Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1916-08-17
MOOSE CHAIRMAN
WILL BACK WILSON

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The need Of progressive party is
as great now as it was four years ago.
Its possibilities are even greater Ii
some OF our leaders had not been
more eager in their enthusiasm a
gainst President Wilson than in their
enthusiasm for progressiyep principles,
the party could and would have been
preserved inits entirety. These lead
ers of the Progressive party who do
not ''see red" when the presidents
name is mentioned realize fully that
the Progressive party of the past four
years has suffered injury at the hands
of its own leaders; but they believe
1t can render service i'll this coming
campaign by putting up Progressive
electors in few critical states; and
| that it can be made the nuclues of n
| broader and more Democratic Pro-
| gresslve party in the future, For
this program they are willing to fight.
In the meantime, Progressiyes -ex-
cept in the few states where Progress
siYe electors are put in the field must
vote for the candidate of another par
ty in the coming campaign Progress
siyes are going to make mp their own
minds in this matter; they are not go.
ing to be delivered by any leader or
! group of leaders to any of the presi-
Dental candidates; and they are 60
| ing to resent any attempt to make
! such delivery, especially by methods
| that violate one of the fundamental
principles Of the Progressive party,
viz: the right of the rank and file Of
the party and not a group of leaders
to nominate the party candidates.
Personally, shall, of course, sup
port the Progressive electors in these
few states in which they will be
placed upon the ballot Elsewhere
shall do all that / can TO help re-etect
President wilson
My reason fer doing so is two fold ::
the Democrats have actually put INTO
effect more Progressive legislation
than any administration we haye ever
had. ! need only cite the federal in
come tax; the new currency law; par
Gel post; the direct election Of Iiiited
States senator's; the rural credit act,
and the federal employment bureau.
Wilson, s persistent advocacy of the
national child Ia Dor law shows that
he is as eager as ever to continue this
legislative record, He has shown
great sympathy for the whole Pro,
gressive movement; and he has shown
an ability to secure the 60 operation
of his party in putting his Progressive
ideas into actual legislation.
''Mr. Hughes, on the other hand
does not impress one as being in real
sympathy with the underlying eco.
nomic ideals of the Progressive party
His speeches when they deal with the
questions sound like ordinary Repub
ican stump speeches, patting the
laborers on the back with vague phra
ses, @nd congratulating the employers
for their welfare work.
They do not sound like the speech
es of a man who has really studied the
very vital subjects. He is honest, bu
progressiyism means more than that
. he is independent, but progressiyisn
means more than that he is efficient
bat pfogressivlSm means more than
that. Moreover, Mr.. Hughes has th,
Republican party to deal with-a part!
eXactlyas reactionary as it was in 1911
He needs the support OF Boise Pen
rose. as we'll as the support Of Geo
; w. Perkins; and his speeches retlec
) this need. Therefore, see no hop
whatever of securing any real progres
siye legislation under the leadership
, of Mr.. Hughes and the RepuhlcaI
party.
mot only is President Wilson il
greater sympathy with the progressiy
principles for which we all have beer
lighting, but in regard to handljn
our foreign problems, he is bette
lifted by experience than Mr.. Hughes
AS between Presidea. Wilson and
man of Colonel Roosevelt's uniqu
experience and unrivaIed skill in in
ternational affairs, advocated Colon
lei Roosevelt neither IN eXperienC
j nor in temperament. The very char
t acteristics that seemed to US admir-
: alton in Mr.. Hughes while govern
] or-his lack OF tact in dealing wit
t political bosses; his almost bruta
b way of saying things at times ar
8 particularly bad qualities for success
fully handling foreign or PAM Ameri
can problems. His experience i
n handling international problems is 0
e course an absolute blank. He woul
? enter upon one of the most difficult
d international situations we have eve
:, faced, as an absolutely raw recruii
Il