The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1916-12-09
PROGRESS|VES
CALL MEETING
FOR NEW YORK
TO ARRANGE FOR BIG
ST. LOUIS CONFERENCE
In Call State Fight is for
Principle Regardless.
of Any Party.

WASHINGTON, D. c., Dec 8.--A
call for a conference Of those Progress
sives who are not in sympathy with
the former leaders of the party, "in
asking the Republican old guard 10
give us places on the Republican exec
uuve committee" was issued here to-
night BY Matthew Hale. of Massachu-
setts, as acting chairman of the Pro-
gressive National Committee. The
step follows the overtures made by
Raymond Robins, Clifford Pinchot and
others at meeting in Chicago this
week for a voice in the management
Of Republican party affairs.
The Progressive organization COM
mittee and members Of the old Pro-
gressive National Committee. who
have been cooperating with this conf
mittee, are asked to meet in New YORK
December Is to arrange plans for the
conference, which is to be held in ST.
Louis during the winter. In his call.
Mr.. Hale says that the liberals OF the
nation must organize. regardless OF
their past party affiliations, and re-
gardless of their choice for President
this fall" and that it Is TO form nu-
CleuS lOl SuCl q itn etiu III ibNuSi 49,
eral organization that the st: Louis
conference is called.
Fight Fer Principle
1--WE ProgressivCs have always been
more interested in the success OF the
principles for which we are Nghtln2
than in the existence 'of our party rs
Il separate entity" says the call. We
have always been ready 10 support
either Of the old parties when elthe:
of them commit itself definitely anu
irrevocably to really liberal pro.
gram. Until then. however, We are not
Democrats: we are not Republicans;
We are Progressivcs.
MANY or US thought that President
Wilson had gone far toward commit
ting the Democratic party nationally
to such a liberal program; therefore,
we voted for him. We felt that the
Republican candidate was committed
to a policy Of evasion. Therefore, we
refused to allow those Of our tormar
holds who attempted 10 persuade US
that the Republican party had become
Progressive merely because lew ~
these former progressive leaders hau
been given prominent but po"erl.9Ss
positions on a Republican campaign
committee. For the same reason we
row refuse to join these Progressive
Republicans in asking the Republican
Old GuHrt. to give us places on lie.
nubliCan executive committee as PROOF
of the liberalization Of the RepuDilcan
party.
vii! Not Compromise.
We are unwilling to compromise
with the Old Guard of either party.
We stand ready to help President
Wilson at all times and in all ways
In his fight to iberalize the Demo
cratic party, and we stand ready 10
help Hiram Johnson Of California al
all times and in all ways in his fight
to liberalize the Republican party.
Sooner or later the liberal ele-
ments of all parties and OF all sec
tions, north and south, east and west,
will unite TO form really coherent
and a really national liberal party
perhaps under one Of the old party
standards, perhaps under a new
standard and will complete the
work begun so splendidly by Wood
row Wilson and Hiram Johnson. We
proeressives must be ready TO de-
vote our lives to this work. We must
see clearly that success cannot come
through compromise or through bar
ter. but that success can come
through unfaltering loyalty to Pro-
gressive principles and through, un-
daunted courage in fighting. those
who oppose these principles