The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-06-26


result in the choice of either the Re
publican or the Democratic nominee
The present administration, during its
three years of life, had been guilty of
shortcomings more signal than those
of any administration since the days
of Buchanan. From the standpoint of
national honor and interest, it stood
on an even lower level than the adj
ministration of Buchanan. No admin
istration in our history had done more
to relax the spring of the national
will and to deaden the national con-
science. Within the Republican party
conflicting forces were at work. There
were men among the organization
leaders who advocated a course of ae-
ton such as offered no Improvement
upon the Democratic position, and ad-
vocated the nomination of candidates
whose election would have represent
ed no Improvement upon the contin-
uance in Office of Mr.. Wilson. If such
a course were followed, it would OBJ
viously become our duty to run
third ticket. But it was plainly our
duty to do everything honorable in
order to prevent such a necessity; to
do everything short of sacrificing our
most sacred convictions in order to Sc
cure the alignment under one leader
ship of the forces opposed to the con-
tinuance in power of Mr.. Wilson and
the Democratic party.
gressive national committee al Chi
cago, in January, outlined our duty to
seek common action with the Repub-
hcan party. using the following ords:
Our people are seeking leadership
leadership Of the highest order and
most courageo character; leadership
that will draft to itself for the coun-
| trys benefit the unselflsh and patriotic
services of its ablest citizens. The
surest way to secure for cur country
| the required lead ership will be by hav-
ing, if possible, both the Progressive
and Republican parties choose the
same standard bearer and the same
principles
Six weeks later, on March g. in my
Trinidad statement. 1 asked for SINH
lar combination against the Demo-
cratic party. on a platform of clean
cut, straightout national American
ISM" and for a candidate who would
not merely stand for such a program
| before els cuon, but will reSolutely and
| in good faith put it through if elected"
| This was. in effect, the same state
ment that 1 made in my telegram to
ex-senator jackson, pending the con-
| vention. which ran in part as fol-
| lows Can We not, forgetting past
differences, now join. for the safety
and honor of our country, to enforce
| the policies of genuine Americanism
and genuine preparedness Surely
we can afford to act in accordance
with the words of Abraham Lincoln
| when he said, May not all having
| common interest reunite in a common
effort to save our common country?
May we ask those who have not diff
fered with us to join in this same spirit
| toward those who have?' AS far as
| my own soul is known to me it is in
this same spirit that at this time
make my appeal to the Republicans
and Progressives assembled at Chi
| cago."
| Hoped for Union
| In addition to these public state
| ments, had also stated my own atti-
tude verbally. and in letters during the
weeks Immediately preceding the con-
lVention, to scores of leading Progress
| sives from all parts of the country, in
| cludirg many of the leaders at the
convention. To these men 1 expressed
my earnest hope that the Republicans
| would SO act as to make it possible for
the Progressives to join with them.
stated to them, however, that in view
of the attitude of some of the Repub-
lican leaders it was at least conceiv-
| able that we should be put in a posi-
| ton where cur highest duty, our fealty
| to the country. our sense of what pa
| tr1cuSm demanded IN a great crisis,
would make it Imperative upon US to
run separate ticket; and that wheth-
er in such event it would be necessary
| for me TO head that ticket could not
be determined in advance. 1 stated in
these interviews and in these letters,
| with the utmost emphasis, that the de-
clslon of this point, like the whole
| matter of running a separate ticket
would have to be determined by VIVA.
the interests of the country demanded
in view of the action finally taken by
the conventions in Chicago.
Knew His Attitude.
At the time many of the Republican
leaders asserted that my statements
I-ar lnT
really intended to insist upon my own
nomination by the Republican con-
vention; and that if l was not so
nominated, 1 intended to accept the
Progressive nomination and run on a
third ticket OF course my fellow
ProgreSsives were under no such err
ror. They knew that 1 spoke in good
faith and meant exactly what 1 said.
They knew that my utterances were
to be accepted at their exact face
value as meaning that if the Repub-
licans nominated a man whom we
could conscientiouslys support we would
support him The Progressive con-
vention came together knowing my
public statements and therefore know
ing exactly what my attitude was.
In my judgment, the nomination of
Mr.. Hughes meets the conditions set
forth in the statement of the Pro-
lgressive national committee, issued
last January, and in my own state
ments Under existing conditions. the
nomination of third ticket would, in
my judgment, be merely move in
the interest of the election of Mr.. Will
son. 1 regard Mr.. Hughes as a man
whose public record is guarantee
that he will not merely stand for a
program of clean-cut straightout
Americanism before election. but will
resolutely and in good faith put it
through if elected. He is beyond all
comparison better fitted to be presi-
dent than Mr.. Wilson. 1t would be a
grave detriment to the country to re-
elect Mr.. wilson I shall, therefore,
strongly support Mr.. Hughes. Such
being the case, it is unnecessary to say
that I cannot accept the nomination
on third ticket 1 do not believe that
there should be a third ticket
believe that when my fellow Pro-