wwf4,Hi1 Vd'W'tWIWMfWI
-.TIT-Kjy
ft"?'" -
6 Tike Commoner. , ' y0LraiB 5- NUMB
"Back to the People "For From the People All
Good Government Must Gome
.. ..
0. J. Cook, Lincoln, Del. Here with find the
primary pledge. This fs ilio very host thing that
has over been thought of. I could give a long and
dark history of tho errors of the party in demo
crats neglecting to attend tho primaries.
Jack Quaylo, attorney, Moherly, Mo. You
jvlll pleaso find enclosed my primary pledge to ho
diligent, and faithfully attond all tho future pri
maries of tho democratic party.
T. K. Farr, Forkston, Pa. You will find en
closed tho primary plodgo, which I have always
followed since I was a voter and expect tp as long
as I Hvo.
J. S. Taylor, London, Ark. I believe the pri
mary pledge is tho right plan to pursue. Push
tho work and let us see to it that there shall be
true and tried democrats sent all the way through
from township to tho national convention.
Goorgo L. Hayes, Rosoburg, Oregon. I have
signed the pledge and now give my hand to "W. J.
Bryan and my soul to God, and my best efforts to
advanco tho cause of democracy.
Henry P. Husman, Nokomis, 111. Lot tho good
work movo on. Tho primary pledge will givo new
lifo to the party and put it in excellent trim for
tho battlo for good government in 1908. Prin
ciples first, party success next. Let every demo
1 crat sond In tho plodgo.
Walter C. Graves, attorney, San Francisco.
I fully agree with you that we can not get too
close to tho people. We have always believed in
precinct representation, and largo conventions. If
wo would make our state and county conventions
.little mass meetings of tho people, they would
never bo corrupted or controlled by corporate in
fluonce. Wo sign tho enclosed primary pledge
moro as an evidence of our appreciation of your
good work and heroic and patriotic efforts in be
half of tho common people, than for any other
reason. As a rule we are opposed to pledges,
hut this one merely pledges a voter to do that
which every lover of his country ought to do
without a plodgo.
S. S. Bagley, President .Iroquois Club, .Stor;
Francisco, ft affords nfe pleasure to sign the pri
mary pledge. Just such a movement, in my judg
ment, Is all that is necessary to organize the
democratic party. Owing to the numerous bribe
takers, and tho corruption among, republican office
holders, tho common people are becoming alien
ated and will rally to the honest democracy for
self protection.
M. M. Herrington, Grain Valley, Mo. Find
enclosed tho pledge.
Charles E. Vasaly, mayor, Little Falls, Minn.
I take pleasure in sending my primary pledge.
I believe this movement to be a wise one, because
it is honest and fair. There is no taint or snap
Judgment in it, no attempt to pervert the will of
' the people. It means a plebiscite of democracy.
Tho ovents of the recent past have shown what
tho democratic party ought to be. It only re
mains for tho rank and file to stand by real
' democratic principles, and the party Is saved. A
democratic party which is simply a shadow pho
tograph of the worst phases of republicanism does
not 'deserve victory. Tho democratic party must
he honestly and wisely radical, or perish. Not
-. without a struggle will those who have perverted
the mission and tho name of democracy, relax
their grip. Evory true democrat must be vigilant
and true. For this reason, among, ofhers, it seems
to me that tho movement inaugurated by The
" Commoner will be productive of much good.
Henry Kirk White, attorney, Birmingham,
Ala. I read evory issue of The Commoner, and
I have observed with great pleasure and renewed
hope for democracy, tho widespread response to
your primary pledge suggestion. I am now forty,
and have never failed to participate in every dem
ocratic primary, state, county or city, since I
commenced my law practice here eighteen years
ago, so tho pledge on my part personally is main
ly useful by way of example. It may move slowly,
but the people's will, like the ocean over Holland,
. is always In sight. I believe that this primary
pledge plan of yours will serve to open the dikes
which havo been closed by tho representatives
of class interests wearing tho insignia, but not
imbued with the spirit of our party, and in, the
next national election the voice of tho people will
cover the land.
B. J. Hughes, Dover, Okta. With pleasure I
sign tho pledge, and would like my name en
rolled. E. B. Thome, Hennessey, Okla. Your plan for
inducing democrats to attend tho primaries is a
movo in tho right direction, and will in my opin
ion bo productive of much good. It shall be my
endeavor in the future, as it has been in the past,
to attend all primaries and conventions possible,
both in my county and territory.
Andreas Nissen, Osmond, Neb. The primary
pledge plan has my heartiest support. Pleaso
enroll my name.
J. B. Vifquain, Bennet, Neb. I have always
deemed it an important duty, as well as a privi
lege to attend primaries. All good democrats
should. It is the only thing that will keep the
government with the people and for the people.
Pleaso find enclosed pledge, signed.
F. S. Culver, Port Clinton, Ohio. The work
of the individual, directed toward true reform,
can best be mado effective by insisting upon clean
nominations of clean men, on a clean platform, in
which the right of every man to an equal oppor
tunity with every other man is clearly, set' forth
in words of such burning earnestness that nono
can mistake their meaning. Let us be earnest,
sincere, honest and active in .politics. Then suc
cess will come. Let us scorn victory unless it
comes to us by an honest heritage. The public
conscience is awakened at last. I can pledge
you my word that I can count several former
republicans who have lately thanks to Lawson
and other reformers seen tho light for the first
time.
W. B. Applegate, Branch Hill, Ohio. I am
heartily with you in your efforts to induce demo
crats to attend tho primaries. Since a boy it
ha3 been my determination to attend all pri
maries in my precinct. I want to be enrolled
as one who will always try to do his duty in
organizing my fellow-democrats for the right.
Amos Gillig, Decatur, Ind. Find enclosed
primary pledge, signed, which I heartily approve
of. The plan in my opinion is correct commenc
ing at the foot of the ladder, step by step, as
the top is reached with success.
A. J. Tyfirston, Eminence, Mo. Sometime
ago I sent to The Commoner office primary pledge
signed by thirty democrats. I did not at that
time express my opinion, but I want to tell you
now that in my judgment that is the only way
that we will ever win. I think this is the time
to begin the next campaign. If we can get
well organized we will make it hot for the other
side.
A. C. Karrick, Cynthiana. Please find en
closed my primary pledge, with thirty-four others.
I secured these signatures in about one hour.
Am very busy and regret that I have not tie
time to secure more pledges.
J. J. Simpson, Guthrie, Ky. Enclosed find
primary pledge. I not only promise to attend all
the primaries, but to do all I can toward getting
more subscribers to The Commoner.
S. P. Benadon, Lincoln, Neb. I am as anx
iouii to have my name enrolled and pledged for
democratic principles as enunciated by Jefferson
and Bryan, as I was to cast my first vote for
James K. Polk in 1844. Stand up and be counted.
George W. Knight, San Marcos, Texas. Your
proposition to organize by a pledge to attend all
primaries is excellent for all tho.se states where
there is independent thought among the rank and
file.
W. R. Carrigan, Petersburg, Tenn. I feel that
I am in good company in signing the priirfary
pledge. I sign and forward the same, hoping that
every good and true democrat in the nation will
doMikewiso, that it "may be known of all men"
where he stands.
J.-C. Donahue, town clerk, Ne;7 Auburn, Wis.
I hope our next national convention will be
controlled by democrats, for in my opinion there
is one thing worse than the republican party car
rying the country, and that is for the republican
party to carry the democratic party.
S. L. North, Gerrillos, N. M. I believe in
organization (not reorganization) and think the
primary pledge just tho thing. I should rejoice
to know that seven or eight millions of voters
had taken the pledge.
C. B. Coe, Wyandotte, I. T. Find enclosed
primary pledge, signed. Probably it would have
been more appropriate for mo, situated as I am
in the Indian Territory, to have marked my
pledge with a heavy black line around the border
and sent it in blank not. that I am not in sym
pathy with the plan (for I believe this the only
plan to get the sentiments of the voters in ad
vance of the assembly of state and national con
ventions) but because we are disfranchised in
the Indian Territory from voting or holding office
except municipal offices, and can not participate
in state or national conventions.
J. D. Fincher, Randolph, Texas. It is with
pleasure that I sign the primary pledge. I think
it is the only means of getting the great common
people to take part in choosing our national plat
form and candidates. The democratic party can
not be successful without the hearty support of
the plain people.
J. H. Hudelson, Fayetteville, Ark. Our cry
from now until the next national election must
be Organize! Organize! Organize! With a
democratic platform victory will bo ours.
G. W. Baird, Opolis, Kans. Good work at
the primaries is our best assurance of success at
the ballot box.
M. E. Kelley, Prattville, Mich. I am a farmer
and attending the primaries on the farm is the
only thing that brings a successful agricultural
harvest. So with a political -harvest, the seed
must be sowed at the primaries.
H. A. Replogle, Anthony, Kans. I am in
complete sympathy with your primary pledge plan
and believe it is a good way to get the expres
sion of the voter, from whom we usually hear
nothing until the candidates are named and
platforms made.
I. S. Hallam, Vice President Abilene State
Bank, Abilene, Kans. I gladly sign and return
this party pledge of my loyalty to Mr. Bryan or
any party policy he may advocate.
A. E. Mills, Minong, Wis. Enclosed you will
find primary pledge, which I gladly sign.
B. R. Pounds, Tenaha, Texas. I endorse the
pledge in full, and 'appreciate the privilege of
co-operating in the plan The Commoner has in
augurated. Chas. E. Talbott, Osgood, Ind. With all the
earnestness and sincerity that I can summon, I
promise to use whatever ability and influence I
may possess in the furtherance of the cause of
true democracy.
J. C. Wells, Princeton, Kans. I herewith send
names, trusting that it will advance the cause
of justice and truth and good government. It is
going the sure way.
F. M. Morgan, Lonaconing, Md. Enclosed
find primary pledge. I trust it can be made a
power for good.
Port Burge, Alva, Okla. Enclosed you will
find pledge, signed. I heartily endorse this plan,
and will do all I can to help true democracy get
"Back to the People."
C. C. Chapman, Clerk Common Pleas Court,
Ashland, O. I am certainly glad for the privilege
of signing this "pledge.
L. Napoleon Evangs, Templeville, Md. I
heartily endorse the primary pledge plan, and
am ready at all times to render' any assistance
possible to advance the true and noble -principles
of democracy.
J. M. Stanley, Galveston, Ind. I heartily en
dorse your method, which I think all true demo
crats should.
, Geo. S. T. .Bliss, Dorchester, Mass. I sign
with pleasure the primary pledge. I have always
when possible attended the primaries, but in the
past we have been able to vote only for those
whom the machine chose to put up. Am sorry
to say the reorganizes rather have the call with
us I have always been a democrat, but havo
taken moro interest in democracy since 1S9G,
when we got a policy that meant something.
A. E. Lamp, Beatrice, W. Va. Enclosed find
primary pletlge signed. I hope that every demo
crat will see to it that the people are represent
ed in the national convention of 1908.
L. W. Bascom, Farmdale, O. Enclosed please
find the primary pledge filled out according to
instructions. I have been greatly interested in
the doctrine taught by The Commoner ever since
its first issue, and have given away a great many
papers to my neighbors.
J. H. McCauley, Dayton, Wash. I ,am very
much in favor of tho plan as outlined in your
editorial, and shall give it my hearty support. I
think it will be a great help in getting- the bet
ter class of our democratic citizens interested
in our primary elections.
T. C. JCasson, Tunnel, N. Y. With ray pledge,
let me say that R. E. French of Medina, Ohio,
voiced my sentiments in full.
- l
fr il ifc.WM. , Ao..x. m.T Vf ftlrhil.J.y.yrtg ,,