Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-07-05
THE NEW PRocREssivIsM:
A lEADERLESS MOVEMENT
"Baeki" Say the Old ouardsmsn stsrn'y
TO the Tide That Advances to
Enaulf Them All

|, W Win q Dr0nU.neW pnenOWehoh VI
national politics. On every side are visible
signs Of the rising energy Of leaderless
and voluntary progressivism. There have
been somewhat similar movements at Other
times. That which Roosevelt inspired and
led was the most notable. But In such
instances there had to be a dynamic per-
sonality and exhortations and battlecrics
md words that waved and famed like flags
in the sky and the thud Of rhetorical drums
to rouse the people and to cause at the polls
a direct reversal from dull, deadening. COR
rupt and backward political routine.
So It was in New Jersey when Woodrow
Wilson made his first campaign for the
governorship. So It was in the colorful
days Of Roosevelt's triumphs. The moods
Of popular dissatisfaction existed. But in
spiration from the outside. contributed by
extraordinary leaders. was necessary to
translate them into the action which we
call political progressivism.
Now 1t is clear that the people are pro-
gressive on their own account. They often
are progressive without progressive leader
ship. They are deserting the professionals
Of politics.
The Democratic press, msreoding the
meanings Of McCumber's defeat in North
Dakota, falls into nm error worthy OF the
Old Guard itself. In North Dakota the
progressive movement" assumed an erratic
form. as It may assume erratic forms else
where, because 1t lacks great leadership and
has to 60 it alone. 1t has to 60 1t alone
anI
competent to lead prefer still to ignore 1t
and to hope that it will not amount to
anything.
1t required a situation such as attended
McCumber's downfall to illustrate this
significant truth about the new progress
sivism. The farmers who swung the elec-
ton cherish class prejudices as rigid and
cultivate class interests as narrow as any
they charge against the Old Guards crowd
in the East. They are progressives run.
ming wild. filed with dissatisfactions,
proving that this new revolt of conscience
in the United States may have good or bad
effects; that it may be crazily dissipated
or made permanent and constructive, nc-
cording to the nature Of the leadership that
1t develops in the country at large and in
the States.
1t seems Mt times that the control of this
tremendous force Is to be left to be snatched
by radical opportunists. such as rule the
Non partisan League, or by bigots like
Borah and La Toilette, or by amateurs
without skill or good sense or the universal
view necessary to great political good.
T& ,,,nr M Syir
politicians suppose, that the progressive
spirit now active in America can be
checked or chilled by ignoring 1t or by a
refusal to be aware Of its existence Is about
as reasonable as to believe that you can
stop a rainstorm with a snub. Politicians
of the sort that dominate Pennsylvania
were victims Of this queer delusion. And
in consequence Mr.. Pinchot is now the
actual leader of the Republican Party in
the State. Moreover, his strength will
grow.
Beveridge Is sure to be the leader in
Indiana. The Democratic editors who see
nothing more than mass hatred Of Repub-
lican old guardsmen in the reversals re.
ported from recent primaries are as short
sighted as. let US say, Mr.. Ware or Governor
Sprou. The fact Is that the organized
dislike Of the whole American people is
being directed at the system under which
ignorant, vicious and incompetent men are
usually permitted to do the thinking for
both Of the great parties.
The leaderless progressive movement in
the United States is the more significant
because it is slow. 1t Is clf-generated in
the conscience Of the people. 1t is pretty
sure to be tidal in its ultimate scope. Those
who attempt to stop it, those who prefer
not to be aware Of it, will merely be sub
merged.
1t Is one OF the most wholesome and re-
assuring things that ever happened to the
country. It's effects were beginning to be
apparent at a time when the high of brow
were saying that democracy was failure
because the people were without political
Interest or a desire to co operate intelli-
gently as citizens in the business of Govern
ment.
The new progressivism is CRYING out for
great lender. without Such leader it
will be to large extent an unrcgulated
force. misrepresenting Itself in cults and
classes seemingly dissoCiated from the
rest of the country. Many of the seemingly
conflicting impulses apparent In various new
mass movements and strikingly present at
recent primaries represent nothing more
than spirit Of revolt against political
junkerdom.
This spirit will continue to find express
sion In a demand for more intelligence and
more justice in the administrative system
of government, for readjustments in the
economic order to meet the human require.
ments of changed times. 1t asks for men
with minds able to deal easily, honorably
and Justly, through our tried political
mecbanisms, with problems which, generated
out Of stagnant social, political and eco.
nomic thought, have become so large and
70 complicated and 20 painful that the aver.
age old susrdsman refuses even to look at
them.