New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-11-15

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: The Tribune is supposed to be par
tisan paper. As reader I know better. The
Tribune has not only heard il has sounded
clarion call In general agree with The
Trbune's sentiments as expressed BEFORE
during and since the Presidential campaign
Nauseated by political backfire from the re-
cent election, | beg some space
Patriotism. it seems, is bad form. So l
snail try not to be patriot. shall appear
to self-interest and talk about common sense
am a Progressive. | was actively engaged
in the rebellion of 1912. | join with The
Tribune in congratulating Mr.. Wilson upon
personal achievement. But do not con-
graduate the nation. | am no longer bitter
against Mr.. Wilson. But for the nation, for
both it's stupidity and hypocrisy have only
contempt As nationalist ! cannot see, in
the net result, true progressivism In Mr..
Wilson's work. wisconsin has won.
There will be no real individual freedom
and social justice so long as individualism in
the United States refuses TO submit to or
ganization. In other words, so long as the
people of the United States fail to see their
best interests in naturalization will they
fail as a people to obtain justice. SO long
as they are local and provincial will they be
people with local and provincial interests
pulling against each other. So long as they
are satisfied with the bone that is thrown TO
their sef-centred gluttony, to their blind
parochalism, will they permit organized lob
bies of all kinds, including labor and capital,
to upset and control the national government.
These are the forces of disintegration which
have been working upon both the stability
and effectiveness of the government, espe-
cially for the last four years. ! am not ques-
tioning Mr.. Wilson's motives or his good in
tent. But these are the forces which Mr..
Wilson has so effectively used to serve his
own ends-that is, in building up his own
personal power In power only has he been
national. His appeal has not been national.
Il has been sectional. And it has been to
special interests of both capital and labor
as well. He has done too much pussyfootng
to be true Progressive. But. however that
may be- my contempt is only for my country.
More power to Mr.. Wilson! As it is, the
crown invisible seems to rest securely upon
the Presidential head.
So much for Mr.. Wilson's political astute-
ness. There are other causes to which we may
perhaps attribute more largely the result
OF the election. I wish to speak only of one.
1t has to do with the provincialism and sec
tionalism mentioned above. I mean speci-
fcally the betrayal of the nation by the West.
The ideals of Progressives' in the West
beat Hughes" and | might add, the nation,
if we are to believe Mr.. William Allen White
in The Tribune of November IL. We know
that the West elected Wilson. But Mr.. White
has given us the reason why the West elected
Wilson. The West, according to Mr.. White,
"despised" Mr.. Wilson and "disheart-
ened." For the nation it was ASHAMED" The
West was aware that the issue was one Of
national honor, but mot even the issue Of
national honor had its effect" 1t voted for
Wilson. "The country asked for Roosevelt
and they" says Mr. White. referring to the
Republican leaders, gave it Hughes" There
fore the West would mot vote for a party
they distrusted."