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JANUARY 81909
and cartoon hag drummed in concert and con
tinuously on the theme- that republican success
would mean prosperity, while democratic suc
cess would mean disaster. Logic and reason
were subordinated to this fear of change by even
such strong advocates of free trade as the
Springfield Republican, and the New York Even
ing Post, their attitude no doubt being due to
class feeling heightened by the injunction issue.
The majority has preferred one dollar in the
hand to two in the bush, notwithstanding that
the one dollar is tainted. In other words the
majority of voters have actually chosen poverty-breeding
protection rather than the economi
cally sound principle of free trade; they have
commended the un-American policy of imper
ialism In opposition to the principles of our
Declaration of Independence; and they have
again supported the party of special privileges
simply because they feared a change. But there
are more real democrats (those that didn't get
scared into denying their principles), than, ever
before, and the floating vote (comprising those
who feel instead of think) can not long remain
with the party of privilege.
Thomas Shannon, Oconomowoc, Wis. In
the town of Oconomowoc there are about 300
votes cast, of this number the republicans re
ceive about 200;. I am pleaBed to inform you
that we reduced this majority considerably. If
there- were any losses outside our precinct In
our county it was caused by republican post
masters transporting uninterested voters to the
polls in. automobiles on November 3 last.
Second, the republican newspapers succeeded in
scaring thousands of lukewarm democrata into
voting for Taft, regardless of principle. As for
future democratic victory I would suggest that
you as an editor, redouble your efforts towards
putting The Commoner into every American
home as I think this is .the most practical way
of exposing the- fallacies of the republican
argument.
Dr. J. J. McKinnon, Wadena, Minn. Two,
Fear of hard times so industriously cultivated
by republicans during the last two or three
weeks of the campaign. The large majority of
unthinking voters believe that, if Mr. Bryan had
M.been electedT'ip. 189.6 ,and hjad put, into opera
'tion: .his, f fee sjjyer , doctrine, unoJ,d disaster
Woul$ have overtaken, us. This "free .silver
freesyV as tjhey call it has been t gfeat asset
to .tn,, republican pqrty especially against Mr.
Bryan, f. They hqvo Ingeniously exploited it for
twlvfe- years and, X, believe that there is no, doubt
it lias (had the effect of weakening the confidence
Of J$.,e ordinary . voter 'in Mr.. Bryan, Three,
Sfcick jto, tTeffersonian democracy and Bryan,. ,its
t greatest .living exponent. In other, words, stick
,.Rtp B,ryan and Bryanism, Wo may not get the
'officps, ,'but we will get the, results and that is
w,hat we are after. .. It would be easier and
pleasanter to accomplish tJiese results if we had
the offices, but it can be done without them.
Mr, Bryan has not only been the dominant factor
in his own party during the last decade, but has
r forced democratic principles into the republican
party and compelled them to accept them. He
is the head and front and backbone of the re
form movement that has made the man in the
White House great. .The only logical thing for
reformers to do is to follow Mr. Bryan. Five,
No, it can not unless it adopts a platform and
nominates a candidate passed upon and approved
by the interests.
Theodore A. Johnson, Youngstown, Ohio.
Two, Repeat the democratic platform in all es
sentials word for word, and add to it an "old
age pension" clause. Three, Yes, on one con
dition being complied with by that party, name
ly, that the platform and candidates be demo
cratic enough, in addition to being sincere and
virile, to hold all democrats now in the party
and gather together in one band all democrata
of whatever name. By a democrat I mean a
person who accepts as a foundation for his po
litical creed the familiar saying, "equal rights
to all, special privileges to none." There are
(many, democrats in the republican party, and in
all other parties in this country. The demo
cratic party can win if it can poll all the votes of
the real democrats in this country. By so con
structing the platform and choosing the candi
dates, the party will lose to the republicans
some voters who are now in the democratic
party, but who are not democrats after the
fashion of the familiar saying before quoted.
Unless the democratic party can rid itself of
the present situation, which is, that when a
democrat of the Cleveland type Is a candidate for
office, radicals will not vote for him and where
a man of the Bryan type is a candidate the
ultra conservatives refuse to vote for him, it
The Commoner.
can never win. This situation can be dis-
ParVtvdtruyivmSIng an? ke?PInB thc "fora and
party truly democratic. We can hope for noth
ing from the privileged classes? Why carry the
few such we have? They only weaken our argu
ment that we represent the people and prevent
real democrats in other parties from uniting
with us. But we must act quickly, or the middle
class, which now furnishes many votes and most
of our funds, will have been so depleted that
there will be two great parties only toilers,
who will be socialists, and the privileged class
and their hangers-on who will be republicans.
Piebe Swart, New Paris, Ind. In our
county the democrats made gains, especially on
local issues, caused by the bad management of
the republican officers who controlled the ad
ministration of the government. Tho influenco
of this mismanagement would have reached
further If tho republicans had not had
seemingly, largo amounts of money to work
with and to counteract the influence of this
mismanagement. Coercion, also, was a factor
in the result. Then the fact that tho republi
cans said very little aboue their platform and
set up tho cry of intensification of the panic in
case the democrats were successful, helped to
defeat us. The courso to adopt, 1 think, is to
stick to our cause of truth, and to educato on
the lines of overcoming prejudlco born of ignor
ance and prejudice of paiHy pride. This can
only bo done by constant organization and keep
ing the truth before the people, and nou-roll-ance
upon a two months' campaign organization.
John M. Barker, Montgomery City, Mo.
You invite your readers to answer tho inquiry,
"Can the democratic party hope ever to gain
control of the federal government?" I think
tire proper answer to that question is "no," and
for. the following reasons: Tile government
of the United States belongs to the trusts, the
money trust chief of all. Every election the
trusts take, the money given to them by tho
legislative authorities and buy the government
just as easily as a bag of potatoes is bought on
the market, and the trusts are not wholly to
blame, neither are the republicans wholly to
blame. Many who call themselves democrats
are as .much in- favor of such conditions as are
the republicans. All parties being considered
a big" majority of the people want the trusts
to own, manage and control the government
and the people; they like it, prefer itand voto
for It, and we have got it and it Is not going
to get away from us by any efforts of tho dem
ocratic party as organized at present and under
its present platform. The democratic party was
right In 1896 and that year made tho greatest
battle of the ballot in history under the leader
ship of Mr. Bryan, even splendid in defeat, with
tho exception of tho great victory under Jackson
against the money trust, (the greatest all-around
man, soldier and statesman that ever walked
American soil). Then camo the disgraceful sur
render of tho democratic party at St. Louis in
1904, when it hoisted the white flag to tho re
publicans, nominated a man the money trust
wanted, threw the little alligator to the big
alligator, and saw it swallowed into the com
fortable belly of the old Saurian even long be
fore the ballots were delivered. Then the real,
old battle scarred veterans of tho great south
west democracy, like Napoleon at Waterloo,
walked away in sullen silence and only whis
pered, "all is lost." Then came the battle of
1908, when the democrats met at Denver and
made a fine organic speech against all the trusts
of whatsoever kind except tho old mother trust
the money combine and went to the battle
again, but nowhere on that field could be seen
the white plume of Navarro, tho banner of tho
great west was lying neglected In a lonely tent.
B. T. Lewis, Long Beach, Cal. The only
mystery we see is that our party cast as many
votes as it did in the northern states, with so
few newspapers, small campaign fund and few
public officeholders. Speeches cut but little ice,
as democrats go to demor ltlc speeches and re
publicans to republican speeches; but the news
paper is talking to tho voter every day in the
year, and after pouring Into his head one side
of a question for three years and ten months, ho
can not be converted in the remaining two
months by reading or hearing a few Srgifments
on the other side. Of course tho business scare
that the republicans now use instead of tho
"bloody shirt" of a few years ago had some In
fluence with the weak minded, and financially
weak merchants.
Jesse A. Winger, Newton, la. The causes
are hard to fathom. The result was so entirely
different from tho outlook that discouragement
follows. An encouraging outlook and a disap
pointing result amount to a loss. To what In-
. 7
fluence is this duo? Republicans Ignored th
issues aa presented and dwelt upon past cam
paigns and the former democratic administra
tions. They resorted to lying and misrepresent
ation. Republican nowspapors continued to
print lies after thoso who originated thorn had
admitted their falseness. The people are per
force compelled to dopend upon republican news
papers and these pnpers depend upon tho Asso
ciated Press, which is suspectod of being a
m ghty factor in tho comblno against any
scheme for reform. Your fourth question
should be answered before your third. In tho
light of recent performances tho democratic
pany need not hope to gain control of the fed
eral government as long as It stands for gen
uine reform nnd is lod by honest leaders. Tho
predatory Interests seem to hold tho balance of
power and as tho two groat parties are now con
stituted neither one will bo able to give tho
country the reforms needed. Why, then should
reformers in either party continue to exort their
strength against an . impossibility? In tho
writer's opinion It will very soon develop that
tnore Is no reform legislation Intended by tho
incoming administration. If this shall bo Cpio
then, the reformers of all parties should hold a
conference and make up the issues for a now
alignment. Let It be as broad as it may be and
still bo true to the Interests of tho common
people. Democrats do not like to bocom rn-
publlcans and republicans do not like to bccome'lf
democrats. Yet all thoso who really desiro 're-
form should and might be willing to give sup
port to a new party. Lot no hope bo held out
to the political pirates of tho old parties. Tstt
the Tammany crowd and tho predatory hue-
caneers who fatten on speca! ogslatlon get
tqgjsther.and stay there. There is wisdom among
tho, reformers and honesty among tho people
and' right .should find a way to win.
Gllmore LIvesay, Houston, Mo. First, Be
cause money with its corrupting Influences hnrf
an effect upon many who look to tho filthy lucre
as their god. Second, Because of the minor
parties organized for tho purpose of fighting tho
democratic party. Third, Because fhorc arc a
heap more republicans than democrats; whether
it Is that they are believers in, and are In sym
pathy with that party's principles and policies;
or, if by Intimidation, threat and buncombe they
have voted that ticket, It is a hard matter to say.
Dr. Edward J. Brown, Minneapplls, Minn.
One, In some parts of the country, notably tho
Now England states, the traditional reputation
of tho democratic party as allied to the whisky
power and other forms of lawlessness, has had
a strong Influenco In repelling tho wcll-meahjhg ,
but not well-informed republican voter. Two,
The prominence in the democratic party of plu
tocratic elements, nee Wall Street and gold dem
ocrats including those solf-styled JoffersOnlan
democrats who evidently believe that Jefferson
in tho twentieth century would be blind to tho
changed conditions. Three, The fear on tho
part of many radicals that Mr. Bryan does not
appreciate at their full value tho fundamental
wrong of land monopoly and tho largely conse
quent wrong of tho exploitation of the workers
through capitalism. "Equal rights f to all"
myalls, If It means anything, not income tax.
but land values taxation; not revenue tarmjiputt
free trade. In a word, tho weakness or tno
democratic party lies in Its cowardly rear or ue
ing consistently radical.
Isaac N. Snyder, Liberty, Ind. You ask,
"What courso shall reformers adopt for tho
future?" Place no restrictions on the amount
of money to be contributed for campaign pur
poses or from whom contributed. I am confi
dent that wo failed from lack of money, whilo
tho republicans had plenty of It. True this
method is In a great measure degrading but
how aro you going to beat the republicans easier
than to adopt their own methods, which are so
successful In beating us democrats? I would
like to see them beaten at their own game once,
at least. I am a democrat who knows no such"
word as fall. I know that tho principles advo
cated by the democratic party aYe nearer right
than any other party which ever existed, hence I
am for keeping up the fight, and control of the
federaT gcvrnment will come soon. People will
not always Se'insjrctf 6r bought. When victory
does come under snch conditions tfio more it
will be appreciated by tHo yictors and tfio nloi
lasting It will be. So I say let us fight on, and
on, and on. Now, Mr. Bryan, few hated to hear
of your defeat worse than I did. You made a
great and wonderful fight against such great
odds. So I want to see you In the senate, where
you can, I think, do the most good under tho
present circumstances.
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