The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1916-06-26
COLONEL ROOSEVELT
URGES SPROCRESSIVES
TO SUPPORT HUGHES
Definitely Refuses Nomination in
Letter to Bull Moose National
Committee.
THREE PARTIES ARE
STILL EVIDENT TODAY
Colonel Bases Support Upon Necessity
for Patriotic American
Citizens.
(By United Press)

Chicago, June 26.-Colonel Roose.
welt today definitely refused the Pro
gressive nomination for president in
a letter to the Bull Moose committee
urging them to support Hughes fol
president. He based his support up,
on necessity for patriotic Americans
To State Committees.
Three parties were evident when
the Progressive national committee
met here today. One faction favors
continuance, second faction favors
Roosevelt's suggestions and the third
faction would submit the question to
state committees
ROOSevelt's letter in part follows
81 wish to extend my heartiest and
most unstinted admiration for the
character and services of the men and
women who made up the Progressive
nation convention in 1916. I can
give them no higher praise than to
say in all respects they stood level
with the men and women who in 1912
joined at Chicago to found the Pro-
gressive party. These two conven-
tions, in character, in disinterested-
ness, in vision, in insight, in high
purpose, and in desire to render prac-
tical service to the people, typified ex-
actly what such bodies ought to be in
a great self-governing democracy.
They represented the spirit which
moved Abraham Lincoln and his poll
tical associates during the decade pre-
ceding the close of the Civil War.
No New Party.
"The Progressive movement has
been given an incalculable impetus by
what the Progressive party has done.
Our strongest party antagonists have
accepted and enacted into law, or
embodied in their party platforms,
very many of our important princi-
pies. Much has been accomplished in
awakening the public to better un-
derstanding of the problems of social
and Industrial welfare.
'Yet it has become entirely evident
that the people under existing condi-
tions are not prepared to accept a
third party.
1T is impossible for us Progressives
to abandon our convictions. But we
are faced with the fact that as things
actually are the Progressive national
organization no longer offers the
means whereby we can make these
convictions effective in our national
life. Under such circumstances, our
duty is to do the best we can, and not
to sulk because our leadership is re-
jected
Guilty of Shortcoming.
"The present administration, dur
ing it's three years of lifs, has been
guilty of shortcomings more signal
than those of any administration since
the days of Buchanan. From the
standpoint of national honor and in
terest, it stood on an even lower level
than the administration of Buchan-
an. No administration in our his
tory has done more to relax the
spring of the national will and to
deaden the national conscience.
Will Support Hughes.
''In my judgment, the nomination
of Mr.. Hughes meet the conditions
set forth in the statement of the Pro-
gressive national committee, issued
last January, and in my own state
ments. Under existing conditions
the nomination of a third ticket
would, in my judgment, be merely 9
move in the interest of the election
of Mr.. Wilson. I regard Mr.. Hughes
as a man whose public record is {
guarantee that he will not merely
stand for a program OF clean-cu1
straight-out Americanism before elec
tion, but will resolutely and in goot
faith put it through if elected HI
is beyond all comparison better fittet
to be president than Mr.. Wilson,. l
would be grave detriment to tht
country to re-elect Mr.. Wilson
shall, therefore, strongly support Mr.
Hughes. Such being the case, it j
unnecessary to say that | cannct &C
cept the nomination on a third ticket
I do not believe that there should b'
third ticket / believe that Whel
my fellow Progressives cooly con
slider the question they will for tn
most part take this position. The!
and have but one purpose-the pur
pose to serve our common country
1t is my deep conviction that at thi
moment we can serve it only by sup