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The Commoner.
JUNE 30, 1005
9
A SIMILAR REPORT PROM ALL ALONG THE LINE
crats' attention to their duty as demo
crats and citizens of this government
at this particular time. Keep up your
good work.
Henry McGlumphy, Nineveh, Pa.
Put my name down on the primary
pledge list. I have been a democrat
all my life. Have been voting that
ticket ever since I got my first vote
and I am now in my eightieth year. I
am very well pleased with the plan
you have taken, and I hope that you
will be successful.
H. B. Jones, Foss, Okla. Find pri
mary pledge signed by some of my
neighbors. I am so rushed with my
farm work that I couldn't get out and
get signers, but think I could have
gotten a great many if I had time to
canvass. Our precinct is mostly all
Bryan democrats. I would like to have
you send me fifty sample copies of
The Commoner to distribute in the
country. I have found several demo
crats lately that didn't know of The
Commoner being printed. That is one
thing that is the matter with our
party, the rank and file take no in
terest in their party. They seem to
think if they vote for the one their
bosses nominate, their duty is done
and they go off to sleep until next
election.
J. H. Berson, Aspen, Colo. En
closed find pledge. I believe it will
do much good if all signers live up
to the pledge.
G. W. Crawford, Laurelhill, Fla. En
closed find primary pledge. I think
the plan is a good one.
Mr. J. S. Davison, Gilliam, Mo. I
think the primary pledge a good plan
to get up an interest among the voters.
I herewith send in my- own and will
try and induce others to do the same.
I also send a list of names to whom
you could send sample copies of The
Commoner.
Edwin Elmore, La Mar, Mo. I. take
pleasure in sending you my primary
pledge. Direct from the people comes
the purest and most honest grant of
nower ever civen a government. And
unless the people attend to the govern
ing business themselves, they may
rest assured the trustites and pluto
crats will look after It for them, but
in their own peculiar way. I have al
ways been proud to follow Bryan and
men of his stamp, and to defend their
good old-fashioned democratic plat
forms with voice and' pen. Yours for
the good of the grandest political
cause ever espoused.
James C. Wolfe, Audubon, Iowa.
Enclosed you will find my primary
pledge duly signed. The pledge sign
ers don't want to wait until primaries
come to talk democratic principles
and clean politics. They want to give
their would be party bosses to under
stand that they will not have any
made up slates, nor any already cut
and dried doings, and In view ot tne
appalling amount of corruption in of
fice, they should have for their motto,
"Turn the rascals out, and see that
none but honest and competent men
are put in office."
J. M. Fassett, Flat Creek, Ky. You
will find with this the primary pledge
signed. I am 75 years of age, always
a democrat, have twice voted for
Bryan and will vote for no man who
does not endorse his principles.
A. R. Saylor, Rogersford, Pa. En
closed find list as per request. The
prospects for democratic gains in our
locality are very bright. The shake
up of the thugs and boodlers in Phila
delphia will help us much. I am in
clined to believe" that the spirits of
those who fought on the hills of Valley
Forge are knocking at, the conscience
of many at present. I am pleased to
say also that I am a democrat. 1 was
the pharmacist to the democratic na
tional convention at Kansas City,
having been the first ever appointed
to that position. The papers with
badges, etc., are all framed in a silver
frame. Best wishes for your health,
so you may continue to do the good
work in the future as in the past.
Jesse H. Barnett, Point Peter, Ark.
Find enclosed primary pledge with
a number of signers, and a request for
a number of sample copies of The
Commoner, to be sent to the signers,
that is a copy to each one. 1 also
ask that you send some of the pledges
to the following signers, to-wit: M.
F. Franklin, Bruce V. Robertson and
Albert Wasson. All of Point Peter
postoffice and state of Arkansas.
Edwin O. Presby, New York. I
herewith enclose my signed pledge,
simply as a matter of record in fur
therance of the cause you so faithfully
represent, and in which I enlisted in
1896. I most positively assure you
that I have ever since been a true and
loyal volunteer in the ranks of the
Bryan democrats, fully resolved to
remain so, and from which resolution,
no argument, circumstance, or discus
sion can swerve me in the least. Best
wishes for all our friends.
L. W. Deaman, Sterling, Kas. Find
fifteen names duly signed to primary
pledge. I hail with joy this glad day,
in which my fondest hopes are grow
ing brighter for the cause of democ
racy. The spirit of Washington, of
Jefferson, of Jackson urges us to ac
tion. Send me ten copies of The
Commoner. I will place them. Will
send more names. I am a busy man,
earn my bread by the sweat of ny
face, hit the breezes early and late,
and find a genuine pleasure in my oc
cupation. Yours for honest and true
democracy.
Charles A. Mcllmay, Yellow Creek,
Pa. Find enclosed my pledge for that
adds one more to the li-t. It does not
mean much now, but the primary
pledge means victory In 1908. We
want a leader that is true to the prin
ciples and the policy of the democratic
party, not a gold telegram en the ticket
again. Please send me twenty blank
pledges for I want to get to work and
help redeem this United States from
machine and boss rule.
Aaron F. Parker, Grangeville, Idaho
Count me in on the primary pledge.
I am with you, heart, body and soul.
Have been a so-called "Bryan demo
crat" almost before Bryan ,was ever
heard of, and am still fighting the bat
tles of democracy along the same old
lines of the platforms or 1890-1900-1001.
I was at the head of the ticket in Idaho
last fall as a Parker elector, but had
no illusions on the subject. Parker
himself was all right, but the "push"
behind him was too rank for the ranlc
and file. Parker's suggestion that the
common law affords plenty of oppor
tunity for the suppression of the trunts
without aditional legist ion is quite
true, and I am surprised that the
democratic press have not given this
important suggestion more publicity.
I have often thought that the true
solution of the railroad question lies
in public ownership of the railway
rights-of-way and tracks, leaving the
public to put on its own equipment
of competing trains under govern
ment supervision. The public owns
its county roads, where everybody
has the privilege of walking, or riding
a horse, or driving a buggy, or freight
wagon. Consequently, on these high
ways there is always all kinds of com
petition. With public ownership and
supervision of the tracks, private com
petition would soon abolish rebates and
kindred and allied evils.
W. T. Moore, McKinnoy, Texas.
Please to find enclosed my primary
pledge. I hardly thought 't necessary
for me to send it, but as you request
it, I cheerfully do so. I have sup
ported all , of its nominees from Sey
mour to Parker. Never scratched a
ticket yet since I began to vote. 1 am
strictly a party man, and believe in
democratic principles as enunciated by
Col. W. J. Bryan. I am a reader of
The Commoner.
J. D. Lawson, Meadows, N. C. T am
forwarding the primary pledge and one
for my neighbor, H. M. Southern. We
appreciate your efforts in behalf of
Jeffersonian democracy, and we think
your suggestion that the voters pledge
themselves to work in the primaries
is a good one, provided we are given
the primaries. Now in our section it
has been the practice of late to call
the party together In mass meeting to
select candidates and delegates, and
we think it would be much more con
ducive to harmony and would express
the will of the parly more fully to
hold township or district primaries,
and let them select delegates to rep
resent them in the conventions. Wo
desire your influence to the effect that
wo be permitted to hold township pri
maries In every state
R. T. Brumback, Rlleyvlllo, Vn.
You must know that I thoroughly cn
dorse and appreciate your plan of or
gnnizatlon. I received blank primary
pledge on Friday 2, and on Saturday
II, Inst., J got 30 signatures, good ro
liable men. But throe men to whom
I presented the article refuged to iilgu
It; two claimed to bo republicans; the
other prohibitionist. Today having
filled the sheet I return it to Tho
Commoner. I have another blank
which 1 shall endeavor to vise In pro
mulgation of the good cause In which
so many seem interested and to which
I wish full and crowning success.
James Pace, Talala, I. T. Enclosed
find blank signed with 21 names for
democnitic club at Talala, I. T. Sond
me a few sample copies of Tho Com
moner. J. D. iMcKoe, Noasho, Mo. Ploaso
find primary pledge of a liberal demo-,
crat. I endorso the reforms suggested
by Tho Commoner and believe tho
policy ought to be a common ono In
which there are no big I's and littlo
U's, and that democratic principles
will never die.
Charles P. Twlss, Knox, Washing
ton. I endorse your plan and sign
the pledge. I am 70 years of age, was
born In the old Whly party at Wor
cester, Mass., in 185-1, helped organlzo
the republican party. The resolutions
then adopted declared for free soil,
free speech, free press and free trade.
They announced themselves Jefferson
democrats without any mental reserva
tions. Jackson was as fully endorsed
where slavery was not In Ihhuo. Cop
ies of reports of that convention and
the speeches then madj va appeared
in tho Boston Transcript, Worcester
Spy and Springfield Republican would
make good democratic literature.
That fall the republicans and Know
Nothings fused, giving the Know
Nothings the state officers, the repub
licans six M. C. and United States
senators. Not a whig was elected In
1850. The whigs tumbled out of their
wagon and voted for Fremont and
this demoralized the party. In 1809 I
joined the democrats and have re
mained with the party and hope to
do good work In 1908. All parties tri
umph only when they endorse and
proclaim Jeffersonian doctrines. I
have little doubt history will repeat it
self in 1908.
$
! THE PRIMARY PLEDGE t
I promise to attend all the primaries of my party to );e held between now and the next demo
cratic national convention, unless unavoidably prevented, and to use my influence to secure a clear,
honest and straightforward declaration of the party's position on every question upon which the
voters of the party desire to speak. ' .
Sighed
)!
. 7 '
J
Street.
Poatofiice .' . . .- i's't'i. 'State ;
V
County Voting precinct or ward .
Fill out blanks and mail to Commoner Office, Lincoln, Neb.
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