The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1914-05-07
A TRANSPARENT PRETENsE.

ThOSe VINO are attempting 10 make
the people of Idaho believe that the
progressive party Is gaining strength
In this state. or any state, are very
much Understanding the intelligence
of the people. There may be a few
who only read such papers as the
Capital News and really believe what
such papers say but the number Is
very small. Most of the citizens of
Idaho keep themselves well informed
and any pretense so transparent as
that of attempting to make them be-
lieve the progressive party is grow
ing only brings ridicule and contempt
upon those who attempt such decep-
ton.
Those who have honestly looked to
see the progressive party grow have
made the serious mistake of thinking
that all who voted for Colonel Roose-
welt were third party men. when in
fact not to exceed one third of them
had any thought of leaving the repub-
lican party permanently. They be-
lieved that Mr.. Roosevelt did not get
square deal at Chicago or they be-
| lieved he would make better presi-
dent than Mr.. Taft and for one of
| these two reasons voted the progress
sive ticket in 1912. Having registered
their protest they are now in line with
| other republicans in opposition to demo
cratic policies Everything which has
occurred since the 1912 election in po-
| litical way proves this beyond a ques-
| ton of doubt. In the past ninety days
number of by elections have taken
place and In each instance the progress
| sive vote was a negligible quantity,
where in the 1912 election 1t was great
er than the republican vote. The oc-
| casion for these by-elections was to fill
vacancies caused by the death or resig
nation of congressman The first held
| this spring was in the second congress
sional district of Iowa and the progress
sive vote was about one-fourth that
| of the 1912 election A little later an
| election in the seventh congressional
| district of New Jersey showed the pro-
gressive vote about one eighth of that
same district in 1912. In the twelfth
district of Massachusetts a much bet
ter showing was made where the pro-
gressives cast nearly a third as many
| votes as in 1912.
| A number of states have early reg
istration for the election to be held this
year and when the voters register they
must declare their party affiliation. In
| every such state the progressive vote
shows a falling off that Is surprising
even to those who have been looking
| for a big slump. In California, which
was one of the most progressive states
| in the union the republican registration
is more than double that of the progress
sives Oregon is another progressive
state but the progressive party regis
tration so far has been practically moth
ing, about 5000 to 10000 republican.
New York has completed it's registra-
ton lists and the record stands:
Democrats. 6s2.O06; republicans, 522 $50
progressives, Ills socialists. 3l,219;
prohibitionists. 1869; independence
league. 1889; total. 1885,. $50.
In the election of 1912 the vote was
Wilson. 655.57s; Taft. 455,4s7 Roose-
velt $50, 093.
From these figures 1t will be noted
that. Wilson received %. 567 more votes
than the democratic registration this
year; Taft received 56.663 less than
the republican registration this year
and Roosevelt received 27S,259 more
votes than the progressive registration
this year. 1t will be noted that the
progressives have fallen off more than
two thirds and their registration is but
little more than one-fifth that of the re
publicans. The progressive leaders are
not able to point TO single by-eection
or registration to show where they have
come within a thousand miles of hold
| ing their own. and yet some of them
go on talking glibly about theii phe-
nomenal growth.
| 1t seems fair to say that In The COM
ing election they probably will be strong
enough, In some states, to cause the
election of democrats and that will be
really all some leaders and papers like
the Capital News expect or want. But
the next election win show such a small
progressive vote that all who are moi
in sympathy with democratic principles
will vote the republican ticket and the
progressives win disappear from the po-
litical field.-Nampa Leader Herald