-S cents is not funda-
mental question, but the question of
whether the government shall be by a
few in the interests of a few or of all
in the interests Of all, is a fundamental
line, and instead of running through
parties, should be the line of demarca-
tion between parties.
"Sooner or later we will have this
grotesque spectacle removed and will
have two great parties, one a conserv-
ative or reactionary party, the other
liberal or progressive.
"It is idle to talk of resuscitating the
Republican party. If under the splen-
did leadership of Colonel Roosevelt the
party could not be perma-
nently restored to its old-time vigor. or
purpose, it is idle to talk of such
when the great body of Pro-
gressive element has permanently left
the party.
"We have only to stand firm. The
party can no more outgrow
the barnacles that have fastened upon it
than could the Republican party. Much
as its executive leadership is admired,
the Democratic party is split in twain
by a line that runs through it, separat-
ing those who believe in Progressive
policies, rejecting government by the
many, from those who stand for reac-
tionary policies, rejecting government
by the few"