Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1916-10-19

uatlon precisely, while the home and
some others are lost for the time
being.
Acting upon principle, l separated
from the Republican and participated
in the organization OF the Progressive
party because my conscience forbade
that l should longer affiliate with the
party used as an instrument of gov
eminent In behalf of large interests
enjoying special privileges at the ex-
pense Of the whole people. The move
ment for a new party not only ap-
pealed to my Judgment, but it aroused
an enthusiasm within me to a degree
which l had never before experienced.
] was chairman of the first state con-
vention in Missouri and with the la
mented Col. Nelson of the Kansas City
Star attended the national convention
as a delegate-at-large. At Chicago l
was made a member of the committee
on platform and Co-labored with the
excellent men Of that body formulat-
ing what l regard as the greatest dec
laration Of principles and policies
given forth by any political assem-
blage Of my day. On my return to
Missouri | was unanimously chosen as
the candidate of the new party for
Governor, and after a short campaign
of the state we polled $4,000 votes.
Many of us were entirely sincere and
embraced the cause for the better
ment of conditions generally with
lofty motives and purity of purpose. |
was one of this number and believed,
for was given to so understand, that
we we're engaged in building a per-
manent party that should go forward
and upward in the task Of retaining
the powers of government from the
great interests of the country, and
lodging them again in the hands Of all
the people, where they Justly reside.
In u contract with the people we
not only declared our purpose not to
further aid the continuance of invisi-
BILE government in its maneuverings
through such men as Penrose, Smoot,
Barnes, Crane, Guggenheim and 9TH
ers, but we solemnly agreed to de-
throne 1t, that the peoples govern.
ment might be- administered by and
for them.
Having enlisted in this splendid
cause, I, for one, was politically happy
for the first time in my life, and this,
too, though 1t was well understood
that we would not be able to come
into office and power until the old Re-
publican machine was completely de-
stroyed and the new party established
on the ruins Of the old, but in accord
with the spirit Of Lincoln. All Of us
shared the promise that the "men and
women" thus gathered together
would never be abandoned" 1t may
be regarded as certain, according to
the thought Of candid persons every
where, that those Of us who affiliated
with the new party in good faith were
justified in believing, at least, that
we would not be abandoned on the
very center Of the field when the flag
was floating high and the bugle call
but sounded. But, be this as IT may.
the fact speaks for itself. History
will record and characterize it. AS
chairman of the Missouri delegation,
j was present at the passing OF the
party and witnessed it with solemnity
and sadness similar in degree to the
feeling OF happiness experienced at its
birth.
Here / found myself a political or
phan, recognizing nc obligation to any
party but owing an allegiance to my
country which, according to con
science, compels me to function, as a
citizen somewhere and somehow.
1t is obvious that the same crowd of
reactionary leaders constitute the
works of the Republican party now as
before. In 1912 these men were forced
to steal delegates to control the Re
publican convention, and in 1915, the
Progressives having moved out, they
controlled the situation without oppo-
sition, for all were of one accord. In
this situation 1t devolved upon them,
70 nominate a candidate who would