The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1916-07-14
WHAT OF THE PRoeREsslvEs2
New York Worldly

(NeW YORK World.)
1t is the opinion of John ]. O'Con-
nell, chairman of the Progressive
committee of New York county, as ex-
pressed elsewhere in this issue of the
World, that the doom of the third
party was fixed at the Gary dinner on
December 20 last. Mr.. Roosevelt was
present. Among others we're gentle
men said to represent twelve thou
sand millions of dollars.
Mr.. O'Connell is further of the be-
lief that the sole object of the men
who led and financed the third party
movement in 1912 was revenge upon
Mr.. Taft for instituting proceedings
against the steel trust. These men,
he says, have now returned to stand
pat Republicanism, partly because of
hostility to President Wilson and
partly because they hope, through his
defeat, to ''rip" the progressive leg
islation enacted during his admins
tration.
Whether these conclusions are true
or untrue. they show how fimsy are
the hopes of harmony between the
Old Guard and true Progressives.
Something more than problem in
addition is needed to bring about a
union Of the 4,t19,5O7 voters who
supported Mr.. Roosevelt in 1912 and
the 3,4S4,956 who favored Mr.. Taft.
Mr.. Roosevelt has issued his orders
and Mr.. Hughes has extended his well
come, but these pleasing formalitles
do not touch the roots of things.
Standing like a stone wall i'm the
way of the fusion here promised are
many monumental facts. One of
these Is that a great majority of the
Progressives of 1912 were honest
They wanted progress. They insisted
upon deliverance from plutocracy and
privilege. Another is that they were
intelligent and capable Of determin-
ing for themselves whether their
wishes were needed by those in au-
thOrity. Still another is the know
ledge of deeds that since March 4,
1913, have been indellbly written into
the political and social history of the
republic.
Our Cannons, Smoots, Cranes and
Penroses are growing in age, and
they have no successors. OF the
young men who have gained their ma
tOTity since 1912 not many are reac-
tionaries. The banking and currency
law, which liberated American finance
and credit the Clayton law, which
decreed that labor is not a commod-
tty, and the law establishing the fed
'eral trade commission, which substi-
tutes inquiry and counsel for hasty
and possibly partisan prosecutions,
have never made a standpatter
A tariff law divested OF greed and
graft, laws regulating injunctions and
prohibiting interlocking directorates,
laws perfected and enforced for the
ieyying of income and corporation
taxes and for the direct election Of
ing the issue OF corporation securi-
ties, extending the parcels post, pro-
viding for the arbitration of labor dis
pGtes, establishing rural credits and
upholding the sanctity OF treaties at
Panama have not caused single Pro
gressiye 10 look backward
The lobby driven from Washington,
the old subsidy crowd everywhere
routed and ashamed to avow It's real
purposes alien conspiracies defeated,
foreign complications worked out
honorahly and peaceably, and Mr.
Brandeis a member of the supreme
court in the face of the fiercest oppo-
sition by corporation Influences
one OF these things has added n re-
cruit to the Old Guard, which at one
time or another has fought them all,
and today hates them ALL
Except for their personal reputa.
tion 1t matters little whether the lead.
mrs OF the Progressive party arranged
for its dissolution at the Gary din.
ner or elsewhere. The rank and file
OF the organization has not been and
cannot be made to bend the knee to
TOryism against which they have
been in open revolt for years. Prog.
ress Is not now, as II was In 1912, a
dream and hope Progress Is fact
accomplished, victory won Those
who were honestly in favor of 1t will
never again be found dwelling amid
the tombs OF privilege and greed.
They may not become Democrats, but
as against a Republicanism controlled
by Crane, smoot, Penrose, Cannon
and the like they will adhere to pro-
Eressiye Democracy.