3TJ1.Y 7, 1905
The Commoner.
9
EDITORIALS BYCOMMONER READERS
F. R. Hurley, Rodney, Miss. The
primary pledge received. Having cir
culated one pledge in my immediate
neighborhood, it will take a little long
er to get same filled out. I will re
turn same as soon as filled. You
can send me a few copies of Tho
Commoner for distribution. I am .and
always have been a democrat and am
glad to assist any way in building up
same.
Jerry Smith, Voleda, Kas. Find en
closed primary pledge. I heartily en
dorse your plan. What the people
of Kansas need is more good sound
democratic literature. I will do what
I can to organize the forces in this
township.
William E. Dorson, Gowanda, N.
Y. Enclosed please find my primary
pledge. I sincerely endorse tho plan
of 'attending all primaries as it is
the only way in which we can nomi
nate candidates who will represent
the people.
Eugene C. Wells, Waterville, Ver
mont. I herewith enclose 23 names
of good old Jeffersonian democrats.
This is a strong republican state, but
what few democrats we have are true
to democratic principles and can be
depended upon to attend all pri
maries. F. Davidson, Charleston, W. Va.
Find enclosed primary pledge duly
signed. To say that I am in sympathy
with the movement is - expressing it
mildly. I have always been an ad
mirer of Mr. Bryan, having lost a
job on account of my youthful exuber
ance for him in 1896. I cast my first
vote for. Mr. Parker, not that he suit
ed me, but voted for him on the theory
that a bad beginning often malces a
good ending, and think it will hold
good in this instance, as I think in
1908 I will be allowed to vote for a
democrat upon a democratic platform
and not for a republican upon a repub
lican platform veneered over with a
thin coating of democratic doctrine.
Send me twenty-five primary blanks.
Omer Summars, Huntington, Ind.
Enclosed find primary pledge blank.
Have been too busy to make a spe
cial canvas, but have gotten these
signers just as I have happened to
meet them. Wish T had more time
to devote to the cause as I am heart
ily in sympathy with the work you
are doing.
George P. Olmstead, Allachua, Fla.
I gladly enclose primary pledge
signed. I have never taken any
stock, or bonds either for that matter,
in this so-called reform movement led
by would-be democrats. I go not so
near Wall street to get my brand
of democracy and whenever that
plutocratic element leads I refuse to
be led. Their interests are not mine
and all efforts to convince me will be
time lost. The sooner the southern
and western voter breaks away from
and ceases to be fooled by Belmont,
Parker and their followers the sooner
they will be relieved of the burdens
we are now loaded down with. Wall
street has retarded the south's pro
gress for half a century, while the
south has contributed to Wall street's
financial successful robbing. Note the
Equitable scandal and reckon for one
minute the thousands of dollars the
south and west have contributed to
make this greatest of all insurance
scandals possible, while had each
state have had their own insurance
companies all this would have been
saved. Yqu deserve and should have
success with your' splendid primary
Plan. May it prove so.
J. A. Gilkey, Corvallis, Ore. I take
pleasure in sending you a signed pri
mary pledge. So long as the stars J
(and stripes float ovor possessions
which are deprived of tho privileges
and immunities of tho constitution
and are by force, made unwilling sub
jects there is work for democracy.
So long as there exists a trust- the
creature of special privilege, monopo
lizing natural opportunities which be
long to all, absorbing tho wealth that
others have created, destroying com
petition and impoverishing the
masses, the hands of democracy must
not bo idle. The party of Jefferson
of Jackson, and of Bryan must win,
or self-government Is a failure; but
it will win. The spirit of democracy
is not dead, the good work you are
doing will arouse it to new life and
activity. May tho God of nations
hasten the day of its triumph.
Guy M. Stealey, Buford, Colo.
Enclosed find primary pledge. I
think you have solved tho problem
of the organization of tho democratic
rank and file. Your plan is based on
the'dictum of the wisest of our phil
osophers that if everyone would but
reform himself, there would be no
evil in the world to right. The demo
crats are in the majority today, as
they have been for years past, but
repeated failures to reform the demo
cratic party as a whole have discour
aged at least a third of them. Yet
they are to blame for this state of
affairs; they do not "reform" them
selves. They know how the govern
ment should be maintained, they dis
cuss the various reforms and "they
then neglect to vote!" My vote does
not count for much, anyway, is an
oft-heard expression at election time.
It needs but little reflection to see
that to this very fact this erroneous
reasoning is due the failure of the
democratic party. "My vote doesn't
count," andthere are scores of these
"doesn't count" votes in every pre
cinct, hundreds in every county, thou
sands in every state in tho union.
Add these thousands and thousands
of votes, and the total would elect
a democratic president by a large ma
jority. When these voters realize
that while individually they are weak,
yet that collectively they possess a
mighty power, then democracy will
win. Let every democrat in the land
sign the pledge, and be ready to join
the ranks of the great army that will
march to the polls In 1908 to battle
for their rights, their principles and
the honor of their country.
H. B. Hopkins, San Francisco, Cal.J
Enclosed please find an additional
lot of primary pledges, which tho
writer takes pleasure in sending to
Tho Commoner. Please send me flvo
moro blank lists like the ono enclosed.
Mr. Bryan, it is a sources of great
satisfaction to your friends to sec the
overwhelming interest manifested In
tho primary pledges, in all parts of
tho country. When you sounded tho
buglo call on March 17. 1905. "cot
back to tho people," it struck a re-
sponsivo chord in the hearts of tho
masses, which is shown by tho eager
ness with which they have taken up
the work of securing primary pledges;
and tho confidence which democrats
everywhere express, regarding tho
campaign of 1908. It is certainly
gratifying to note tho satisfaction ex
pressed on the part of democrats in
every state, that tho principles of
Jefferson, Jackson and Bryan aro
those which will be adhered to, in
connection with tho efforts which
they shall put forth from now, until
tho close of the democratic national
convention in 1908. After tho St.
Louis convention, they told us tho
democratic party was dead; and to
day wo see in every state in the
union, such an awakening that has
not been equaled In the recollection
of the present generation. What docs
it mean? It means that When the
democratic party stands for demo
cratic principles, that the people will
support it, and will not support "re
publican party principles" under the
guise of democracy. The masses are
becoming aroused in connection with
the existing conditions; as they be
hold Secretary Taft and President
Roosevelt, admitting the great Injus
tice tho tariff Is working, wherein
they have admitted that they are
able to save 50 per cent by purchasing
abroad, supplies which will be re
quired In connection with the con
struction of the Panama canal, which
admission has shaken the republican
party from center to circumference.
The writer is persuaded that we see
tho hand writing on the wall, warn
ing "Plutocracy to beware," and like
wise trusts to "keep their hands off
the throats of the people," and for
railroads to "discontinue their dis
criminations." Tho writer Is also
impressed that all true democrats
throughout tho country heartily en
dorse your expressions in regard to
state and government ownership of
state and interstate railroads. May
God bloas you in tho groat work
which you aro engaged In, and you
may depend- upon it, that tho peo
ple aro with you.
Harvey W. Jones, Magnoss, Ky.
Herowith is tho primary pledge
signed and flllod out properly other
wise. J havo always attended tho
priiflary elections of my purty and
shall continue to do ho, Tor I fully
realizo that if tho poople tho com
mon people ovor havo "equal rights"
with tho capitalist and plutocratic
element it will come through tho final
triumph of tho eternal principles of
the Jefferson, Jacksou and Bryan de
mocracy. J. N. O'Neal, Murlllo, Ark. I think
you aro publishing ono of tho best
papers ever published. I call It an
educator, and think ovcry young man,
regardless of political differences,
should read it. I send in moro
pledges, most of which occurs in my
own hand writing, but I havo been
given authority. I will do some work
for your paper by tho last of August.
I think it will be an easy matter to
send you as many as twelve subscrib
ers by that time. I am ever ready to
assist In getting democracy "back to
tho people."
J. W. Hickman, "an old one-legged
confederate private." Lamothe, La.
I enclose primary pledge which I
wanted to do at tho very first men
tion made of signing such a pledge.
I never have failed to attend my
party's primaries, but hesitated in
signing Tho Commoner's pledge for
the reason that when I attend the pri
mary I feel that I must support tho
nominee with my vote, and what
over influence I may he nblo to con
trol. 1 am not going to be trapped
Into voting for a candidate nominated
who has only a few democratic prin
ciples, because It Is thought he may
bo elected. I hold myself free to
vote out and out for Bryan democ
racy of 189G and 1900. I can't bo
reorganized any moro.
W. J. Reid, Sheridan, Ark. I en
close 35 pledges. I am glad to help
in any way I can. I will send you
names that may become subscribers
to The Commoner: V. L. Rold, Pan
sy, Ark.; R. C. Rcid, Twelfth and
Morton, Llttlo Rock, Ark.; 'Nolin
Clinton, Edgemoro, S. C; J. A. Brown,
Bllthesvllle, Ark. I will try and send
in more names soon.
J
THE PRIflARY PLEDGE X
I promise to attend all the primaries of my party to be held between now and tho 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 tho
voters of the party desire to speak.
' . Signed'. . .........;.,.....
Street PotofBce,
State.
1
County ,
Voting precinct or ward
FllLout blanks and mail ,to Commoner Office, Lincoln, Neb.
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