Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1914-08-23
PRESS COMMENT
As il Looks to w. A. White.

CIV. A. White in the Emporia Gazette
Take a good, progressive citizen, who
knows what he is talking about, say
like Del Valentine who really thought
the Republican party was 80 per cent
progressive until the primary showed
up Curtis and seven standpat congress
sional nominees; what can he do? He
can't support Curtis. He can't even
support Arthur Capper if Arthur lines
up for the standpat Republican ticket
1t doesn't make any difference what
kind of a platform these standpatters
run INDEPENDENTLY they are
"agin" progress.
Fancy Calderhead Curtis, Campbell
and Simmons on a progressive plat
form! They don't believe in the pro-
gressive things. Moreover, they will be
surrounded by Republican influences
standpat Republican influences. For
the Progressives have left the Repub-
lican party, and those lambs who lin
gered patiently about for the Mary of
progress to appear got the knife. Brls-
tow got it. and the blood of Bristow
will be dripping from Arthur Capper's
neck in November The standpatters
want his newspaper this fall, but they
don't want him any more than they
wanted Bristow. They voted for
Hodges and they'll keep right on vot-
ing for Hodges, but they want Capper
to help elect Curtis and the standpat
ticket.
So what are honest. effective men
like Del Valentine and Fred jackson
and Ned Ilimball of Manhattan and
Palmer of Jewell county and Fred
10 q
Senator Potter of Peabody and J. w.
Moore of Marion-and a lot of stalwart
men of that type who followed Bristow
into the slaughter house-what are
| they going to do about it?
Are they going to line up for Curtis
and the standpat congressman, and the
standpat state ticket? Are they going
to be regular" and then two years
from now. when the standpat element
is intrenched, fight the eternal old fight
for supremacy inside the party? We
fought that fight and won it, eight
years ago, six years ago, four years
ago, two years ago. And we were met
by boilers who annulled our victories
What good is the eternal old fight in
side the party, when the party is con-
trolled in Kansas by the Curtis Null
vane crowd, and In the nation by
Barnes, and Penrose and Foraker, and
that kind of Republicans? The great
delusion that the Progressives were
coming back to control the Republican
party was dispelled by the defeat of
Bristow. Capper is supporting the re-
dictionary victors in Kansas. Why
should any man who calls himself a
Progressive support the Republican
tick ct, or a man on it? 1t is not what
a man was, but what he is, that should
determine our support. And when
Arthur Capper failed to stand up for
Bristow in Bristow's fight inside of the
party, Capper lost his opportunity for
progressive support The Gazette be-
lieved Bristow's fight was a foolish
fight and openly opposed it. Mr. Cap
per believed 1t was wise fight and
promised to help make the fight. But
he was stopped. Is there any reason
to believe he win have more courage
to face the standpatters IL he is gov
ernor than he had when he coaxed
Brstow into the ambush, where he was
slaughtered?
Here is the situation: Mr.. Allen is
supporting a ticket composed Of up
standing Progressives. Mr.. Capper Is
supporting a ticket of standpatters.
Which man has the better right to
claim Progressive support? Mr.. Allen
is proud that he IS a Progressive and
is asking all men of progressive faith
in all parties to support him. Mr.. Cap
per is afraid now to say he is Pro-
gressive, and is laying great emphasis
on his Republicanism. Mr.. Allen IS
striking a clear note of progress. Mr..
Capper is quietly tangoing up and
down the keys OF the party organ,