The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1916-06-24
THE MOOSE AND THE FOXES.

THE MOOSE AND THE FOXES.
The story Of the recent conventions at Chicago is
sorry for Theodore Roosevelt and pitful one
for the progressive element in both the Republican and
Progressive parties.
The willy old foxes Of the Old Guard decoyed Roose
vet leader of Bull MUSE herd, away from the herd
and then lost him in the woods -Four years ago the
Old Guard used and crude methods in dealing
with the progressive element of the party The result
was defeat in November.
This year cunning, guile and SURPRISING strategy
were used. worked much better. The Progressives
were induced to kill each other off, The Old Guard
energies with all the spos Of victory.
Colonel Roosevelt played a great game Of bluff
ard himself bluffed to standstill For days and
nights the earnest and women representing the
millions who voted the Progressive Republican ticket in
1912 sat like obedient school children, trusting their
IDOL Roosevelt and their omnipresent George W.
| Perkins to do their thinking and their fighting.
Mr.. Perkins had financed the party, had taken a
mortgage on it and had forec1osed the mortgage
There no fighting, instead the militant legion
was left "dug in" until their enemy had safely
neuvered out of range.
Although the trick discovered at the last, it
could be escaped. The Progressives, nominating
Roosevelt against his will, left helpless
postponed the final acceptance refusal to inden
ate date He will refuse to run as third party can
didate but until the Progressive legion has dis
banded.
Hiram johnson, Victor Murdoch, Chester Rowen,
pieces and hold the betrayed party together. They will
be able to do it but will not be able to reorganize in
time to be effective this year.
The Republican leaders stole Colonel Roosevelts
attractive claptrap about Amercanism and prepared
ness and ditched all the fundamental ideas and
forms upon which the Progressive party built.
The maneuvering at Chicago all directed
to the elimination of the Progressive party Colonel
Roosevelt proposed to trade it for the Republican
iraton but the Old Guard escaped paying the price,
Colonel Roosevelt usual proposed any necessary
rifice of principle and in the end Kissed in both
conventions.
After week of abject docility the Progressives at
last turned the partys idol and the partys
1t too late to themselves. It did harm
to Mr. Perkins, who had collected his debt but it put
Colonel Roosevelt in the hole The Old Guard finally
called his bluff and the showdown only out
of 9S7 delegates in the Republican convention stayed
with Colonel Roosevelt and voted as he requested for
Senator LODGE
Mr.. Hughes got the nomination but that Is all. BY
the weeks maneuverng the Old Guard were able to
Keep control Of the partys organization the national
committee, the vlce-presidency and the platform.
If anybody las any illusions about that PLATFORM he
need only to read the plank about the tariff commission
No proposition was thoroughly denatured
The form is retained but the substance is gone. The
plank does not call for commission to regulate
adjust tariff rates at all but merely to gather data
the use Of congress. It suggests not tariff commits
sion but bureau Of statistics
This is fair sample The platform contains the
Oldest of standpat doctrines, with all modern thought
eliminated and its decoying tmbers hidden by the
urd paint that Colonel Roosevelt invented and that
he staked and lost in his game of bluff