New-York tribune., 1916-07-28
To the Editor of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: As Progressive who expects to vote
for Mr. Hughes | desire to protest against
the attitude of Republicans who seem 20
think that in patriotically giving our sup
port to Hughes we are coming back" to the
old party 10 stay, or that such support means
in any degree surrender of the Progressive
party.
Many of us are supporting Mr. Hughes as
a national necessity under existing condi-
tions. We are willing to be patriotic even
to the expense Of our own party, willing 20
support man Of a different party for our
cCuntry's honor and welfare. which, by the
way is more than the Republicans were will
ing to do. They were willing to save their
country only through their own party.
Although many Progressives are willing
to tax their stomachs by swallowing Fair
banks in order to cast vote for Hughes,
have yet TO find a single Progressive who
has the slightest enthusiasm for Fairbanks.
We believe Hughes to be Progressive type
of man, but we believe Fairbanks to be not
orly in sympathy with the "od crowd" but
one of the "od crowd" the very bunch we
who has absolutely nothing to commend him
self TO Progressives or, so far as can see,
to so-called Progressives or forward-looking
Republicans.
The ticket Of Hughes and Fairbanks is
Republican ticket and not Republcan-Pro-
gressive ticket, and Progressives so under
stand it. Hughes is Republican and not
Progressive. Fairbanks's nomination is an
out-and-out gift of the Republicans to the
"Od Guard" given gladly, and the thought
Of throwing the nomination for VicePresi-
dent to a Progressive or a so-called Pro-
gressive- Republican of the West was never
dreamed of. Yet many Republicans are now
representing that the party is rapidly be-
coming reunited" and 1912 is to be forgotten.
If the Republican party is sincere and
patriotic in its effort to bring about re-
union on any other basis than the Republ-
can party being willing TO swallow the Pro-
gressive party why does it not bring about
the withdrawal Of Fairbanks and fiji the
vacancy with some Western Progressive?
At the recent meeting of the Hughes
Alliance at the Hotel Astor Mr.. Rathborn.
Republican from Illinois, in delivering qr
address said in substance: LET us all, Re-
publicans, Independents, Democrats and Pro
gressives, unite for a big Republican vic
tory"
maintain on behalf of Progressives that
my party will never stand for such a vic
tory. IL must in fact be a victory of patri
otc Americans of different parties over
grossly incompetent party in a time of ma
tonal danger and for the honor and well
fare of our country. In the maintenance
Of Fairbanks on the ticket and by such
claims Of partisan victory, Mr.. Rachborn and
other Republicans will not make votes for
Hughes and will make for the continuance
OF the Progressive party.
The claim that ninety per cent OF the
Progressives are for Hughes is ridiculous
He will be doing mighty well if he gets
over sixty per cent of their votes. Hughes
also needs votes in the pivotal state of New
York. If the Republicans are sufficiently
patriotic to go outside of their party on
state ticket. as the Progressives are on
national ticket, let them nominate Pro-
gressive for Governor and support him, aad
they will gain Progressive cooperation and
temporarily, al least, reunite the parties in
the state.
Progressives think no more Of Whitman
than they did in 1914, and they stand By
everything that Roosevelt and Davenport
said Of him a. that time. II the Republican
party persists in its policy of claiming re
united party, which in fact is an attempt at
swallowing the Progressive party with IT'S
boots on, il will renominate Whitman and
the Progressives will vote for Seabury and
Hughes will lose votes in this important
state he otherwise would obtain.
Possibly because of the Republican, party's