GETTING TOGETHER FOR GOOD GOVERNMENT
Dillon, Philip R.
Getting Together for Good Government What the Progressive Government League of New York Stands For By PHILIP R. DILLON THE PROGRESSIVE GOVERNMENT LEAGUE of the State of New York is an expression,...
...Under him, the propaganda for direct nominations reached to every part of the State...
...Who ever before heard of a platform plank being stolen...
...Notices of meetings and communications to members will be published in the magazine...
...He had hitherto spoken no word about direct nominations...
...It is true they did not comprehend his plan...
...Following the election, in 1905, General Edwin A. McAlpin was elected president of the Direct Nominations League...
...We hope to arouse the thinking, progressive and patriotic man in each party, that they may bring to bear an active influence, for the best ideals and best men directed to the common good...
...For every annual subscription re-ceived for the magazine, the Progressive Government League will give a year's membership free in the League...
...The little knowledge which the New York machines have of the geography, laws, principles and character of the people who live west of the Pennsylvania State line came to them primarily through two men, William R. Hearst and Charles E. Hughes...
...General McAlpin had been president of the National League of Republican clubs...
...Twenty thousand members enrolled actively...
...Brookfield...
...Tammany Hall did not notice the league at all...
...Why not make it the official organ of progressive citizens in New York who would join in an organization...
...The League is an authorized agent for the magazine, and will receive subscriptions at the regular price, one dollar per year...
...The commissions paid by the magazine on these subscriptions will be used by the League for the purpose of defraying necessary ex-penses such as rent for executive offices, stationery, printing, postage, stenographic and clerical help, etc...
...Each member of the League will be entitled to vote on all matters pertaining to the affairs of the League...
...Shall we not join with them, and help them...
...They realized it was thoroughly representative of the principles they had been standing for...
...Hearst was beaten, but the rest of the State Democratic ticket was elected by small majorities...
...It had been stolen...
...It is true that in New York, and probably in other cities and states expenses of organization for politico-educational movements, no matter how well intended and unselfish, have nearly always been borne by a few men...
...Those majorities were furnished by the Direct Nominations League...
...We are opposed to allowing any man, or any few wealthy men, the dangerous privilege of financing an organization composed of voters, even with the motive of PROGRESSIVE GOVERNMENT...
...The League had learned that the only way to compel a hearing for direct nominations was to fight its enemies on election day, without regard to party names...
...Signed, HENRY B. SMITH, E. A. McALPIN, PHILIP R. DILLON...
...The expense of the direct nominations propaganda had been borne by a few patriotic citizens...
...Will you join us...
...They refrained from abusing Mr...
...When the platform was printed, the plank was missing...
...Shortly after his inauguration, he became the most powerful champion of the principle in the State...
...Even now, when a direct nominations law is almost achieved, the rank and file of Tammany Hall asks childishly—"What is direct nominations...
...chairman of the executive board, General Edwin A. McAlpin...
...But William R. Hearst was the Democratic candidate for governor, and he had declared strongly for direct nominations...
...Every member who secures three other memberships and forwards names together with membership fees, will become members of the General Committee of the League...
...S. Bagg, addressed to the executive office of the League...
...Brookfield died eight years ago, and the direct nominations cause was left in the hands of a little band that had not money nor political prestige...
...Will you send your name and a year's dues to our treasurer, Wm...
...He has beaten them in a splendid fight lasting three years...
...The enemies of Hearst and of the Direct Nominations League became his enemies...
...Hearst agreed...
...The projectors of the Progressive Government League had carefully watched the establishment and growth of La Fol-lette's Weekly Magazine...
...The executive office is at 122 East 25 Street, New York, in charge of the secretary...
...The plan of the organization is set forth in the following circular letter which is being sent out over the city and State: Dear Sir: The PROGRESSIVE GOVERNMENT LEAGUE was organized on New Year's Day of this year...
...Following is the list of officers: President, Henry B. Smith...
...We ask you to consider the plan we have formulated, which is stated shortly as follows: 1. The annual membership fee will be one dollar...
...A New Movement for Good Government IMMEDIATELY after the last municipal election in New York, the men who had carried the burden of the battle for direct nominations in the days when the fight looked hopeless to all but themselves, saw that the time had come for a new movement, forward and upward...
...2. The General Committee will be called to meet and discuss plans for perfecting organization and details of policy...
...A little band of patriots, led by such men as Senator La Follette, Senator Cummins, Senator Dolliver, Senator Beveridge, are battling for the people against Toryism, even as John Hampden and John Pym and a little band in the Long Parliament fought the first Tories in 1641 and led the movement to free the people of England from the re-established government by divine right of hereditary kings...
...Getting Together for Good Government What the Progressive Government League of New York Stands For By PHILIP R. DILLON THE PROGRESSIVE GOVERNMENT LEAGUE of the State of New York is an expression, in evolution, of the thought which has grown up out of the movement for direct nominations in the State...
...Have you not seen this title PROGRESSIVE...
...What say you, brother in progressive government...
...The leaders apparently agreed, and went so far as to adopt such a plank in committee on resolutions at the State convention in 1906...
...No officer of the League will receive any salary...
...We beli ve you are aware that the time is ripe for a strong, intellectual, unselfish organization in this State which shall be potent in progressive government, after the system of direct nominations shall have been established...
...The Direct Nominations League openly indorsed him and called upon all its members to vote the entire Democratic ticket...
...Week after week for ten months they found it expressing their own thought...
...They were tremendously in earnest, and so the Republican machine, after the death of Brookfield, called them "fanatics...
...But they had a force which was better than money and prestige...
...The idea of the Progressive Government League was conceived...
...He received 225,000 votes and almost won...
...The education of the people in the issue of direct nominations had been completed...
...It was assumed that he had never considered the subject until he was brought to face it in the campaign and to note the power of the sentiment among the people...
...By common consent, these men in Congress are called PROGRESSIVES...
...We have consistently opposed expenditure of money in politics beyond rigid necessity...
...The average member of the Republican machine wondered at the "insanity" of this Direct Nominations League...
...Tammany is only half Bourbon...
...treasurer, William S. Bagg...
...The names of its officers and the statement printed above are somewhat enlightening as to its character...
...vice president, Gilbert E. Roe...
...The League called upon the Republican organization to put a direct nominations plank in the Republican State platform...
...To men of the West, the ignorance of those in the ranks of the political machines of New York is inconceivable, and the provincialism of the machine leaders is beyond belief...
...secretary, Philip R. Dillon—all of New York city...
...The Fight for Direct Nominations FIVE YEARS ago the Direct Nominations League—which was non-partisan though almost entirely Republican in its membership—said to William R. Hearst: "We will support you for mayor of New York if you will declare for direct nominations in your platform...
...This is said here with modest intent, and only in the way of giving you our credentials, that you may feel assured in joining with us in the new PROGRESSIVE movement...
...It never learns, and it does forget...
...The new league purposes to go forward with the work which has been carried to the present by the Direct Nominations League of New York State...
...This has seemed to be an inevitable weakness in such movements...
...They declared: "The purpose of this league is to propagate the principles and politics outlined by representatives in Congress who are known as Pro-gressives...
...Governor Hughes was elected...
...3. By arrangement with the publishers, La Pollette*s Weekly Magazine (now recognized as one of the most powerful, progressive, and interesting periodicals published in the nation) will be the official organ of the Progressive Government League...
...Brookfield's prestige as an organization leader compelled an outward show of respect toward the new idea, by the Tom Platt machine leaders...
...The League demanded an explanation...
...On last January 1, a body of progressives gathered in New York city and founded the new league...
...The machine leaders were silent, and Charles E. Hughes, their candidate for governor, was silent...
...It may be that you are familiar with the personalities and records of the officers named, who were pioneers in the Direct Nominations movement in this - State ten years ago and who have steadfastly used all their power to advance the movement up to the present when the goal is at hand...
...The movement for direct nominations in New York State was actively begun by William Brookfield, ex-president of the Republican committee of New York county, in the year 1899...
...They had intense conviction...
Vol. 2 • February 1910 • No. 8
