The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-07-09
THE GREAT KEYSTONE EVENT.
The PIttsburg Progressive Meeting Under
Inspired Leadership.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SUN-Sir. The
men and women who went to Pittsburg
to attend the second annual convention
OF che Progressive League of Penn
sylvania have returned to their homes
all over the Staie to bear wit
ness to the great event. One and all
feel their solemn responsibility to de-
clare anew their faith and to pledge
again their Loyalty TO the principles of
social, economic and industrial Justice for
which the party stands. Without an or
ganizatlon On the old sense, with but a
few newspapers, with rank and file
composed of men without wealth, the
Washington party Of Pennsylvania is to-
day q mighty force and Is throbbing with
life. So vital Is IL that the leaders OF
the old parties show their fear OF 1t on
all occasions. as every candidate now In
the field can testify.
On Tuesday morning. Jiv,e 80. In 2
crowded meeting and under the inspired
leadership OF that real patriot William
Wilhelm of Pottsville, earnest men and
women vowed to crush out the life vi
the monster system OF which Penrose.
McNichol the Wares and Bigelow are the
poisonous heads, and listened to the tes-
timonies of those who were facing fnan-
cal struggle and making lone fights In
reactionary communities, whether as
newspaper men, candidates, lawyers,
preachers, teachers or what not Later
on 900 delegates and their wives, rep
resenting every part Of the state. and all
paying their own expenses, met at lunch
con and listened to the great leaders,
Dean Lewis and Clifford pinchot. who by
their lives have honored the republic" !;
Percy Smith. the veteran commercial
evangelist" who was right forty years ago
and has been right ever since" our own
stalwart Fred Il. Lewis OF Allentown, who
In ringing tones denounced the present
tariff policy all these and many others
held the audience for three full hours
Then Mt 8 i. VI. i.1OO sat down TO n
dinner from which three times that num-
Der had been turned away. and as Colo
mel Roosevelt entered the room the whole
concourse rose to It's feet and welcomed
the returning wandcrer" with cheer on
cheer and he in no uncertain tones and
terms, both mt tho dinner and afterward
at the vast evening meeting before 5000
people, and again at an overflow meeting
Just as large, declared for the Progress
sive party, root and branch. and threw
down the gauntlet to Penrose and his sys-
tenn again and again We all wished we
had fortunes that we might dedicate them
TO the great work OF purifying Pennsyl-
vania. We each wished that we had a
thousand tongues that we might speak In
every corner OF the State the truth about
this great movement, which the press
everywhere seems unwilling to reveal
The duty OF every one of us whose
privilege II was TO be present on this &C.
caslon is not done until we have declared
the fact that the party Is alive, filled
with men who are eager and thirsting
for service. willing TO make every sacrl-
flee, men from among the flower OF the
state. from all the professions, from all
occupations. from every walk OF life. Can
they be denied? Let every thoughtful
citizen demand tho facts concerning the
position and progress OF the Washington
party of Pennsylvania, and no longer ac-
cept without question that which an in
terested and subsidized press Insists on
putting before him. MARY STEWART.
SouTH BETHLEHEM, Pa. July S.