The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1914-07-02

porters of the present national admin
istration. For the high honor and Wit
al interest of both nation and state,
the citizens of Pennsylvania should
, put into office those staunch, fearless
and able public servants, Clifford Pin
chot, Dean Lewis, and their associ-
ates.
We ask that you consider specifl-
cally the performances of the Prog
ressive Party, here in Pennsylvania
and in the nation.
The Progressive Party is party Of
! performance. Two years ago, in our
+ national and state platforms, which
we designated contracts with the
people" we pledged ourselves to GER
tain definite reforms. Even before
the Presidential campaign of 1912
was over in this and other states,
our committees we're at work prepar-
ing bills to carry out the pledges of
our state platforms. In this respect,
you in Pennsylvania were leaders.
You controlled the Republican State
Convention of May, 1912. After draw
ing the first Progressive state plat
form, the convention took the then
unprecedented step of appointing a
committee, known as its executive and
legislative committee, to prepare bills
to carry out it's platform pledges.
This committee presented to your
legislature of 1918 a number of meas
ures all of which passed your House
of Representatives.
The Pennsylvania Progressive legis-
lative program is one of which you
may we'll be proud. 1t included laws,
to provide non-partisan nominations
and elections for all local offices, as
well as for judges, and to prevent cor
rupt practices at primary and regular
elections. Had this last bill become
law, no candidate for United States
Senator or Governor could have ex-
pended at both the primary and regu-
lar elections combined more than ten
thousand dollars. The expenditure
by candidate for Governor in a pri-
mary contest of nearly forty thousand
dollars would have been impossible.
There were also bills carrying out
our pledge to promote social and iu-
dustrial justice-a bill preventing the
employment of women in manufacture
ing establishments more than fifty
hours per week. or more than nine
hours per day, a Minimum Wage Bill,
and Child Labor Bill containing the
provisions advocated by the National
7 oh bxr oil
persons interested in child welfare
a bill which would have prevented
the present exploitation of child labor
in this state, including the disgrace
full labor of children under sixteen in
glass factories at night; a bill which
would have been the first step in Civ
ing to all the children of Pennsylvan-
ia what every child is entitled to have,
namely, a right to time for play,
to the opportunity to grow up strong
In body, and to mental and physical
training adequate to enable it to meet
the duties and responsibilities of man
hood or wOmanhood. The restrictions
on the labor of women and children
which the Pennsylvania Progressives
advocated are now on the statute
books of majority Of the states, and
number Of western states last year
enacted minimum wage laws.
Finally there were bills calling a
Constitutional Convention to readjust
your constitution to your existing
needs, matter of present and press
ing importance. l am informed that |
there Is practically no measure de-
signed to meet with efficiency a prob
lem Of state administration or local
government that does not run counter
to some clause of your constitution,
drawn as it was over forty years ago
to meet then-existing, but not present,
conditions.
The Progressive Legislative and Ex-
ecutive Committee also endorsed the
Workmens Compensation Bill prepar-
ed by the State Industrial Accident
Commission, a measure representing
a reform of vital importance which
has been very generally adopted in
all parts of the country and by all the
great industrial states bordering on
Pennsylvania.
Thus you, the Progressive Party of
Pennsylvania, did your utmost to full
fill to the letter all pledges made
prior to the last election. The bills
carrying out those pledges are not
law today because the State Senate
and the Executive are still in the con-
troll of the Penrose organization. For,
hn ni1a
by the forces for which Senator Pen
rose and the candidates on the Re-
publican state ticket stand-the same
forces which we fought at Chicago
Is solely responsible for defeating this
legislation.
The Progressives have also taken
every possible step to fulfill the pied.
ges made in respect to National
Legislation in their first National Pro-
sressive Platform.
l hold In my hand pamphlet en-.
titled, Progressive Congressional
Program" 1t contains some twelve
measures prepared by joint commit
zee of the Progressive members of
Congress and, of the National Legisla-
i've Reference Committee of the Pro-
yressive Party.
1 commend 1t, of course, to Pro-
;ressives, but especially to those who
ire trying to make it appear that the
Progressive Party represents merely
sentiment, and not definite, con-
rete measures. I
The Progressive Party stands for |
as regards business man, {
armer and wage worker alike. 1t is E