Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-10-17

ing a conference here today with men,
bers of the Wilson Volunteers, headed by
Amos Pinchot, who will campaign for
him among the labor voters of New York.
Led by Amos Pinchot and Rabbi Ste
,ben S. Wise, the delegation remained
with the President more than an hour.
He talked with the delegation In the re-
cention room of his summer residence,
Shadow Lawn.
The President says the time has come
for America to unite her progressive
forces. He said the leaders of the oppo-
sition want only these three things: The
scaln of the present comptroller OF the
currency. John Shelton Williams; to get
control of the banking system OF the
country anG to put the army and navy
of the United States back of their finan-
cial enterprises in Mexico and through
out the world
Rapbi Wise in a brief speech declared
that the visitors were supporting Mr. Will
son because they were unwilling to &C
cent the leadership of "Messrs. Barnes,
Roosevelt, Penrose and Perkins" He
praised the President for the appoint
ment Of Justices Brandeis and Clarke to
the United States supreme court.
Rabbi Wise referred particularly to the
Panama tolls question. saying that II
the President had not handled it as he did
"the world would not have been prepared
to accept your word as the President Of
the United States touching our readiness
to deal honorably with all nations"
He declared that the President had done
more than keep the nation out of war
with Mexico. Asserting that some OF
those present had supported Mr.. Hughes
when he was governor of New York,
Rabbi Wise added that Mr.. Hughes cleo
ton as President would mean country
divided against itself, a country perhaps
permanently and hopelessly hyphenated."
Mr.. Pinchot told the President that the
delegation was with him because they
felt 1.-The issue was very clear between
the forces of the Republican party, the
old forces Of privilege and the progress
sive forces which you lead. Il
Resolutions saying I'VE represent
body Of men drawn from all parties.
some of whom have disagreed with
you and fought you publicly" were
presented to Mr.. Wilson by the dele
CATION. 1--WE resent as an insult to the
American people Mr.. Hughes calm
acceptance Of the organized and mill
tant support Of the German American
/ Alliance and we denounce as infinitely
alarming symptoms the. effort to pun
lbs an American President with the
vote of alien sympathizers," the reso-
buttons added. I'VE do not understand"
the resolutions continued, why MI.
pvroi tA rnY1NYnif
himself on any great issue before the
nation A free people cannot AFFORD to
choose as it's. leader a man who was
nominated without expressing MS
views a man who has toured the coun-
try and failed to express himself
The problem that America has had
to face for some time" said the Pres
jdent," has been to unite and organize
her progressive forces. They have been
present in the nation for a long time
They have been running like under
currents. They have been asserting
themselves here. there ard elsewhere
in sometimes unexpected quarters; but
not until four years ago did they dis
close their numerical forces"
Dissecting the presidential vote in
1912, which he called Striking" the
President said that of the more than
,0Co votes cast. 100000 were cast
for the Progressive candidates and
programs of the campaign, represented
by the Progressive and Democratic
parties. OF the remaining 100000 votes
only 3,500.ooO were cast for the Repub-
lean candidate, "a most extraordinary
toti of ho IF o.
pic of the United States to move for
ward along new and constructive lines
il respect of their public policy"
He said that for long time the
Progressive element had been the DOM
mating one in the Democratic party
end the election four years ago show
ID the strength of that element in the
Republican ranks as given by the Pro-
Eressive party vote.
Nov, since then" continued Presi-
dent Wilson. this group in the Demo-
cratic party has had an opportunity
10 show the country whether it meant
what il said or not and it has shown
that it did mean what it said, that it
was genuine progressive force ready
TO do the things that it had promised
to do.
And who are the leaders of the
lhree and a half millions?
The men who can sum their desires
IN three propositions. To put it as they
would put it. they want the scalp of
me present comptroller of the curren-
e. can only conjecture-because for
me first time in many years he has OBJ
hged the banks to obey the banking
.a"s-knowing him to be honorable.
showing him to be efficient, I can con-
lecture no other reason. In the second
niace they desire to get control of the
ne" banking system and in the third
Place they wish to put the army and
- navy OF the United States back of their
! financial enterprises in Mexico and
throughout the Morld. In private this
is what they avow. 1t ought to be
aVowed in public and 1t summarizes
as compacty and neatly as need be
summarized the general purposes of
me leaders of the three and half
millions.
want to say in passing. with re-
gard to this three and a half millions
u my fellow countrymen, that l do not
ueheve them to be in the plot. be-
AeVe them to have been misled by an
vent prepossessions. by old prejudfees,