The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1914-12-12
Is Worthy of Study

the Massachusetts Republican state
committee by one of the most in
fuential Progressives in the Bay
state, announcing that he had deter-
! mined to come back into the Republi-
can ranks, there to labor for the
things he thinks are wise and good.
He is doing this because he has seen
that division OF Republican
strength means only one thing, Demo
cratic rule, and this he cannot toler-
ate. His entire letter has now come
! to hand, and it is reproduced here
with and presented as a document
which is well worthy Of study on the
part of Republicans and Progressives
! in Vermont, for the lesson it con-
tains is as applicable to Vermont as
to Massachusetts. The letter reads:
Dear Sir: The smoke of the bat
| tie has cleared away. and out of the
conflict we have discovered the one
| great fact, that a house divided
against itself cannot stand | was
one of those men who helped to di-
vide the party in which have work
ed and toiled and fought since my
| first vote, in 1873 When | look back
and in memory see the boys in blue
as they turned out by the thousands
and paraded for the one party that
had made this country what she was
/ v,, n M I
if something must be done to right
the wrong that has been done to the
great mass of toilers OF this great
country OF ours.
Il feel that the party leaders did
wong in the convention that caused
the split, and | fully realize the JOY
ii caused In the ranks of the Demo
cratic party, because that party could
see the dawning OF victory. and there
is no doubt in my mind but a great
deal of the encouragement given to
the Progressive party came from that
sou'ce-deceptiye as it was. But still
feel that ex-Presdent Roosevelt is
one of the greatest minds this coun-
try has ever produced. and fully be-
lieye that his stand has done more
for this country and for the Republi-
1 can party than any one thing in the
{ past 20 years because the party will
see plainly where il has erred and
4 viii go forward with a new idea and
renewed effort to bring the party
where il belongs-as the great ex.
ponent of the wage-earners-strivi
to make better conditions fo' them
This has been one of the main de-
signs of the Progressive party, and
4 surely we can agree on this one great
question. though | do believe that
this same great party should take
her stand in defense OF those men
Z who risk their all in the various
kinds of business. Thee may be
i harmony between these two great
bringing together OF the two parties
will give renewed confidence to the
business men OF this country
81 cannot be one of those who sit
1 still when all about me are men look
ing for work-men whom have asso-
4 ciatod with for years-and are unable
TO find IT. | cannot afford to stand
4 in the way. | must put aside my own
views and listen TO men whose lives
have been given to the solution of
these great problems-who have civ.
en- the best part of their lives in the
interest of the Republican party. and
now see it divided because some men
desired to control-wbether they
were light or wrong.
"But that is past, a new duty is
before us, to unite those men who
!! have been the bone and sinew OF the
party in the past, and so to organize
them that they will again place in
control OF the government men who
\ will restore confidence to business
J men and employment to laborers.
! The wheels OF industry will once
4 more be turning and tho ca ner will
be receiving a compensation adequate
TO his needs-with enough TO educate
his children-to build q home--to lay
4 aside enough SO thai when old age
comes on he will not be a dependent
but viii live in peace aud plenty.
4 Nov LEI US come together and pre-
\ pare for the battle to bring back
again those men who have gone
4 many ways, into the party that must
I surely bring TO both state and nation
4 a new energy. to pc form that high
concept OF duty-to rebuild the party
4 that gave us Lincoln, Garfield.
and a Mckinley
Such letter is not to be lightly
4 dismissed; it presents some real facts
in Thoughtful manner Beyond
4 doubt here in Vermont there are some
prominent P-ogressives who feel the
same way about it as does this
\ Massachusetts leader. The rank and
file Of the Third party surely enter
| tain these sentiments Judging from
} the vote registered at the election the
FIRST Of the month. There should be
] no hCsitancy on the part OF any P.o-
rressive TO return 20 the party Men
who are Of sufficient honesty OF con
viction TO attempt the building OF a
4 new party are not the men to be