Hf" y ""
AUGUST i, 1905
The Commoner.
9
ATTEND
-r7fl!3 m'
that he advocated and would do tho
same again If I had the chance, but
my health Is so bad now that my hopes
are blasted, but hope there will be
enough left that won't be led as a
sheep to the slaughter. In the next
national convention get back to tho
people and shun the trusts. O this
adulterated democracy! Hoping the
Commoner success in every way,
shape, manner and form, I am re
spectfully yours for success. You will
find pledge as I heartily endorse it
and will stick by it as I i' uys voted
straight.
J. L. Jackson, Harrisonville, Mo.
Enclosed find primary pledge with 32
names signed by Jeffersonian demo
crats. Long life i.o W. J. Bryan and
The Commoner.
J. S. Boardman, Moulton, la. En
closed find primary pledge with forty
names attached. I could get as many
more if I only had the opportunity to
see them, but I am getting well along
in years and not able to get around
over the country districts. However
if you will send me another blank
I will get the signatures as fast as
opportunity offers though" it may be
some time before I can make re
turns. I have only found one demo
crat that refused to sign the pledge
and he was a Parker man. I can
get several, "converted" republicans
as soon as I can see them; at least
they have promised to sign. If I
were a little younger and had the
time I could get at least 125 signa
tures in this township. Having been
chairman of the democratic commit
tee of our township for the past six
years I know nearly all the democrats
in the township and could get their
names if I could see them. You have
my unqualified endorsement of the pri
mary plan as the primary is the start
ing point of all good government
whether local or general. Yours for
success in 1908.
B. Kersberger, Jr., Pella, la. En
closed find my primary pledge. In re
gard to it I will say that I agree with
it as far as it goes, but I will sug
gest that it would be a good plan to
call a democratic national convention
some time next spring, not to name
candidates, but to draft a national
platform so that the people will not
be confused as to the aim of the
democratic party in the congressional
campaign in 1906. This would edu
cate the people in such reforms as
"direct legislation" and "public own
ership of public utilities." It would
challenge the republicans who intend
to meet the democrats and public own
ership with a cry for government con
trol in 1908. Hoping for democratic
success, I remain.
J. Sam Gosney, South Omaha, Neb.
I herewith enclose pledge signed by
35 good loyal democrats which took
me less than an hour to fill. All that
I presented it to signed with the ex
ception of about three. Could obtain
several hundred in a short time if I
had the time to circulate it among
the voters, but only obtained those
I happened to meet In and around our
exchange building. Wishing you all
and The Commoner success.
George D. Shields, Readclyffe, Pa.
Find my pledge signed. I was raised
a democrat. My first vote was for
Robert Pattison for governor and I
have been at every election since.
But last fall it was the hardest trip
ever I made to vote. If it had riot
been for the county ticket I would
not have voted. We need more inter
est in our primary and then victory
is ours.
Herman G. Spring, TJnionville, Mich.
Enclosed please find a 'primary
pledge signed by several true blue
democrats. Two of the names are in
my handwriting but ltq authorized. I
have attended every democratic pri
mary since I became a voter twelve
years ago, so tho pledge does not
entail any sacrifice on my part. But
I believe Mr. Bryan's plan to be a
move in the right direction and am
sure it will result in a great deal of
good for democracy and better gov
ernment. I have read Tho Commoner
since its first issue, and it has done
me a lot of good.
Henry F. Ashurst, District Attor
ney of Coconino county, Flagstaff,
Arizona. With pleasure I enclose you
the primary pledge. If a democrat
leads the forces in 1908, hope will
brighten the faces and victory will
rest with that honored throng of dem
ocrats who in 1896, unawed by tho
threats of power and un-hypnotized
by the beckonings of wealth gave the
Chicago platform their votes and their
support. When I use tho word demo
crat I refer to "democratic democrats"
and not "plutocratic" or "conserva
tive" democrats, for sooner or later
the "plutocratic" and "conservative"
democrats will, go into tho ranks of
the republican party where they bo
long and where they will be welcome
and at home. The philosophy of
many in the democratic party seems
to take a painful and gloomy form
since tho last national election, but
as a matter of fact PnrkerVi nntfiatin
race is indeed a most valuable, if.
" xwx xu gnuuuuea uiu
disaster that inevitably comes to the
party when it abandons its militant
integrity for mere hope of office.
Stan C. Harley, 907 Center street,
Little Rock, Ark. I enclose that
which is superfluous in my case, for
my rule for forty years has been to
attend every political meeting of the
democratic party when I could do so,
and vote for the very Dest men on the
ticket when viewed from an intellect
ual, honest standpoint. Knowingly, I
will not vote for an ignorant vicious
man under any circumstances believ
ing that our hope rests here.
John A. Page, Milan, Mo.- You will
find enclosed primary pledge with 40
names of good old Bryan 16 to 1 dem
ocrats. Will try and send more names
soon. Ever yours for success.
L. M. Hidden, Vancouver, Wash.
Tho primary pledge I am in favor of,
and think the' democratic party will
Win If the neonle W.inf trnnrl cmrnrn.
ment. I enclose the pledge. I think
yuu are aoing more ror the cause of
democracy than any other one person
in this country. May the Lord go
with you and bless you. My best
wishes.
O. M. Hanscom, New York. Un
closed please find my primary pledge.
This is tho only way to securo an ex
pression from tho people. Every pa
triotic citizen owes this duty to him
self and to his country. If he would
but do so, tho political shysters wonld
soon be compelled to take to the tall
timber. I am a good democrat, hav
ing voted for Mr. Bryan in 1896 and
again in 1900. I coul . not consist
ently vote for Judge Parker as I did
not consider him a democrnt. The
pill was too bitter for mo to swal
low. I believe I can see in the dim
mists of the not very distant future,
a mighty gathering of an outraged and
persecuted people to sweep out of
power a gang of political pirates dom
inated by "frenzied financiers" com
pared to whom King George III., and
his ministers would have appeared as
gentlemen. Success to tho people's
cause not only in 1908 but for all
future generations.
Lee C. Robertson, Dunkirk, N. Y.
I approve of Tho Commoner's method
of perfecting the organization of the
democratic party.
John Kincannon, Granby, Mo. I
canvassed for a few hours In my lit
tle town of Granby this afternoon.
Forty-two democrats sicnod tho blnnk
pledge.
R. N. B. Thompson, Hurricane, W.
Va. With great pleasure I herewith
enclose signed primary pledge, which
I regard as a sure plan for a great
democratic victory in 1908. Tho only
way we can hopo for success is to
lino up the Brya.I democrats and
array the fundamental principle of
Jeffersonian democracy against the
greed of republican plutocracy and
drive this wealth gathering mob of
tyrants, constitution violators, depre
dators of the American people from
the arena. This can be done by stick
ing to the principles of 1896 and 1900.
Edgar G. Spaird, born in Jackson's
first campaign, Buffalo, Ohio. Your
primary pledge is a step in the right
direction. I believe with old General
Jackson that the principles of democ
racy are immortal and if solidified
will come to the front in 1908. By
that time Teddy will have the ideal of
present republicanism in the peniten
taries where they belong, as their
ideal is boodle.
W. H. Winters, Pcteau,' I. T. I
herewith hand you primary pledge
signed by myself and by several of
my neighbors. This method of pro
cedure has ray hearty endorsement
Suro none, cithor political friends or
enemies, who wish honesty and fair
dealing in our governmental affairs
can object to tho plan proposed in this
pledge. At tho primaries people can
havo their say and mako their influ
ence felt. If wo do our duty at tho
primnrlcs, there Is but littlo danger
of making a mistake at the polls, but
a mistake at tho primaries cannot bo
rectified nt tho polls.
Dr. W, T. A'bert, Albertvillc, Ala.
Enclosed please find primary plcdgo
signed by me. I heartily endorso all
tho reform principles advocated by
W. J. Bryan and Tho Commoner. I
am a strong bollcver In government
ownership of railroads and municipal
ownership of municipal franchises. I
am now 75 years old, but I would
love to livo to ride on a road owned
and operated by the government. You
will find enclosed tho pledge of W.
II. McCord of Albertvillc, Aln.
-Carl von Jagcrsfeld, jr., El Reno,
Okla. It gives mo pleasure to sign
enclosed pledge. Candidates who aro
nominated by the peoplo direct always
look after the people's Interest better
than machine nominated men. My
duties as traveling salesman carry mo
into the state of Texas and territories
of New Mexico and Oklahoma. Of
tho democrats I come in contnet with
I believe you can count 90 per cent
as Bryan democrats and I think you
may count on that per cent to aid
in battle of 1908. I know, howover,
you can count on, yours for honest
democracy.
Mark Holm, Elba, Neb. Pleano
find enclosed my pleJge. I have voted
tho democratic ticket since 1887, and
attended every primary since that
time and I will in tho future as in tho
past do all in my power to advanco
democratic principles and I know wo
will win in time becauo wo arc right.
O. P. Shout, Moorcs Ferry, Ky.
Enclosed find nine pledges signed and
will send moro soon. I am well
pleased with your paper and tho
pledge. We were led off in the dark
last year. I feel like we arc coming
to the light now and hjpe to see tho
day when good men arc put in office,
men of the people and for the people.
Keep the good fight going.
E. S. Sharp, county attorney, Grand,
Okla. Enclosed find pledge signed by
myself. Accept congratulations for
tho great effort put forth by yourself
and paper in behalf of democracy
and good government. Best hopes for
success In the coming campaign.
THE PRIHARY PLEDGE
:
I promiae to attend all the primaries of my party to be held between now and the next demo
cratic national convention, unless unavoidably prevented, and to uie my influence to secure a clear,
honest and straightforward declaration of the party's position on every question upon which tho
-rotors of the party dsiro to speak.
Signed
Street ,
PoBtofiice State,
County Voting precinct or ward
Fill out blanks and mail to Commoner Office, Lincoln, Neb.
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