'
The Commoner.
yOLTJMB B, NUMBER 17
Pledges Come From All Sections
fKr-i
J. A. Ohoy, Lawyer, Colwell, Ohio,
referring to Tlio Commoner's plodgo
plan, writes: The plan of organiza
tion, ns set forth by you in The Com
moner, Is a good one, and is calcul
ated to solidify tho forces composing
tlio democratic party for tho campaign
or 1908. I desiro to have a part in
tho next presidential campaign be
causo it will bo a contest of supremo
importance to the common people. It
does not need a prophet to tell that
there Is a force at work in this coun
try, all bough It may be some times
silent and insidious in its character,
but nono the less active and potent,
that is gradually encroaching upon
tho sacred rights of the people. The
issuo is oven now distinctly drawn
between tho forces of tho great com
mon people on one side, and the force
of corporate greed on tho other. Tho
principles on which tho democratic
party was founded, and on which it
has rested ever sinco its organiza
tion, havo ever been held sacred by
tho people. Sinco this is so, then tho
democratic party, in order to bo faith
ful to its fundamental principles, must
espouse tho cause of the common peo
ple. Tlio democratic party must bo
a party of affirmation and not nega
tion. Wo must meet new issues as
they arise and solve them by the
standard of right. We must not de
pend upon tho mistakes of our enemy
for party success. Wo must havo an
affirmative remedy to offer for exist
ing evils. No backward steps must
bo taken. Tho great bulk of our party
is opposed to this and we need no bet
ter proof than the result of the last
presidential campaign. The ' party
platform ought to reflect the will of
the people and in order for this to be
true, the people must have a part in
our party organization.
Extracts from other letters enclos
ing pledges follow:
Addison F. McGhee, Lawyer, Annis
ton, Ala. Tho slogan "back to the
people," is the proper key, the pri
mary pledge is a good plan and. easy
to be carried out. Alabama, as well
as tho entire south may be depended
upon to support the democratic ticket
as against the republican ticket, al
though tho platform may not bo en
tirely what is desired, but the people
will bo more enthusiastic when tho
platform shall embody principles of
greatest good to tho greatest num
ber, with candidates unhampered by
the trusts and the influence of cor
porate wealth.
F. C. Willey, Assessor Mason Coun
ty, Sholton, Wash. I heartily endorse
tho plan of securing primary pledges;
I like it because it is democratic; and
tho democratic party must be demo
cratic to win; stato and national plat
forms should reflect the sentiments ex
pressed at tho primaries. Your plan
I believe will have the effect of arous
ing tho masses of democratic voters, to
the necessity of taking a more active
interest in tho affairs of tho party,
and make it impossiblo for the next
national democratic convention to
adopt an undemocratic platform.
J. W. Soybold, Dell, N. Y. It is my
honest wish to see true democratic
success, which I beliovo is tho only
salvation for our country. Tho pri
mary pledge is the true system which,
if zealously carried out, will put the
party on tho true platform. Enclosed
And six true democrats' names and I
will get as many moro as I possibly
can.
P. M. Troy, Lawyer, Olympia, Wash.
No good democrat has any right to
refuse to comply with its provisions
whether he signs the' pledge or not.
Consequently if it is his duty to ob
serve tho requirements of tho pledge,
certainly no reason can bo advanced
for not signing. Tho hope of tho na
tion is in tho honest, people's democ
racy. It is not a time to quail, but
every democrat who loves the land of
his forefathers and desires to bring
his country back to the plain old fash
ioned doctrino of being honest and
doing right should sign the pledge and
work until tho next presidential cam
paign is fought and won. Yours for
tho peoples' democracy.
J. V. Pearsall, Douglas, Ariz. I ex
pected to attend the primaries any
way, but am glad of this opportunity
to enlist in the good work. I trust that
the next national democratic platform
will not omit the income tax plank
and that it will, in all other respects
be a departure from blank-cartridge-ism,
with candidates who stand for
progress rather than retreat.
George W. Hall, Wyaconda, Mo. I
heartily approve of your primary
pledge which I will sign and re
turn. Not that it- will do me any
good, because I am with the party
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The Primary Pledg:eOrgan ize Now
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From The Commoner, Lincoln, Nebraska, March 17, 1905
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Newspapers favoring the S
plan outlined are requested to .8
reproduce this editorial to
gether with the primary
pledge as it appears below.
They may request their read
ers to sign this pledge and for
ward the same either to The
Commoner or to the office of
their local democratic paper.
In the latter event these
pledges may be then for
warded in bulk to The Com
moner office where they will
be duly recorded;
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i& & 2r w i&& t& O V t
The Pledge Outlined
The following editorial appeared in
The Commoner of March 17:
"Mr. Bryan has been in receipt of
a multitude of letters since the elec
tion urging organization for the cam
paign of 1908. Tho rank and file of
the party are ready to begin the fight:-
they only await a plan of co-operation.
This plan has been under considera
tion for some weeks and is herewith
submitted.
"Let each democrat pledge himself
to attend all of the primaries of his
party to be held between now and the
next democratic national convention,
unless unavoidably prevented, and to
use his influence to secure a clear, hon
est and straightforward declaration of
the party's position on every question
upon which the voters of the party
desire to speak.
"This plan does not involve the
writing of a platform in advance of
the primaries; it does not rest upon
the paramount importance of any one
issue. It recognizes the right of the
democratic voters to control the policy
of the democratic party, and to deter
mine its position upon public ques
tions. It also recognizes the import
ance of honesty and sincerity in poli
tics. "This proposition will appeal to all
who believe in the rule of the people
to all who are willing that the ma
jority shall govern in party manage
ment and in the nation. It does not
mean that those who exert themselves
to secure a good platform will be
bound to support a bad platform that
is a question which each must deter
mine for himself but it does mean
that the democratic platform shall give
voice to the prevailing sentiment of
the democratic party, and that the
party shall take the country into its
confidence. The pledge proposed is a
primary pledge because the people
speak at the primaries. y The national
convention is attended by delegates
and each delegate represents tens of
thousands of democrats. The state con
vention is also attended by delegates,
and these represent thousands of dem
ocrats. The county conventions are.,
as a rule, attended by delegates, and
these in turn represent hundreds of
democrats. At the primary the voters
speak for themselves ; there democ
racy has its citadel.
"When the woric of organization is
sufficiently advanced, a time can bo
set for the meeting of the members in
their various localities. The mem
bers of this organization, while
pledged to but one thing namely, t
tendance iipon the primaries are
urged to co-operate among themselves
for the support 'of every effort put
forth to eliminate corruption in poli
tics. No cause can prosper perma
nently that does not appeal to the
moral sense of the country, and tho
ricral sense of the country is now be
ing awakened to the importance of
purifying politics.
"The Commoner will do its part in
aiding every movement that 'has for
its object the ascertainment of the will
of the people and the scrupulous en
forcement of that will.
"The Commoner will also furnish all
the information that it can upon tho
questions which are before the public
to the end that its Teaders may be pre
pared to render the maximum of as
sistance to every worthy cause.
"Who will be the first to make this
pledge? A-record will be kept in Tho
Commoner office of the name and ad
dress of each person who enters into
this movement. Those who desire to
be enrolled can either write approv
ing the object of the organization, and
asMng to have their names entered on
the roll, or they can fill out and mail
the blank which' is printed below.
"The Commoner will be pleased to
publish a limited number of brief let
ters on this subject. Mr. Bryan is
encouraged by his correspondence to
believe that there will be a prompt and
hearty response to the above proposition."
$
THE PRIMARY PLEDGE X
I promise 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 use my influence to secure a clear,
honest and straightforward declaration of the party's position on every question upon which the
voters of tho party desiro to speak. -
Signed
Street Postoffi
a '
ice,
Stale ,
Counfcy Voting precinct or ward
Fill out blanks and mail to Commoner Office, Lincoln, Neb.
"
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