Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1916-10-06
for the people and control Of the people by

existed for short time was that they did
rally to their support some of the fine.
planning, enterprising minds Of the coun-
try. and so long as those men had the
conscience Of public service great things
were conceived and great things were done
! but just so soon as they put in possession
Of the Government men who were attor-
neys of special interests the decadence Of
the party inevitably ensued.
THE Republican party as now consti-
tuted and led. believes in government by
the attorneys Of special interests. They
are perfectly willing that the attorneys
of the people should appear then and
plead for the rights Of the people. but they
are not willing that the counsels which
determine action shall be participated in
by the attorneys of the people.
"One of the things that they are most
constantly talking about is protective tariff
and there was time when a very wide
taking Of counsel entered into the forma-
ton Of our tariffs, but not toward the end
Then small group of selected counsellors
always determined what the items of the
tariff should be. The only persons heard
were the attorneys for the special interests
and the attorneys for the people could
batter at the door as they pleased and
never get hearing.
THE end of such a party was fore
doomed, and now that the party believes
in the people and tries to do things for the
people has been in power for four years
And what has happened 1t has redeemed
some of the promises falsely made by the
attorneys for the special interests. And
it has done something more interesting
than that You remember that four years
ago there was a great body Of spirited
Republicans who said:
This thing is becoming fraud and a
shame. We have been taking care Of
some people but we have not been taking
care of the great body Of the people.
We have not thought about their morals
we have not thought about their health
we have not thought about their rights as
human beings and we insist that you put
the policy of this party in our hands OF
we will 60 off and form party OF our own,
And thereupon the great Progressive
party sprung up, great, not because il
turned out to be more numerous than the
party from which it had seeded. though
it did that, but because it had the real red
blood of human sympathy in its veins and
was ready to work for mankind and forget
the interests Of narrow party want
to pay my tribute of respect to the pur-
poses and intentions of the men who formed
that group in our politics.
But the interesting thing is that mas
much as they did not get the opportunity
we took advantage of our opportunity to
do the things that they wanted to do. And
! want you young fellows to understand
the reason for that. There are standpat.
tiers in the Democratic party. There are
men sitting down hard on the breechins
strap. There are men who are trying t
hold back and to serve what they believe
to be conservatism. though it is really
reaction. But the interesting thing about
the Democratic party is that those mer
are in a small minority in its ranks
whereas in the party of the opposition they
are in a majority and are in control.
THE interesting thing for all politician.
to remember is that the Progressive voter,
of this country. all put together outnum.
Der either party venture to say the,
outnumber both parties put together. Thi.
country is progressive, and if you young
sters are going to be in the running yol
will throw in your fortunes with the party
of which the Proeressives have control.
81 am progressive. do not spell it will
a capital P, but think my pace is just a,
fast as those who do; it does not interfere
with the running, and am very much as
tonished to see the company that som,
gentlemen who spell their name with
capital are keeping. They are engaged il
the interesting enterprise Of trying to cap
ture party which is fortified against then
and refusing to enter party which il
already captured by those who believe il
their principles. The intellectual process
by which they arrive at their conclusions
are entirely obscured to my intelligence
but you will notice that party tina
merely wants control does not have t,
have any principles. That is the reason
why surprise that program has not beer
announced is unreasonable Look over tn,
ranks Of the supporters of the Republican
party. Did you ever see more motle,
company in your lifeS Did you ever set
elements so absolutely contradictory o.
each other as the elements of that party
II they moved in any direction. they would
have to move in many directions; and II
| am trying to get into power by the sup
port of the people that do not agree with
one another, it is very dangerous for me
to profess my own opinion.
Back OF that party are those who want
to inject into our politics the politics Of
Europe but not all who have that purpose
in mind are on the same side. Some want t
inject those politics in order to move in
one direction, and others want to inject
them in order to move in exactly the op.
posite direction. In these circumstances
1t is not wise to announce your direction
Some Of them are Proeressives, or were
and profess themselves dissatisfied with
the present leadership and guidance Of
the party, and others are so well satisfied
with It that they are afraid the entrance o.
this new element will disturb some Of
their favorite plans, and So looking at each
other with suspicion. they have only one
enthusiasm, and that is the enthusiasm
to get in. ! see in my minds eye this
great motley company enthusiastically
united in a great drive for possession.
Unfortunately, however. one thing has
become reasonably clear, my fellow -citi-
zens, and II is very serious thing has be