Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1916-10-27
Blind Man Eloquent
of Oklahoma Thrills
Great Boise Audience

esty as we Democrats have got? They
have as much patriotism as we Demo-
Gratis have got. Do you know, that
these Republicans have got as much
sense as we Democrats have got-only
they don't act like 1t. l mean, of
couse. when II comes to voting.
These Republicans have as much
right to their opinion as we have to
ours, and, indeed. they have right to
be wrong. 1 sometimes think that Is
their only chance of salvation. l have
been assured by the presiding officer
that there are few Republicans in
this audience tonight. l feel flattercd
by their presence and l esteem it a
high compliment, and while l am at the
confessional, l might just as well say
that in politics. at least, there Is
nothing on earth that l love so well
as a few Republicans-just few.
have known of some counties, 1 have
known of some states, in other days.
where 1t had been overdone. I say, in
other days I don't suppose there are
any Republican states now. From our
form of government each returning
four years to choose chief magistrate
of this, the grandest republic that ever
graced the tides of time. This is the
highest act, the highest exercise of SOW
ereignty on the part of the American
electors. where every citizen is SOW
ereign, where every sovereign is cit
izen.
THE REAL PRoGREsSIVEs.
TN the present campaign at least
four great national parties have made
their nomination for the president
Democrat, Republican, Prohibitionist.
and the Socialist party. You will OBJ
serve that ] do not mention the Pro-
gressiye party, although four years ago
1t was the second largest party in the
United States, but it wasn't then and
1t isn't now national party-it was a
private party. Mr.. Roosevelt has made
an assignment. and he Is now trying to
deliver his chattels over into the hands
of the Penrose Barnes Cannon good
government system. There were two
classes of Progressives. One class was
merely dazzled. merely infatuated by
the striking personality of Colonel
Roosevelt. Having no personality of
their own, they followed him out of the
Republican party, and they will fol-
low him back into the Republican
party. They were mere political ciph-
ers standing up by the side of the COL
! onel, in order to give him significance
and importance. There was another
class of Progressives made up of men
who were simply devoted to the prin
ciples of industrial and social justice.
! To these men we make our plea; we
invite them to unite their fortunes with
Democracy, because this Democratic
administration has made the principles
of Industrial and social justice reality
rather than an ideal-a reality rather
than a mere vision of unfulflled de-
sire.
How can sincere Progressive con-
sent to exchange the gold of Demo-
cratic performances for those glitter
ing, but detected counterfeits in the
form of Republican promise. We can
not attempt to have in the Democratic
party a Roosevelt-there is none other
like him. Perhaps, indeed, one is
enough. AS a Progressive Colonel
Roosevelt reminds me of the party that
| took little too much of the fruit of
the vine. one night, lost his way home,
and headed into "a bunch of his neigh
bors. They set him right and pointed
him to the North Star. They said; If
you will go directly toward that star
it will guide you straight to your own
gate They parted. He lost his way.
After rambling about for half an hour
he headed straight into his friends
again. They said, How are you getting
alongp He said: 4 am having cork
ing good time, but you fellows will
have to pick me out another star-I
passed that one an hoar ago.
THE next president Of the United
States will be either Charles E. Hughes
or Woodrow Wilson. Which shall it
be? (Cries of 'Wison.~ I trust that
that voice is prophetic and will be
joined by an Overwhelming chorus
throughout the nation on the seventh
day of November.
JUDGED BY THEIR FRUIT.
political parties and political nom
inees and partisan nominees. all must
be judged as tree is judged by its
fruit. What has been the fruit of this
Democratic administration? What are
the conditions prevailing throughout
this country today? We are today en- :
joying the two highest blessings which
1t is possible for civilized man in civ
ilized society to enjoy-the blessings
of peace and the blessings of prosper
ity. These are our peculiar, our I'M
challenged forces. Vice President
Nominee Fairbanks said the other day
that the United States was the most
honored and the most envied nation on
the earth. and this, too, under a Demo-
cratic administration. Never was the
golden tide of prosperity running SO
high. Never was that golden tide EN-
braced so generally by every individ-
ual of every class of our citizenship
Never was the farmer receiving such
remunerative prices for his products.
/ Never were the citizens in the cities
so able to pay these prices. Never was
labor so generally employed at high
wages. Under the Republican admin
istration the people were in pursuit of
/ happiness-under this Democratic ad
ministration the people are in posses
sion of happiness. Today every busl-
ness is prosperous. excepting only the
unemployed agent. Today everybody
is prosperous, excepting only the ex-