Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-06-27

national honoT and interest, II stood on
an even lower level than the admins
tration Of Buchanan. No administra-
ton in our history had done more TO
relax the spring Of the national will
and to deaden the national conscience.
Within the Republican Party con-
flctiHg forces were at work. There
were men among the organization
leaders who advocated q course Of &C
ton such as offered no Improvement
upon the Dem ocratic position, and ad-
vocated the nomination of candidates
whose election would have represented
no Improvement upon the continuance
ir Office OF Ny. Wilson. If such a
course were followed, il would OBJ
viously become our duty 10 run third
ticket. But il was plainly our duty to
DO everything honorable in order TO
prevent such a necessity; 10 do every
thing short Of sacrificing our most
sacred convictions in order 10 secure
the alignment under one leadership of
the forces opposed 10 me continuance
lin power Of Mr.. Wilson and the Demo-
cratic Party
Under these circumstances the Pro
sressiVe National Committee. al Chi
Cago, in January, outlined our duty to
seek common action with the Republi
can Party, using the following words:
our people are seeking leadership
lea dership Of the highest order and
most courageous character. leadership
that will draft TO itself for the coun-
t1y's benefit the unselfsh and patriotic
services Of its ablest citizens. The
sures1 way to secure for our country
the required leadership will be by hav-
ing. i possible. both the Progressive
and Republican Parties choose tbs
same standard bearer and the same
principles"
Six weeks later, on March eth in nv
Trinidad statement. l asked for a
similar combination against the Demo-
cratic Party, on platform Of clean
cur. strai ghtout National American
ism" and for a candidate who will
rot merely stand for such a program
before election, but will resolutely and
ii good faith put il through if elect
ed"
This was. in effect, the same state
rlent that I made in my telegram 10
ex-senator Jackson, pending the Con-
Venton, which ran in part as follows:
/ Can we not, forgetting past differ
ences, now join. for the safety and
honor of cur country. 10 enforce the
policies OF genuine Americanism and
genuine Preparedness Surely we can
afford to act in accordance with the
words Of Abra ham Lincoln when as
interest reunite in a common effort 10
~
ask those who have not differed with
Us 10 JOIN IN this same spirit toward
those who have AS far as my own
soul is known TO me il is in this same
spirit that al this time / make my ap-
peal to the Republicans and Progress
slves assembled at Chicago"
, In addition 10 these public state
ments had also stated my own atti-
tUde verbally, and in letters, during tn
weeks Immediately preceding the con
vention. TO scores of leading Progress
slves from all parts Of the country, in
Guiding many Of the leaders at the
convention. To these men l expressed
my earnest hope that the Republicans
would so act a 5 10 make il possible foy
the Progressives to join with them
l stated 10 them, however. that in view
Of the attitude Of some of the Repub!i
can leaders it was a least conceivable
that We should be put in a position
/ where our highest duty. our fealty "a
the country. our sense of what
patriotism dema nded in a great crisis
would make il imperative upon US "a
run separate ticket; and that vheth-
er in such event it would be necessary
: SC- +,
be determined in advance. ! stated in
these interviews and in these letters
With the utmost emphasis, that the de-
cision of this point. like the whole
matter If running a separate ticket
would have TO he determined bv what
the interests Of the country demanded
in View OF the action finally taken by
the Conventions at Chicago.
| Al the time many Of the Republican
! leaders asserted that my statements
were not made in good faith: that
really intended 10 insist upon my OWL
nomination by the Republican Con-
vention, and that if was not so nomi
mated, intended TO accept the Progress
s!ve nomination and run on third
ticket. OF course my fellow Progress
S4NtS wei = UijOcl llO SNCil error. L IlSs
knew that ! spoke in good faith and
meant exactly what l said. They
knew that nv utterances were TO be
accepted al their exact face value as
meaning that if the Republicans nomi-
mated a man whom We could con-
scientiously support we would support
! him. The Progressive Convention
came together knowing my public
statements and therefore knowing ex-
aC1ly what my attitude was.
/ In m" judgment. the nomination OF
Mr.. Hughes meets the conditions set
forth in the statement of the Progress
sive National Committee, issued last
! January. and in my own statements
Under existing conditions. the nomi-
nation of third ticket would, in my
judgment, be merely a move in the
interest of the election Of Mr.. Wilson
| regard Mr.. Hughes as a man whose
public record is a guarantee that "he
{ Will not merely stand for a program
! Of clean-cut straightout Americanism
/ before election, but will resolutely anG
! in good faith put it through if elected
He is beyond all comparison better
| fitted to be President than Mr.. Wilson
II would be a grave detriment to the
country TO re-elect Mr.. Wilson.