Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-08-05

The nub of his position regarding return to the Republican
party is contained in the statement: Holding the convc
tons do it would be impossbty for myself to take
that step shall enroll progressive and if any man IN
this State asks advice shall advise him also to enroll
This statement by Mr. Roosevelt, following the publish
ed utterances on the day preceding of Victor Murdoch OF
Kansas chairman of the progressive national committee,
has special Significance The coincidence manifesy was not
accidental progressive campaign has undoubtedly been
carefully mapped out and Mr. Roosevelt starts out as the
first political leader aggressvey assaing the Wilson foreign
policies preliminary to the presidential election of 1916
The determination of MIR. Roosevelt to sound the pro.
gessve slogan at this time unquestonaby the result OF
his recent trip to the Pacific coast and his with
The States adjacent thereto. Until that trip taken Mr.
Roosevelt was not willing to discuss politics His silence
Of reunion of the republican and progressive organizations
apparently came to an end.
pressed belief that the progressves and the republicans
should together especially the two wings hold the
belief in protective tariff well in military pre-
pareness the issues attracting particular attention at
this time We have held all along that with the regular
Gent degree of elasticity in party creed to admit pro-
gresve principles to the declaration Of party faith the
would be paved for permanent reunion.
On the other hand have frequently pointed out the
probable effect of the Selling of the party machinery by the
party and the antagonzng of progressive republicans
With the party machinery absolutely dominated by like
in Ohio and enforcing their ideas the party the newt
able tendency would be to drive the and
question would be whether the secedents would help perpe
ae the Progressive party or whether they would be at
mate the Progressive party
One Of the determining leading shrewd po
tca observer Mr. Roosevelt to regard public sentiment
in different sections whole to be favorable to the former
alternative doubtless the attitude of the republicans who
have dominated the State constitutional convention in New
York When Elihu Root is moved to protest against evil
dence of eaconary influence in such body controlled by
republicans the situation must be deplorabe indeed.
Nor left in doubt to the influences at work be-
hind the The New York Trbunes Albany CORE
couraged by developments in New York believe he
come back" Barnes believes he can be one of the dom
mating factors in the republican national convention 1916
as ne was In the Chicago convention OF 1872 re realizes
that Roosevelt administered disastrous blow to his pot
linen in the Syracuse trial. and he proposes to make great
speech to the constitutional convention which will stamp
him as political Moses who can lead the party into the
Barnes is unquestonably furnishing Roosevelt the very
opportunity the latter desires, in the libel suit
Barnes has already introduced various proposed amendments
to the constitution of New York which would prevent the
Moreover he has sought to eliminate what has
to be known the Hughes principles thus far embod
direct principles in connection with government well
the short ballot and other features favored by Root to
make New Yorks government truly representative and
responsible to the people,
Realizing that the domination of the State constitutions
al convention by the Barnes element would unquestonaby
the control Of the New York delegation in the next
republican national convention by the element and that
the factors which will control that delegation have headquar
in the Empire that would shape the action of
other States Roosevelt doubtless concluded that if the
West contained material degree of progressive sentiment
opposed to the Barnes brand of politics and the
situation would favor his continuance leader
IN any event Mr. ROOSeVeltS step was manfeStlN not
taken without the most careful possible of the whole
situation Mr. Murdoch says he personally had devoted
three months to thorough of the situation with
gessves in the central and the Pacific coast and
Mr. Roosevelt doubtless verified the findings of his euten
ant before taking the step announced Mr. Murdoch
said also that meeting of representative progressives held
recently in New York made reports similar to those received
from the West
This meeting manifestly held without attracting
public attention. 1t is safe to that this work has
been going quietly elsewhere well in the East No
body tell Just how far the qualifications Of the movement
extend what being adopted In any event
it safe say that Mr. Roosevelt would not have made
public statement advising continued progressive enrolment
if he did not suppose it would amount to something
This is the situation which republicans must face the
very Threshold of the presidential campaign Of 1916 Mr.
Roosevelt long seized the leadership Of the campaign for
military and naval preparedness for national defence
has taken strong position in favor of protection with the
provision that changes in the tariff be made by scientific
tariff board He has championed social justice in
forms. If there time when republicans could
expect the cooperation of Roosevelt that time has passed.
How republicans to meet this political stuation
Will they cling to the utra-conservave principles which
Barnes and his element will seek to enforce the republican
national convention? Will they into the next national
campaign with the democrats and the progressves both out
stripping them in repeng Invisbe Government and with
the Interests strapped their shoulders like Od Man
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