mmtqmmftwmwiim fV Miwwmmmf1 l'yliy'wiJFWWtlifcUIWM' xw" -rrn7vmtm HM iWfT' v t -v rvmw&tn & '' WJW miiHHIW" Commoner. 1 tic WILLIAJl J. BRYAN, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR, Vol. 3. No. la. Lincoln, Nebraska, April io, 1903. Whole No. 116. WIHIAM J. STONE OF MISSOURI In a recent issue The Commoner promised to present the names of several persons worthy to be considered as candidates for the democratic nomination for president in 1904. The Commoner does not indorse any one Kansas City platform democrat as against any other, but presents the claims of each as those claims are made by friends. This much is said so that no importance may be attadhed to the order in which the names are' suggested. A political admirer of William J. Btone has this to say of his availability: "The subject of this sketch was born on a Carm in Madison county, Kentucky, May 7, 1848, lie will therefore bo 56 years old when the cam paign of.. 1904 opens. He lived in Madison county until 18C2 when lie went to Columbia, Mo., to re side ith a sister, Mrs. Turner. He attended both the public schools and tho university located at Columbia. In 1895 the degree of LL.D. was con ferred upon him by the University of Missouri. "He selected law as his profession and after admission to the bar went to Bedford, Ind., where ho began tho practice. He resided there, how ever, only a year and a half, and returned to Missouri, locating at Nevada, Vernon county, where ho held the office of prosecuting attorney during 1873-4. He took an early interest in poli-1 tics, being an elector upon the Tllden and Hend ricks ticket in 187G. "In 1884 he was elected to congress and served three terms, retiring in 1891. In 1892 he was elected governor of the state of Missouri, and served for four years. He was one of the leading spirits in the Pertle Springs convention, and was closely associated with Mr. Bland in the success ful effort to put Missouri in the front rank among the states that contributed to the writing of the Chicago platform. 'He was one of the delegates to the Chicago convention and made a strong fight for Mr. Bland's nomination, being entirely in sympathy with him in his views upon the money question. He was made the Missouri member of the national committee,, and was by the commit tee chosen vice chairman and chairman of the executive committee. "During the years that intervened between 189G and 1900 he was one of the most loyal and untiring of the national leaders? and4n the cam paign of 1900 was put in charge of the eastern headquarters of "the' national committee. "In 1902 he announced himself as a candi date for the senate and. made his fight on a state platform indorsing the Kansas City platform, which he, as a member of the platform committee, had assisted in writing. He was successful in his campaign for the senate,- although he ' had the active and bitter opposition of the Cleveland democrats of the statev and of such represents tives of the corporations as claim allegiance to the democratic party. "While he has shown unusual ability as . a lawyer, it will bo seen that his servicfe to his con gressional district, to his state and afterwards to his party in the nation, has occupied a large portion of his time. Six years in congress and four years as chief executive of the state of Mis souri have given him acquaintance with public :'duties both legislative and executive, while his connection with the national organization of the party has brought him intd close contact with the issues before the country and with tho public men who have dealt with those Issues. "As a political orator he has few superiors and as an experienced, sagacious and courageous leader of men, few equals in the country. His appeals have always been directly to tho people and his strength is among tho masses. While he has been at all times a democrat ho has tho con fidence of the other parties that have co-operated with the democratic party in recent campaigns. "As a democratic candidate he would bo strong with the rank and file of the party and as president he would be a fearless and incorruptible exponent of Jeffersonian democracy." A Family Row. The Argus, published at Albany, N. Y., feels hurt that the Brooklyn Eagle and the New York World should assume leadership of tho reorgan izing brigade. The Argus says: "In this state (New York) the Brooklyn Eaglo and tho Now York World are regarded as virtually republican by democrats, and they can no longer deceive and mislead." So The Argus roads the Brooklyn Ea--gle and tho-World out of the reorganized .fold! But Isn't it a little hard on tho reorganizes? If all of the largo dailies which call themselves democratic, but which are "virtually republican" are to be read out of the ranks of the reorganiz es they will have very few dailies to speak for them. The trouble about the reorganizing element is that it is largely made up of newspapers and individuals "virtually republican," and the aim of the reorganizes is to make the democratic par ty such that it will be "virtually republican." The Argus says that it is not time to select a candidate yet, and that when the time comes "if New York is ta name the presidential candi date, then it is submitted that he should be ge- , lected by tho democrats of this state, and not otherwise." This makes 'the matter plain. Tho democrats of tho country aro to keep still -until the convention, then they aro to leave the selec tion of the candidate to New York and then Now York will retire for consultation and bring in the candidate and this candidate, whoever he may happen to be, is to be supported by the conven tion. This is The Argus plan! Well, a democrat with one eye can see through this plan. Of tho two plans the plan of the Eagle and the World is more honest and more democratic rrr Naming the Clubs Hon. Howard S. Taylor, prosecuting attorney of Chicago, suggests that the word "Jefferson" should be Included In the name' of clubs organ ized by the believers In the JKansas City platform, the word "Jeffereon"ftdistinguishing the clubs from those clubs that call themselves democratic and yet stand for Clevelandlsm and corporation rule. He says that a Jefferson democratic club in one part of the country would naturally affiliate with a Jefferson democratic club in another part of the country. The suggestion is presented for the consideration of the readers. The Commoner "has not desired to designate the name; it has simply called attention to the necessity for co-operation-among. those who desire to keep the democratic party in democratic paths. . . . - GETTING fiEADY FOR THE BATTLE Tho Louisville Courlor-Journal In Its Issue of March 24 devoted ono and a half pages of its space to the reproduction of editorials relating to tho suggestion that Grover Cleveland become tho democratic nominee in 1904. More than a year ago Mr. Watterson warned tho domocrats of the country that an organized movomont was on foot having for its purpose the nomination' of tho man who, although repeatedly honored by the demo cratic party, had, "during his second administra tion sacrificed its principles and who, during two subsequent presidential campaigns, refused to sup port tho ticket and gave open aid end encourage ment to tho enemy. An effort has been made by the Cloveland managers to hold some of their followers in check and yet it appears that many of them have grown restivo and have prematurely agitated the Cleve land boom. It may be that the managers of this boom may not obtain the desired encouragement for this particular candidate and they may find it convenient to replace Mr. Cleveland by some ono who, while being personally less objectionable, will yet stand for everything for which Mr. Cleveland stands. But whatever tho result may be as to tho particular candidate; democrats have now received sufficient warning to place them on their .guard. To bo sure, Mr. Cleveland would bo the most representative candidate which tho reorganizes could select, but whether they continue to push his candidacy or decide to substitute tho candi dacy of another who will be just as susceptible to the influences to which Mr. Cleveland yielded dur ing his second administration, the result will bo disastrous to he democratic party. Democrats who aro more anxious for the es tablishment of the principles In which they be lieve than they aro In tho temporary acquirement of office, owe t to themselves to organize Imme diately and prepare for the conflict that is at "hand. It will be a contest between the rank and file of tho democratic party, and those men who would sacrifice democratic principles for the mere control of the democratic machine and for the nomination of a candidate who In the event of his election would .be governed by the same influences that would govern the republican can didate. The' influences behind tho reorganization movement are powerful. They are .well equipped with money. Their leaders are unscrupulous; they will stop at nothing to accomplish their pur pose. It will be the duty of democrats in every precinct throughout the United States to organize for the protection of their party and the defense of their principles. Every mall brings reports of the preliminary work for the organization of democratic clubs; announcement of these organizations will be made in subsequent Issues. In its issue of April 2 the Omaha World-Herald makes the following report: "The' machinery for the formal organiza tion of the new democratic central club was put into motion at a meeting df the men who have been foremost in its favor at the Jack ' sonian club Wednesday night. The constitu- , tion and bylaws were brought up and adopted. A J i M Al1