Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-08-08
RAYMOND ROBINS
PREFERS HUGHES
FOR PRESIDENT
Chairman Of Progressive Ma
tional Convention Tells Why
Democratic Party Founded
on States Rights-Sees in
Republican Party Hope of Ma
tionalism, Collectivism and
Preparedness-"How Can a
Progressive Hesitate?"

For myself, cannot ueterHiiHe
this question by the merit of candi-
dates and platforms alone. Platforms
change with each campaign and lead
ers come and go. Should we not con-
slider that drift of opinion-almost
glacial in slowness and certainty
whereby the permanent voting mass
in each party inevitably determines
the topography of our political world?
The answer to this question is two
fold, first the character and environ :
ment Of the primary voter mass con-
troll, and second the permanent
achievement of its leadership.
The primary voter mass control of
the Democratic party is in Is southern
and southwestern states and in the
industrial cities of the nation. The
fixed southern control of the Demo-
cratic party is individualistic in its
thinking, sectional in its sympathies
and inherits a tradition against COM
mon labor as serVile. The social or
ganization is still semipatriarchal in
the rural communities and the south
ern environment presents the maxi
mum of natural and cultural re-
sistance' to necessary social and in
dustrial standardization. The Demo-
cratic primary voter mass control in
the industrial cities is the most
heterogeneous of our national groups
and the excessive pressure of living
and industrial conditions renders it
the most fertile field for boss control
in the service of selfish personal and
corporate interests. The primary
voter mass control of the Republican
party is in the rural communities of
the central. western and New Eng
land states. This group represents
the highest literacy in America. is
freest from severe social and
economic pressure, is in the zone of
dustrial standarism and equality of
opportunity, and irrerits the tradi-
ton Of Lincoln and the men who
saved the Union.
Character Of Republican Masses.
The Republican party-though
often dominated by the masters of
special privilege and made by them
the instrument of vast exploitation
has rank and file of men and wo-
men who have proved their capacity
to reject false or dishonest leader
ship. Conceived in moral revolt
against human slavery, it was born
baptized and nurtured in the SUI
preme national struggle to maintain
the national heritage and fulfill the
promise of equal opportunity to every
citizen. Is not it's rank and file best
calculated to support leadership
that will create national mind and
conscience, and having preserved the
integrity of the nation against the
heresy of secession, will it not de-
velop and maintain progressive ma
tional program of social and economic
organization?
The national conscience now
aroused must be made effective. II
must develop a national mind that
will comprehend our social, industrial
and military unpreparedness. 1t must
appreciate the domestic injury and
national danger that lies in our lack
Of q definite foreign policy. 1t must
realize that we will be as unprepared
for peace as we are unprepared fer
war. The supreme need in American
political life is leadership supported
by voting rank and file that will or
ganize and maintain an adequate So
cial. industrial and military prepared
ness. together with comprehensive
foreign policy.
The first step in social preparedness
IS woman suffrage tn protect our chill
dren and homes from the fncompe-
tence, corruption and vice of our mu-
nicipal housekeeping. We need in
dustrial preparedness with a program
Of standardization ir our economic
life. For the workers, we need living
wages, fair hours of labor, workshop
sanitation and fire protection. with
accident, sickness, old age and unem-
ployment insurance. Trade agree
ments and arbitration should take the
place of individual exploitation AMI