Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 147, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 June 1915 — Views of Progressives. [ARTICLE]

Views of Progressives.

Paul P. Haynes, of Anderson, former secretary of the progressive state committee, has issued a statement in which he expresses the opinion that the progressive party has passed beyond the period of usefulness. In this statement he gives his reasons for believing that progressives can best attain their principles by working with republicans. In his statement Mr. Haynes gives some interesting “inside history.” He says: That the progressive party has performed an invaluable and historic service to this nation can not be refuted. But that the progressive party as a constructive political force has passed beyond its period of usefulness is evident to anyone who will dispassionately analyze the political development* of the last two years, particularly the results of the last election. The bee* evidence of the truthfulness of this fact, so fax as Indiana is concerned, is furnished by the progressive party leaders themselves. At the meeting of the progressive state committee, on June 4, eight or nine of the twelve district chairmen present—all practical workers, men who from long experience knew the tremendous task of political organizations, whose minds were fresh in recollection of the unsurmounted obstacles of 1914, men who, as party leaders, had investigated party conditions in their respective districts — thApg men frankly said at that meeting that the party was dead, or that there was little or no hope of reorganising it One district chairman said that alter talking to many progressives in this district he was convinced “that the party had spent its force.” Another member said, “the progressive party has served its purpose,” and could not possibly be a factor in the 1916 election. Another said, “Any attempt to reorganize the party would result in a complete fiasco. Another, that a meeting of the county chairmen in his district had instructed him to “vote for a dissolution of the party.” Another said “The chances for perfecting an organization for 1916 were poor.” Still another, “It is useless to continue the party.” And another, “We can not help our principles by trying deceive ourselves into believing that the party is alive.” I quote from the official record of the meeting of which I was secretary: The three or four remaining members of the committee presented no facts which would indicate that conditions in their districts were different from those described by the members quoted. Several members of the committee said that if the committee decided to continue the party, they would under no circumstances serve again as district chairmen. Mr. Haynes believes that true progressiveism demands conatnitiive vrark. He believes the republican party is prepared to carry forward this work. However, for some reason the progressive organization os being kept alive. The new chairman is a former democrat. What motive oould there be for keeping the organization alive after Aaarman and secretary have resigned and a majority of the committee has said that it is time to quit?