The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1916-11-18
PROGRESSlVES
BEAT G. @. P.

William Allen White, in New York Tribune.)
Speaking broadly, as one must
speak in congratulations, and con-
sciously allowing for unimportant ex-
ceptions, Hughes could not cross the
Mississippi and the Ohio and Wilson
could not go East.
The South and the West. which
seem to have little in common, have
elected President and have chosen
a Congress. New York and New Eng
land are a subject people. New York
and New England believe rather def
nitely certain things. But their be-
iiefs are of little importance in the
actual conduct of the country, for the
South and the West, even though they
nave little in common, have that little
strongly in mind. And that little is
distrust of the property minded poll
teal leadership of the East and the
North.
Twice has the nation seen that lead
ership revealed at its worst; four
years ago, with criminal greed for
dominance thlnly yelled, they throttled
the liberal majority in the Republican
party at Chicago by tactics, and then
when in June of this year the same
Cold-blooded, crafty group sat I'M
moved by a nations appeal for genu-
lnely progressive leadership and
progressive platform. The country
asked for Roosevelt and they gave it
Hughes-Hughes and Fairbanks.
Ten years ago the West decided
rather definitely. as indicated by the
Use of Republican insurgency in the
election returns. that the social econ
omic order in America needed a seri-
Gus reconstruction. The West had
been thinking on these things for
years. The West verify believed in
1908 that Mr.. Taft would give the
country such change. and the bitter
resentment of the West when he dis
appointed it, as shown in the Con-
gress elections of 1910, was the first
and the Progressive party.
In 1914 the war made the East for
get. But the votes that year proved
that the West remembered all that its
aspirations held sacred in the previous
campaigns.
Their leaders went to Hughes. But
the folks in the West refused to fol-
low. They would vote for a man and
. party that they despised before vot-
ing for a party that they distrusted
And they are now conscious of their
& Trth Al.
direct election of United States Sen
tors and the power to levy income
taxes they have efficient weapons in
their hands. They have no desire to
use their power unjustly. But they
do not shrink from using it to the full
fer the realization of their ideals.
Ten years is long time to hold to
an ideal. And for 10 years. under the
political administration of two parties,
the West has held fast to the belief
that men must get more nearly what
they earn. and must earn by actual
social service more nearly what they
get, than men get and earn today.
That is the spirit of Americanism
which they rally to. And they heard
but little of the voice of that spirit in
their campaign just past
Yet the West did not forget 1t
stood by its banner and out of the
Vest this year come Hiram johnson,
PoindeXter and LaFollette to join the
nalf dozen other Progressive Republi-
can Senators and make a powerful
group in the next Congress with which
the President and the country must
reckon.
There are fine fighting days ahead
and the Wall Street ticker may well
hccough itself into spasms. it has
seen its best days.