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The Commoner.
WILLIAM J. BRYAN, EDITOR AND PUBLISHER.
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Vol. 5, No. 9,
Lincoln, Nebraska, March 17, 1905.
Wholt Numbir 317
CONTENTS
THE' RIVAL SHOWS
Tile Primary Pledge-Organize
Now.
Filipino Progress Association
George S. Boutwell
There Is a Law
"Where Tins Senate Scored
President's Inaugural
Disappointing
Perils Op Concentration
Democratic Ground
JonN S. Reagan
News Op The Week
The Week At Washington
Filipino Progress Association
A number of persons, among whom are men
tioned Andrew Carnegie, Cardinal Gibbons, Presi
dent Schurman of Cornell, President Eliot of Har
vard, President Jordan of Stanford, Prof. Van
Dyke of Princeton, Horace White and others, haVo
formed the "Filipino Progress Association' for
the purpose of x promoting the welfare of the Fili
pinos with a view to their ultimate independence.
Dr. Schurman is president of the association and
Mr. White treasurer. It will be remembered that
Dr. Schurman was one of the commissioners ap
pointed by President McKinley to visit the islands
&oon after American occupation. The association
is organized to continue the work begun by the
anti-imperialist league, and will give voice to the
growing sentiment Jn favor of Philippine independence.
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WHICH ONE IS THE FAKE?
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Primary PledgeOrganize
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Mr. Bryan has been in receipt of a multitude
of letters since the election urging organization for
the campaign of 1908. The rank and file of the
party aro ready to begin the fight; they only
await a plan of co-operation. This plan has been
under consideration for some weeks and is here
with submitted.
Let each democrat pledge himself to attend all
of the primaries bf his party to be held between
now and the next democratic national convention,
unless unavoidably prevented, and to use his influ
ence to secure a clear, honest and straightforward
declaration of the party's position on every ques
tion upon which the voters of the party desire to
speak.
This plan does not involve the writing of a
rlatform in advance of the primaries; it does not
rest upon the paramount importance of any one
issue. It recognizes the right of the democratic
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voters to control the policy of the democratic party,
and to determine its position upon public ques
tions. It also recognizes the importance of hon
esty and sincerity in politics.
This proposition will appeal to all who believe
in the rule of the people to all who are' willing
that the majority shall govern In party manage
ment and in the nation. It does not mean that
those who exert themselves to secure a good plat
form will be bound to support a bad platform
that is a question which each must determine for
himself but it does mean that the democratic
platform shall give voice to the prevailing senti
ment of the democratic party, and that the party
shall take the country into its confidence. The
pledge proposed is a primary pledge because the
people speak at the primaries. The national con
vention is attended by delegates and each dele
gate represents ten3 of thousands of democrats.
The state convention is also attended by delo-
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gates, and these represent thousands of democrats.
The county conventions are, as a rule, attended
by delegates, and these in turn represent hun
dreds of democrats. At the primary the voters
speak for themselves; there democracy has its
citadel.
When the work of organization Is sufficiently
advanced, a time can be set for the meeting of
the members, in their various localities. The mem
bers of this organization, while pledged to but
one thing namely, attendance upon the primaries
are urged to 'co-operate among themselves for
the aupport of every effort put forth to eliminate
corruption in politics. No cause can prosper per
manently that does not appeal to the moral sense
of the country, and the moral sense of the country
is now being awakened to the importance of
purifying politics.
The Commoner will do its part in aiding every
movement that has for its object the ascertain-