The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-08-14
MOOSE ORATOR
 JOINS DEMOCRATS
Fred Chase Tells Why All True Progressives Can
 Support Wilson.

city, who took an active part III the progressive party campaign in Connecticut two years ago and who was located at progressive head quarters in Hartford for about six months in 1914, has publicly an- nounced his intention to vote and work for the reelection of President Wilson and in letter to The Times Mr. Chase points out why every true progressive should support Wilson in this campaign.
 MT. Chase had been a life long Republican up to 1912 and had made campaign speeches in New York state. He is writer and lecturer and became a member of the pro- gressive party in New York state practically from the hour of the partys birth. He campaigned that state, and made speeches in Penn sylvania and two years ago he was heard through out Connecticut in support of the progressive party cause. His decision to cast his lot with the Democrats was not made until after the speech of acceptance by MT. Hughes. MT. Hughes speech, MT. Chase said, was the last blow to the great bulk of the rank and file of the Bull Moose throughout the coun- try. In his letter, MT. Chase says:
 It was exceedingly gratifying to the progressive Progreesives assembled at Indianapolis to hear representatives from state after state arise and de- clare that the Progressive national committee delivered" only itself to the G. o. P. by its action in Chicago June 26, and that the rank and file of the Progressives openly repud1ated this action on the part of the national committee.
 Democrats Accomplished It
 I am amused, when I glance at a copy of the progressive congressional program, published by the progress sive national service, at whose head for several years was Miss Frances Kel1or. to note the glaring inconsist- encies of some of the progressive leaders in delivering themselves and attempting to influence the rank and file. This progressive program. con- taining a list of all of the national legislation proposed by the progress sive party, was published in 1912 and scattered broadcast throughout the country. Today as I read it's pages find that all President Wilson's ad- ministration has left to the progress sive or republican party is the bare cover. The one hundred pages of con- structive legislation practically has been accomplished. Every one of the measures advocated in the program has either been enacted into legisla- tion by the present administration or has passed one house in congress. The administration has gone even fur ther in its proposed future lesisla- ton than the progressive party pro- posed to go..
 One of the former famous leaders of the progressive party said in Chi cago to one of the national leaders of the progressive party:
 up to the breaking out of the Eu- ropean war and the great hue and cry for preparedness and American ism, the progressives had all of the live issues confronting the country. The handwriting was on the wall. The bull moose had the republican party on the rocks, and the c. O. P. was bound to come to you. But the republicans cleverly, as they thought. seized upon the preparedness and Americanism issues. and thus clouded all of the lively issues which you as a party had been fighting for
 If it Is true, these two issues, pre- paredness anad Americanism, were the cause of the republicans standing pat as against the progressives, Is 1t not a fact that MT. Wilson has taken one of those issues-preparednes gone further than any republican president ever did?
 Suspects c. O. F.
 The other issue-Americanism leads ,me to ask: When did the re- publican party ever have any mort gage on real Americanism? Further more, am led seriously to doubt the quality of the Americanism which will be given to this country, by . party like the republican party which in two successive conventions. 1912 and 1916, permitted Senator. Shoot and Senator Penrose. whose sympathies are with the interests-both G. o. P. 'bosses''-to say nothing of Murray Crane, of like tendencies, to tell them who they could or could not nominate as candidate for president.
 The last blow to the great bulk of the rank and file of the progressives was the attempt of MT. Hughes, in his speech of acceptance, to justify his position and fool the voters by a long herangue devoted entirely to criticism. As good American. re- sent it. I feel that such an attitude on the part of any candidate, con- sidering the great responsibilities resting unon our nresident is uncQll-