PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT

Hon. Robert Perkins Bass '96, Governor of New Hampshire, gave the sixth of a series of lectures on the Progressive Movement yesterday afternoon, taking as his topic "The Progressive Movement in New Hampshire."

Governor Bass stated that the Progressive Movement in New Hampshire is only a part of the great New Movement that is rapidly spreading all over the country. The object of the New Movement is: first, to give each voter a choice in the election of officers; second, to prevent small bodies of men, or corporations, from running the government to suit themselves; and third, to prevent the demagogue from exploiting the government for his own selfish end; in short to develop a government in which the people govern. Winston Churchill first attempted to accomplish this in New Hampshire in 1906, when he fought a losing but satisfactory fight against three other candidates, and was defeated by only a very narrow margin. The fight marked the beginning of the battle for the supremacy of the New Movement in New Hampshire. At first it was misrepresented and subject to ridicule, but after a great struggle the Progressives enacted their entire platform in 1908. They had no leader, however, and the search for a candidate resulted in the selection of Governor Bass.

The outlook was dubious at first, but inch by inch ground was gained, until the press, the political bosses, and the railroads had been overcome. The New Movement was fast becoming a necessity, because new economic conditions had arisen which demanded changes, and the people were beginning to realize the fact. The first step taken was to slacken the momentum of the opposition. The second and harder was to establish new working machinery as each part had to be adjusted carefully in order to run smoothly.

Why have we not a new party? It is because a new party can only be formed by the creation of some new principle, and this has not yet been done. The parties differ as to the application of the present principles. When a man says, "He may mean well but I don't like the way he goes at it," that man means that he does not want a man who gets results. The Progressive Movement in New Hampshire has so far been confined to state issues, but there is an indication that it will be extended to National issues.

Four years ago the progressive Republicans were strongly in favor of Taft, and the reactionaries were opposed. Now the situation is reversed, the reactionaries wishing Taft because he is less likely to harm them, and the Progressives wishing Roosevelt because they consider him a leader competent to lead them to a victory and to support their ideals.