The Topeka state journal., 1914-02-09

the recall of decisions least he did
a year ago when he campaigned in
Michigan. Charles Scott believes in
the status quo, and Curtis doesn't be-
lieve in anything in particular. The
truth is that the sO-called Republic
can principles can no more be defined
except in terms of desiring to get the
offices than the nebular hypothesis
may be played on a tambourine!
Yet here are thirteen candidates
for county office in each county, a
dozen to fifteen candidates for state
offices and eight or ten good men and
true running for congress in Kansas,
who are whooping it up for "Repub-~
ican principles.
What are Republican principles?"
asks the curious voter.
Traitor disturber, poltroon,
Kisses the Republican patriot seeking
job, and the debate ends.
Republican principles are the great
silencer; the Maxim silencer is a
drunken teamster dumping coal down
steel chute. compared with Repub-
lican principles. They have taken the
Curt out of Curtis, the purr out of
Capper, and the tow away from the
fire-eating BristOw. Six happy years
ago, Joe Bristow was launching up
and down Kansas with a platform
that sounded like salvation; it was
specified, it was definite; it was "a
daisy and a dumping and a lamb
And it could be heard from Baxter
Springs to Goodland. But when he
announced last week his platform for
reelection, it was muffied. 1t sound
ed like a sick bulldog sobbing under
a blanket. But it was certainly Re-
publican principles!
And now, because the men who are
willing to fight disinterestedly for what
they call Republican principles, want to
state those principles in a mass con-
vention-whoop! VOW! OUGHT and biff!
is the only reply carload of candi-
dates make, who are preaching good
Lord and good devil to ell shades of
opinion merely to get the offices. They
don't care to beat the Democrats. If
they did they would have rallied to
the Gazette's proposition 4or all par
ties to join in a state Independent nom
partisan movement upon a platform
devoted to state issues. What these
cat-footed, hungry-eyed patriots want
is the jobs, with large J, and they
are willing to swap their principles,
their convictions and their political in
tegrity for the jobs.
The Republican party is a great col
licky fear Both sides of it's fraternal
strife are afraid. The- didn't dare
call national convention, and they
don't dare call state convention. And
the funny part of it all is that the side
| How in Heavens name will We accom-
pAish anything inside of the party
when the prOgreSsives inside of the
party" are dehOrned, denatured, muf-
| fled, strangled and everlastingly chok-
| ed to death with fear? A lot We'll dc
| inside of the party, hen tie men who
believe in the right are afraid to ge,
out and fight for it!
In the meantime here stand the Pro-
gressives-rich men. poor men, beggal
! men, thieves-sOme good, some bad
| and most of Us Indifferent. But we
really do know what We are standing
Tor! We don't talk about Progressive
principles; we specify. We put it dowr
in simple language. And to our party
| which has neither pride of ancestry mol
| considerable immediate hope of pro
life posterity. we invite all men ant
women who want to serve their coun
try. We know that even if we don't viii
the offices we are going to scare thu
everlasting light OF day into the win
ners, and thus get our measures writ
ten into law.
We don't ask merely the good men
we don't bar the bad men. Well tax
Perkins and FIJI Finn ard Cy Leland
and even the unprincipled old grafte
who runs the Emporia Gazette. Blu
We do demand that Progressives be
lieve in the Progressive platforn-an'
not another platform. We do insis
that whoever joins our party. shal
either subscribe to its tenets or get oui
And SO, In this bright and beautiful
winter season. We extend to all VIII
marched out 5n the gray dawn OF tha