Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1916-06-29
WHY

A circular letter on the question"Why
Hughes!'' by "An Un hyphenated Del
egate," has reached many people in
South Dakota. 1t is by DIR. e IL. Col
Ter of Battle Greek, Mich, a delegate
to the recent progressive national con
vention. The letter is as follows:
why shoald the un-hyphenated pro
gressive support Hughes rather than
Wilson,"
1.-The republicans nominated a candi.
date without a program, excepting the
cry, Harmony and the demand that
the democrats get out
"The national committees of the pro-
gressive and republican parties have
been negotiating a compromise since
January 10, 1916, and despite their CON
t%entions to the contrary, the proceed
ings of the progressive and republican
conventions proved conclusively that
they had compromised and that that
compromise had been secretly negotiat-
ed by the 'hyphenated' leaders in the
national progressive committee.
1.-THE delegates of the several states
entered the progressive convention with
confidence in their leaders and with one
avowed purpose to maintain the entity
and integrity of a party that was birth
marked with a spirit of progressive
ness, that c~ountenanced no boss rule,
no star chamber. no secret conferences
of compromises of any sort whatever.
whether or no Victor Murdoch is
or was q 'hyphenated' progressive,
time will tell. In the early hoars of
its deliberations, Victor Murdoch stood
before the delegates of that progress
sive convention and informed them
that the national committee, of which
he was chairman, was unnecessarily,
unwisely and against any and all per-
suasion on his part to the contrary,
stalling the regular order of business,
and stiultifying and damning all Of the
fundamental principles born with and
enunciated by the national progressive
party of this country.
The appeals of Victor Murdoch OF
Kansas, Hiram Johnson of California,
| and Congressman O'Donnell of Mich
gan, that the convention cut itself loose
from the secret star chamber confer
ences Of the progressive and republican
olive branch bearing committees, and
proceed to the regular order of bust
ness, were of no avail in e%xtricating
the delegates of the second national
progressive convention from withundel
the steam roller of the 'h%yphenated
, progressive majority of the nationa
committee.
cit is a safe bet that the progressive
movement had become too strong IN tht
right to further command the respect
and support of its 'hyphenated' leaders
and supporters, who, rather than stano
for principle, united with the leaders OF
the old boss ruled republican, organi
zation, and bartered the principles OF
the honest progressives of this country
for what? For the ~reintrenchmeni
of themselves and the cid guard of the
boss-riaden party from which they hac
fled, back into the legislative and ad
ministrative body of this country.
"May God have mercy on the souls Of
the honest progressives of this country
who turn their backs upon the wonder
full achievements, the high ideals, thu
enobling intents and purposes of tn,
progressive party of this country, t,
follow its 'hyphenated' leaders bacl
into the boss ridden party, that at
tempts to shift the responsibility o
thirty yeara of republican misrule upoi
three years OF democratic administr;
ton"
Fort Dodge Chronicle: If 7. r. en-
derses Hughes. it will indicate thai