The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-04

letter has been sent by Charles Sumner
Bird of Massachusetts to George W. Per-
| kins. chairman OF the executive COM
mittee Of the Progressive National Com
mittee. MIR. Bird, as the Progressive
candidate for Governor In 1912. received
i16, 900 votes and. again, as a candidate
in 1918, received i2e. 900 votes. defeat
ing the Republican candidate by over
10, 1000 votes:
my DEAF MR. PERxiNs:
The Progressives. more tha two
million strong. await with much inter-
est the action OF the Progressive Ma
cago on January II. We are largely
anti-Democratic and yet many OF s Will
vote the Democratic ticket rather than
support a reactionary Republican cand'.
! date or subscribe to a narrow. stand pat
platform.
The time Is at hand when the re-
sponsible leaders OF the Progressive
party should declare, in no uncertain
words, What they propose to do In the
national campaign Of 1916. This Ii no
time to temporize. to hnesse. to play the
dog In the manger. The responsibility
for failure to unite Progressives and
Republicans into a solid Demo-
cratic body should be put sQuarely up
TO the Republican organization.
No second Rate Candidate.
"The responsible leaders OF the Re-
publican party should be made TO under
stand. In clear terms. that the nomina.
ton OF a re~actionary or second rate
candidate will widen the breach Of 1912
and insure the election of President Will
son and the control OF Congress by the
Southern Democracy. They should be
told frankly. and publicly. that II the
Republican leaders force upon the coun-
try a rs i~ctionary candidate, the Progress
sive organization will put into the Acid
n straight ticket which Progress!ves OF
all parties can consc!entiously vote for
This is not the time to adopt a mid
die OF the road platform. or to waste
effort in the serious consideration OF
'faVorite sons Grave dangers threaten
the country. both In domestic and inter.
national affairs. Prepa ration for war Is
essential, but preparedness in industry is
of equal Importance. Enormous busi-
ness difficulties are ahead of us at the
expiration OF the war. To take the
tariff out of politics. through the crea-
iion of a TarN Commission. Is abso-
lutely essential TO the welfare OF both
labor and capital.
above all NC must recreate a virile
and consistent foreign policy that Will
r~eestablish our responsibility and rank
among the nations OF the world. These
and other great questions make II IN
pcrative that past political differences
and petty feuds be put aside and that
the Progressive lead the way to unite
the anti-Democratic forces in nominal.
ing a candidate courageous enough. able
enough. patriotic enough. for the her.
culean task that the next President will
have TO face.
UuRhra or ROOsev~lt
There are two men. and two only
who have a ghost OF a chance to defea,
President Wilson next November-Jus-
t'ce Hughes and Col. Roosevelt. Eithe'
would be acceptable TO the great ma
tortty Of Progressives either would bs
satisfactory TO the rank and file OF the
Republican party.
MT. Hughes, as Governor OF New
York. was independent. efficient and
courageous. Undoubtedly he would
mako a great President. There are
some, however. who feel as he evidently
does. that a Supreme Court Justice
should not step from the bench to a
political fight.
, There are others who realize tina
NJ. Hughes's opinions on the issues tina
will be paramount at the next election
~ NV u ~ ma w NIal he DC
I lIeves In President Wilson'S Mexican
European, tariff for revenue only. bust
? ness prosecuting policies. and, IL he does
his nomination would obviously be al
absurdity. However. Justice Hughe,
is a strong a and undoubtedly woulC
I be supported by Progress!ves and Re
I publ'cans alike.
Theodore Roosevelt WAS a grea
e President. a strong Executive. who caIle,
4 TO his Cabinet the ablest men OF tina
. time. First Of all ne is a patriotic an,
2 loyal American. At all times. under nj
circumstances, ne mas hit hard 70
{ Amer.oan'sn,, for national, honor an,
for our national responsibility In tn
work Of the world. Had he been Fresi
II dent during the past three years tn
crimes done in Mexico would have bee,
averted the Lusitania would have bee
afoat and our rank among the nation
. Of the world nothing TO be ashamed of.
Only Belgium UIcndrr.
Al col, Roosevelt is the only prominen
public man who has protested effectivel