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VOL. 21, NO? 3
The Commoner
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down that rule to John D. Rockefeller. .With
tho price of crude oil down one-half, the price
of gasoline has fallen 4 cents a gallon, or about
one-seventh, Tho only satisfaction we got out
of such a situation is that John D. must bo get
ting ready to pay even a larger income tax in
1921 than ho did in 1920. The Palrbury
Journal. .'
NATIONAL COMMITTEEMAN ENDORSES
PXjAN
Grand Island, Nob., March 4,"l921. Tho
Commoner, Lincoln Nobr. Gentlemen: In re
your National Legislative Program I am much
ploased with the suggestions therein contained.
Tho idea is along the linos of the. resolutions
adopted by the Executive Committed of tho Na
tional Committee at its recent meeting held in
Washington, D. C.
Wo can -rally party strength around principles
easier and with much less friction "than around
men. A. live principle is always more appealing
in a government like ours. As these and other
planks, as It were, are presented, and discussion
is had thoroon by individuals, by the press and
at public meetings, leaders will naturally arise
who aro in harmony with public thought, and
public ndeds, and will thus draw, the younger
men and women at least to them
Theso natural leaders will come forth and
take their placos unhampored by past alignments
and differences. Organization of- those who
think alike will make it moro easy for, the Na
tional' Committee to push their work unto every
state, and to aid tho state organizations to reach
every county, and tho County Committeeman to
carry tho work into every ward and precinct.
Personally, I like the manner of strengthening
our party, and, the principles suggested meet
my approval. There is a great work ahead.
First the discussion of principles,, then the
meetings looking to organization. By opening
tho way you are doing the country as well as
the party, a great service. Respectfully.,
W. H. THOMPSON,
National Committeeman for Nebraska.
- -,
v Letters from the
- People
Frankfort .-Ky., February .16, 1921. Tho
Commoner, Lincoln, Nebraska: It is laughable
and at tho same time pitiable, to read the rant
ings In . the editorial columns of some of "the
newspapers, most especially Louisville Times
and Courier-Journal, owned and published by
R. W, Bingham, of Louisville, Ky., in which he
makes a feeble attempt to read Colonel Bryan
the greatest living American, out of the Demo
cratic partyv ,
In an editorial of Fob. 11th, there tire strong
objections given to Colonel Bryan having any
hand in tho reorganization of the .party, and it
goes to the extremes of accusing Mr, Bryan of
deserting the party in the recent election, when
tho facts aro that Colonel Bryan ode thou
sands f miles to vote the straight Democrat
ticket. If we mistake not, this is more than
the "naive" Judge Bingham from Kentucky did
only a few years ago, when he allowed Govern
or Gus Willson, and other Republicans, of Louis
ville, induce him to allow his name go on the
regular Republican ticket, as the nominee of
that party, against Judge Shackleford Miller
the regular Democratic nominee for. judge of the
court of appeals. Yes, and if our memory serves
us right, this is the same "Judge" Bingham
after ho was badly defeated by Judge Miller
who" accepted the appointment of Governor Willi
son, tho then Republican governor of Kentucky
to the judgeship in the city of Louisville, made
vacant by Judge Miller when he went upon the
appellate bench.
Colonel Bryan has more loyal Democratic
friends in Kentucky today than ever, desnite
the rantings of the publisher. You can count
on me, and thousands of other Democrats of
this state, to help organize for anything that
Colonel Bryan advocates. Ho has done more
against corporate greed, and more for the com
mon people of this country, than all the so
called leaders. To make a long story short
he is the only real leader the Democratic party"
can now look to. Sincerely yours,
MOSES R. GLENN.
Chicago, 111., Feb. 23. Mr. Chas W Rrv
Lincoln, Neb, My Dear Mr. Bryan?' iTea? wUh
very much-interest, the front page of ourtiS
"The 'Commoner, and while It is fot my plSo
to know, you personally, as I do.wj? T fe
NOW IS TIME TO REORGANIZE
While I have my doubts about some
things I still believe that the Democratic
party has within it the ability to come for
ward, shake itself of tho touch of the spe
cial interests, and say to tho American
people, "Wo have cleansed ourselves of
the past and have come to champion tho
rights of the common people, whatever may
come." , ,
Now is the time to start. Not 1924. And
your "National Legislative Program" pro
vides that needed start. I would like to
discuss this program, as I view it, section
by section, but space prohibits my doing
so. However, I shall take the liberty to
discuss them in part.
Although I have my doubts about the
advisability of trying to secure disarma
ment by conferences or otherwise, I still
bolieve that such steps would do much to
bring this condition about. Your proposed
referendum on war is, in my opinion, the
most progressive plank in your program,
and will meet with considerable approval
from the American people. Your stand on
military training is to be commended very
highly. This problem presents to us one
very great 'question "Are we going to
fasten upon our own nation what we
fought to put down in another nation?"
We are not. ,, And your statement clearly
shows that the Democratic pary .on its
new footing is going to fight for what the
, people want in regard to this question.
The section providing for- the prohibition
of gambling in foodstuffs will meet with
universal favor in the agricultural indus
try, which constitutes a very large share of
our population. It is a very progressive
plank and most sorely needed, particularly
at this time.
Another important feature, to my mind
is that section favoring national-and state
legislation guaranteeing the people's de
posits in national and state banks against
loss through bank failures. Already some
progressive states have enacted such leg
islation and it has met with the approval
.of ALL the people, . ' .
And lastly, With regard to your program,
the section .favoring a national primary
election law will do much to eliminate ma
chine operations in politics, which showed"
their work to perfection at the last two
conventions of the two major parties.
I, for one, can say without reserve that
I subscribe to every section of your "Na
tional Legislative Program," but most
especially to those sections discussed above.
You have presented to the people what
they want in a small package and it is now
up to each and every believer in progres
sive legislation to carry to every individual.
I think that it would be a very good planV
if The Commoner would print this "Na
tional Program" in circular form, cheap
enough, so that a large number of in
dividuals could purchase them for general
distribution. Such a move would do much
to popularize the program with the people.
--Submitted by R. Forest McConnell, Edi-
i?r Lth I2 DQPartment, Co-operators'
Herald, Nashua, Iowa.
that we have a common Interest at heart
that is the resusitation of the Democratic part
With me, politics has always been part of
my patriotism, .never part of my business and
it seems to me that somewhere in this broad
Universe of ours, there are enough true-blooded
real Americans who are interested in thd wel
fare of this country and it people to the end that
they can place selfish ambitions aside and dn
something that will bo a credit to posterit?
The average so-called politicians of today uses
a party only as a vehicle for a livelihood or sbmo
'personal or material gain. These people for 32
present, we cannot interest, neither shoiXi e
;attempt to. We should endeavorTo 'read the
heartstrings of those whose love of God nd
Tf wntry are thei Paramount idqals
I wish to assure you that anything von
undertake to do that I am hK! .1 P11.7
therewith. I believe ? that Se P?a0rm Vtwl
,by the Honorable William JetiningBaJ i
;an Ideal one and by the broad phblicS at
same, much can be a'ccomplisbed 7?, J?0,
I note with much mteresthe-newspapericoni-
ment on same an ck believe that if-we keepeyor--Jastingly
at it, frominow until ourext National
Convention, We will -be "a "power that shall be
reckoned with. - , . V -,.,
- Yours truly, . VL.-.'.' '
L.. J. ALTERS.
BrMgeport, Ala., March 8, 1921.--1 Com
moner, Lincoln, Neb. Sirs: With much; interest,
I have noted tho comments on the announcement
of Mr. Bryan's suggested platform for the re
organization of the Democratic party.
As an admirer of Mr. Bryan, for manyyears,
with a deepening conviction that he is humanity's
friend, actuated by the highest, purely unselfish
motives, I hail with delight the idea of his. lead
ership in tho Democratic partyuring thfs, period
of most uncertain, and peculiar, conditions in
governmental. affairs all over the world.
To my mind, Mr. Bryan, without- a-rparallel
in statesmanship today, is the logical jnan to lead
a great political party in the struggles to bring
about a.happy adjustment of all the conflicting
claims within the realm of state with; the view
of conserving the best elements- in .our oytjl .na
tional life and with a purpose to, extend thehand
of fellowship and brotherly love to ,thq, jjoyern
ments and nations that are groping through a
period of darkness and uncertainty.
As the great- American Commoner, styled- the
world citizen of this age, the great champion oi
human rights, with the.v.oice of inspiration and
prophecy, the forerunner and leader of the great
governmental and moral reforms o this age kthat
are bearing fruitage in our own Jife, as well as
in the lives of other nations and governments of ,
eatth, Mr. Bryan may well be styled a true re
former in. which all liberty-loving, God-fearing
people may take pride. He stands consistently,
both in public and private life, on. a plane,-,that
gives him fellowship with the highest iype
thoughtof ,all the ages and summons.theworld
.of thoughts assemble before the bar oThumaa
justice and there recjtify the wrongs. .among all
classes cif men. . r . ". ' '
In this hour, of the. world's bleedings,, and
disasters, this. man, a herald of the'ause of
.righteousness and of the Christian religion. be-fore-the
courts and pariiamcmts. of eartntands,
with the ear 'of thworld,and bepko'ns ftuman-
ity toward the goal' of' Christian civilization and
liberty.. . ' -""J
With an abiding appreciation . of the sacri
fices made by this apostle of. human .frefdom, and
with a .wish and prayer for Jtfs future -ministry
in the interests of mankind, I am, ' v
Very sincerely, . 'f', '
. T. E. JELGlN. M.&
.....j President Tennessee River Institute.
r"
Dr. J. D. Motley, Missouri. I am in: hearty
sympathy with Mr. Bryan's slogan, "Deserve1 to
winthan- organize." This will givers "a Volid
foundation to build on and offers a-reasonable
hope for success in the' future. Everyone sees
now, and the posted ones saw before that the
actions of the national convention at Sari 'Fran
cisco destroyed all hope of success at thep6lls
last November. The magnificient figlit -put up
by Mr. Bryan at the convention, that we might
have some hope at the polls, though turned "down
Lt C.?nV,entl01 wlU not b forgotten by the
rank and file of his party.. The Murphys; Tag
garts, Brennans and John" Barleycorn have had
tneir inning and been overwhelmingly repu
?n?tei and must e legated ,to the rear, in the
&?iUr party,is to be a faciorin the-next
presidential campaign. Honesty is the best
. .Policy and will triumph if faithfully adnered : to!
R. B. Fisher, Minnesota. The February
merSe1ts forth a NationaLLogislative Pro
gram. One clause would limit the term of. presi-
onfninn0 XTS 8iX yGarS B, 3ta my
?i?' !? dea(i wrong, for this' reason: If the
irt?wontv,8h01ildAappen t0 be lik some'presi
Se winbnannohad past (Wilson excepted
JLw f P? ar In hiatory as 01e of our great
presidents) six years, would be too Ion and for
bete" EdelwS8COln wlssy0yne?Vsawoi?dr
oe too short. What the people want from tholr
Treo'tftheir8' hAs hat " !
SeonTG from irJatiB.facion' nQilaw ohouia-bar.the
SssSyfi?5 BUCh a man r-a;many
a 'uSjLV1" word' from
' Jto stodSt f ?wXtag Pesent day "additions.
S lettinr ?eadv 'fe88.?08-that theworld
industrial mL a period1o real' progress in
know thathe ala1"1d gT? soclallrefm' Wa
Christ isfnot RniSi!?611 5"1 as tauent by the
. elem-ent on th!a5J3g
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