Imperial Valley press., 1916-01-13
Progressives Tell of Plans
For Chicago Convention

any needed sacrifice to uphold Amer
ican standards of humanity and JUS
tice. Only that spirit will put this
nation where it can move effectively
for the world peace which we desire.
The Wilson administration has re
pudated the faith of our forefathers,
which made the American flag the
sufficient protection of an American
citizen around the world 1t has suf-
fered American men, women and chill
dren to be slaughtered in Mexico and
on the high seas, American property
to be destroyed and American liberty
to travel and trade to be subject to
the arbitrary and lawless coercion of
foreign belligerents. 1t has stood by
while the law of nations disappeared
from the earth without adequate pro-
test or effective resistance 1t first
among American administrations has
shown the supine spirit, whose sure
consequence is the contempt of the
world.
Our people are becoming impatient
of leaders who hold that comfort, pros
perity and material welfare are above
honor, sef-sacrifice and patriotism.
We need reawakening of our older
! Americanism, of our belief in those
things that our country and our flag
stand for. Our people are seeking
adership-leadership of the highest
order and most courageous character;
leadership that will draft to itself for
the country's benefit the unselfish and
patriotic services of its ablest citi-
zens. They are demanding that prin:
ciples and policies shall be proclaimed
and carried out by a man who has the
wisdom to formulate and the man
hood to fight for them.
Keenly alive to this, we call the
national convention of the Progress
sive party to assemble in Chicago at
/ the same time the national conven-
tion of the Republican party is to as
semble there. We take this action,
believing that the surest way to Sc
cure for our country the required
leadership will be by having, if pos
sible, both the Progressive and Re-
publican parties choose the same
standard bearer and the same prin-
ciples. We are confident that the rank
and file of the Republican party and
the very large Independent vote of
this country will support such an eff
fort.
We pledge ourselves to approach
the consideration of the issues involved
in such an effort without any desire
to revive partisan bitterness. If the
Republican convention is responsive to
the patriotic spirit that brought the
Republican party into being and that
made it dominant for half a century;
if it meet this crisis in the spirit
of broad patriotism-th efforts for
common leadership will be successful.
AS a result, when the conventions
of the two parties adjourn the spirit
of confidence in victory for the lead
er thus selected and the principles
to which he is committed will in at
self go far toward insuring victory
in November. Should the effort fail,
the responsibility for the result will
not rest on the Progressive national
convention or on the 100000 voters
who supported Progressive candidates
in 1912.
They, when called upon again to
do so, will as firmly refuse to SUR
trender to party machines. The re-
sponsibility will rest on other shoul-
ders than ours, and this will be so
apparent to the voters of the country
as to result in victory for the ma
tional Progressive party in next falls
election. In this turning point in
world history we will not stick ON de-
: tails; we will lay aside partisanship
and prejudice. But we will never SUR
render these principles for which we
; stand and have stood. We will follow
only leader whom we know stands
/, for them and is able to put them
} through.