South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-09-30
PROGRESSIVE POPULARITY.

PROGRESSIVE POPULARITY.
It's mooted question whether had
Albert ]. Beverage, or say. Col. Theo-
dore Roosevelt, been the speakers at
the progressive rally Tuesday night.
instead OF DR.. Clarence Stevens and
VIM. d. Hedrick-the spacious store
occupied as the party headquarters
would have been anywhere sufficient
to accommodate the crowd.
The room has a seating capacity of
approximately a thousand and was less
than half filled-yet VIM. ID. Hedrick,
from the progressive standpoint, de-
uvered as good an address, TO the
point and in eloquence, as either Bev-
eridge or Roosevelt could possibly be
capable OF. while DR.. Stevens is the
party candidate for congress for a
second time, and ought to have been
sufficiently well known 10 have made
up for Mr.. Hedrick not being SO very
well known.
1t Is the same old story. The masses
Of people must see stars or they simply
will not look They demand the testi-
mony % men whom they think have
done great things or they simply will
not listen. 1t is the well-adverused
article thst attracts the crowd. People
are curious to see and anxious to be
near the great and the near-great-as
hey have been led TO anticipate them.
Which accounts for Mr.. Beveridge's
Dig meetings over the state, and like
wise for the big turnout that Col.
Roosevelt gets wherever he goes.
People go 10 hear them whether they
believe in them or not. Two better
advertised men scarcely exist in the
whole cOuntry-especially when 1t
comes to Indiana. and Col Roosevelt's
big receptions at Terre Haute and In
dianapolis are better explained by it
than any other explanation that can
oe made.
To be sure the colonel is somewhat
n line with the modern progressive
spirit. Dislike him as you may there
no gainsaying but that he is the
leader OF the ex-republican wing Of
he great progressive movement, and
still something of a hero with many
Who find IL hard to break away from
he old republican label AS an ex-
president he is able to attract a hear
ing from the members of all parties.
Only the hide-bound standpatter,
orejudiced and sore 20 the bone, be-
cause his party has been torn asunder
and exhibited in its true light, can re-
sist the temptation OF his presence.
they pretend TO have finally apprO-
priated the principles for which the
,olonePs party stands, and are making
desperate effort TO get the coloneTs
followers to believe IL. Very natural
y they feel more or less ineensed at
having him running around over the
country tearing great rents in the veil
# their false pretense.
Surely we hold no brief for Col.
Roosevelt, or Mr.. Beverage, or Mr.
Hedrick. They are telling the people
IF this state that their party is the
power behind the throne" that has
orced the democratic party TO all the
progressive measures enacted in the
tate and nation 1ince their party came
nto being-which naturally doesn't
lound so very well TO democracy: the
party which for decades has been dog
ling the footsteps of the republicans
With the principles involved in those
measures. finally making IL so hot for
hem that IL resulted in open revolt
md IN the new party being formed.
The trouble with the progressive
party is that il stopped before il
e ched it's proper destination. IL
should have come clear over 10 the
source OF the wisdom No. it is not
'orcing the democratic party ahead.
1ut merely trailing along behind. The
democratic party is doing things while
ne progressives are only talking about
hem. bat all this craftsmanship aside
he country al large is reaping a WELL
reserved reward from having the re-
)ublicans out Of the way.
The democrats have done what pro-
ressive republicans. 20 meet the grow
ng popularity OF democratic prin-
.iples. have for decade past been
permitted 10 promise I'M republican
platforms that they would debut
vbsch the %. 3. machine never al
owed Thorn 20 put into effect ON
.ended knees now these long muzzied