The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1914-03-19

who placed Theodore Roosevelt in
nomination in the national progressive
convention. declared his return to the
republican party several months ago.
In response to the question as to the
probability of the republicans and pro-
gressives uniting asked him by the
New York Sun he said:
Most OF the progressive leaders re-
ject with seeming bitterness the very
suggestion Of a coalition with the re-
publican party. 1t IL apparent that
their attitude represents to great
extent a tactical play" or, TO express
1t as many Of them do privately. they
consider It politically inexpedient to
enter into any agreement with the re-
publicans at this time because to do
80 would deprive them Of The oppor-
tunity OF forcing as advantageous
terms as It might be possible for them
to effect If a combination were delay
ed until important elections are i'm
pending.
Consequently II the question or
reaching a common ground II agree
ment between republicans and pro-
gressivts was to be left for settlement
entirely to the judgment Of those who
represent the strictly political element
in both organizations we could not hope
for the most favorable results, be-
cause it Is very evident that each set
of politicians would view the situation
largely In the terms Of their own poll
itical advantage.
Popular Sentiment Will Sweep Aside
Leaders.
What should be brought about Is
the creation Of strong and competent
opposition party A sentiment for
this movement. properly directed. VIII
sweep aside the petty political inter-
ests Of leaders and force them to de-
fer to the prevailing convictions OF
those whose interests they desire t.
represent II Is now generally con-
coded that the existence Of the third
party movement has served its pur-
pose in enabling Colonel Roosevelt to
last republican national convention
that their punishment fitted the crime.
A third party to be effective. as 1t
has frequently been through its leg
islative representatives in European
councils, must hold and WELD bal
ance OF power between the larger pol
itical forces: but n third party move
ment whose only effectiveness Is to
make single party permanently sue
cessful can not be regarded as an in
strument of public usefulness 1t
must he patent to thousands of men
who followed the progressive stand
ard in 1912 that the only purpose 70
which the party could ever be applied
in the future would be the defeat OF
republicans and the success OF demo-
Gratis.
This was not the motive which in
duced large numbers to follow the pro-
gressive party and therefore. hndine
that their motive had been misapplied
they have returned in large numbers tc
their old political alignments, as prov
ed by the election returns In practic-
ally every state where an election was
held during the year 1913.
Effective Opposition to Democracy.
No effective opposition to the demo
cratic party can be built or maintain
ed on the theory Of extreme constitu'
tionalism, as advocated by some re-
publicans, or the attractive doctrines
Of social justice. as preached by pro-
eresslves. In the first case those who
have taken the ground that everything
in the old order was right and shoulc
not be interfered with are just as
hopelessly at sea as those who In the
second case think they have found In
certain forms Of humanitarian leg's-
latien the solution Of all our govern
mental Ills.
The proposition to which we should
address ourselves Is: What does the
democratic party in power at the pres
ent time represent? For all genera
purposes it represents the entirely
we'll meant and high minded convic-
tons OF President Wilson: but we GER
tainly should examine these convic-
tions and determine whether, carried
into practice they will make for the
hetterment or despair Of the country
Wilson Theories Ignore Experience.
The great danger arising from Mr.
Wilson's theories is that they cast
aside the wealth OF experience or the
last hundred years. and In fact reject
the most empha tically helpful and sig
niflcant facts Of our whole national
history Are we therefore to leave
ourselves open to reversion from
those accepted practices Of trade and
commerce through which we have
achieved our greatest prosperity and
that all other important commercial
nations have adopted as their code OF
action?
To do 50 means not only an UNI
warranted entry into the realm OF eX-
Fermentation, but rejection OF prin-
ciples, the soundness Of which is at
tested by vast experience 1t will not
answer to say that these principles
have been perverted in the past, that
men have violated them, and that the
interests Of the people have been made