Imperial Valley press., 1916-01-13

| Chicago, Jan. FL ne progressive
national committee, meeting in Chi
cago has announced the party's dec
laration of principles. 1t was drafted
bv Herbert Knox Smith of Connec-
ticut, Chester H. Rowell of California,
William Allen White of Kansas, E. A.
Van Valkenburg of Pennsylvania and
William II. Childs of New York. The
declaration follows:
The Progressive party began its ex-
istence, as did the Republican party,
as a party of moral conviction and
national purpose. The Progressive
nlatform of 1912 was of necessity
COMPOSITE of national and state is
sues, for the party was a new organ
ization and had to speak at once for
both nation and state. Since then the
state issues, such as the short ballot,
initiative, referendum and recall, have
been taken up in various state plat
forms.
The national issues presented by our
/ platform of 1912 and those for which
we now stand represent the vital needs
! of our national life. They are IN sub
stance:
A broader nationalism, to make
possible an effective program OF So
cial and industrial justice at home
and the protection Of American cltl-
zens and rights abroad.
/ The constructive federal regulation
rather than the destructive disruption
of efficient business organizations
behavior and not size being the test.
Tie introduction of business effl-
cheney into the government by the
bud,et system and the coordination
+ of departments.
A permanent ron-partisan tariff
commission to make possible the sell
entific revision of tariff schedules on
protective lines. Also a pledge Tor
the immediate revision OF such sched-
ules as the conditions of world war
have made unjust or as are necessary
for the preservation, after the war;
of Industries newly established mere
whose necessity the war has demon
strated.
A nrovision for equal suffrage.
TIE dethronement of the invisible
government.
A provision for an adequate mer-
chant marine.
To the Progressive platform OF 1917
.e above summarized and eXemplified,
we pledge our continued allegiance;
both of the old parties have failed TO
make serious effort to enact these ma
tional principles into law.
Because of the failure of the Will
son administration to deal Adequately
with national honor and industrial
welfare this country faces problems
of eraver and more far-reaching con-
sequences than any since the civil
war.
International law is humanity's IL
nal safeguard and civilizations last
bulwark. It's recognition and observ-
ance by the nations is the true meas
ure of the worlds progress. 1t is our
high duty to do our utmost to uphoid
it for the advancement of higher CIV
ilization. 1t is likewise our supreme
duty to protect American institutions
and American standards of justice.
This momentous hour, therefore, de-
mands a complete preparedness, not
merely in military armament, but pre-
paredness that will mobilize our Geo.
nomic resources, agricultural, indus
trial and financial; preparedness
that will unity American citizenship
and create loyalty to our institu-
tions such as peoples of other nations
have so patriotically shown since the
terrible test of war; the preparedness!
of self-defense, the preparedness!
which creates a spirit, unalterably op
posed to militarism, and the ultimate
object of which is universal peace, bu
national spirit and soul which viewl
the doctrine of "peace at any price
, as futile, cowardly and unrighteous
and which will unhesitatingly maxi