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The Commoner.
JULY: 14, 1005
9
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY flUST BE PROGRESSIVE
for the sllore." Wishing The Com
moner and its noble editor every suc
cess in lite, I am with you to the last
ditch.
Richard Hawes, Esperance, N. Y.
Enclosed find primary pledge. It is
unnecessary for me to sign as I have
always attended the primaries, but
the plan is right. I have always ad
vocated the majority must rule, have
always voted the democratic ticket
from Douglas to Parlccr. In 1896 the
trend was for Bryan without money.
When the corruption fund came
around the tide turned. It is all right,
they bought the presidency then.
What have we got now? One willing
to ride all over the United States at
the peoples' expense, but the world
says the railroad carries him free
gratis. Yes, but I don't believe it.
Neither do you. Some one must pay
for it.
J. H. Mason, Del Rio, Texas. En
closed please find a few names to the
primary pledge. A. few of them have
been G. O. P. men, but are being con
verted to the right of way of thinking.
W. P. Whitmore, Haskill, Texas.
Enclosed find primary pledge with 35
signatures.
Charlie M. Neeley, Shark, Ark.
Find enclosed 23 primary pledges. I
am in hearty favor of the good work
you have begun. I am a whole demo
crat who advocates the Chicago and
Kansas City platform, and am willing
to stand by Mr. Bryan. Yours for
clean politics.
J. M. Lowry, Bellefontaine, O.
Please find enclosed primary pledge.
I have been very busy for the last
.mpnth. Our .state convention comes
off this week and I want to be there.
You can count oa me to do all I can
for the cause of democracy and the
common people, for I am one of those
who voted the democratic ticket since
1876. Yours for success.
P. W. Forman, Gilbert, La. En
closed find three pledges. May the
good work continue. Success to your
patriotic undertaking.
Israel Wolfe, Arbuckle, W. Va. En-'
closed find primary pledge. I voted
for Parker. The reason which prompt
ed me to do that was' I read in the
good book of the two evils choose
the least.
H. W. Sutherland, Bristol, Va. En
closed find primary pledge. I have
never had a doubt as to the duty of all
true democrats, since the Chicago con
vention in 1896. The fight begun then
and there was for right and justice,
and a'l real democrats should see to
it that the gran I crusade then inaugu
rated should never be hampered again
like it was in 1904. We are just now
beginning to see some of the fruit
from the seeds the- sown, even from
the republicans. Push this fight with
out compromise with wrong, and suc
cess is sure to crown your efforts.
C. C. Early, Louisville, Ky. I hand
you primary pledge signed. I have
always voted the democratic ticket;
one or two have been bitter pills to
swallow. The last ticket was a poor
excuse and the platform not what
it should have been. I hope the next
platform will be as it should be with
a plank proclaiming this a white
man's country,
William T. Creasy, Catawissa, Pa.
I enclose my primary pledge.
J. H. Benson, Aspen, Colo. En
closed you will find primary pledge
duly signed. Let the good work go
on.
N. J. Goodman, Tidewater, Ore.
I write this to let the editor of The
Commoner know that every democrat
and two former republicans of our
precinct have signed The Commoner's
primary pledge' and hope It will be an
incentive j or. othej to do Jikewifjo.
Our star of hope had almost set when
our delegates to the St. Louis con
vention still stood for Parker, after
his ill advised gold telegram. But
now, after reading in The Commoner
such cheering word- from so many
faithful democrats wo acain feel as
buoyant as we did in '96, when we
gladly supported our noblo platform
and our faithful candidate. The bea
con light now shines brightly and soon
we hope to see plutocracy and im
perialism dethroned and triumphant
democracy giving equal rights to all
and special privileges to none. I hope
that all true lovers of our free insti
tutions will sign the pledge and keep
the faith, come out to the primaries
and select delegates, who will stand
by Jefforsonian principles.
T. C. Rowland, Farmersville, Texas.
Herewith I enclose my primary
pledge. I am heartily in sympathy
with the movement of putting the
democratic house In order after hav
ing as an unwelcomed guest a lot of
political hybrids who spat upon the
floors, who picked the locks and pil
laged for plunder-, who befowled
everything wholesome and 'pure by
their unhallowed touch. They turned
with faces to the wall the pictures
of Jefferson and Jackson. ' They
strove to make the temple of democ
racy a den of thieves and money
changers. In disgust, humiliation and
chagrin the people left it with the
representatives who advocated the
Parker subterfuge for harmony and
success. We saw that subterfuge re
sult in a complete delivery of the
democratic party bag and baggage tol
the plutocratic element of the coun
try at the St. Louis convention. There
the chrysalis was broken and there
unfolded the most disgusting traves
ty upon democratic principles this
nation .ever witnessed. No democ
racy doesn't need regorganiing. A
democrat "once in grace always in
grace." His feet are resting upon
the rock of eternal justice, his rule
of action is guided by the precept and
example of the maculate Christ.
We are simply house cleaning that.s
all. Whoever becomes a member of
the democratic household must have
nn experience of grace and be able
to tell it himself or bring forth fruit
most for repentance for his treachery
in the past.
John. W. Ward, Dallas, Texas.
Herewith find the pledge, ' which in
my mind every true democrat should
sign and then scrupulously livo up
to it, for I believe in my humblo
judgment this to be the way of be
ginning and bringing about an honest
and true reform which every true
and honest loyal American citizen sin
cerely wishes you Godspeed In your
noble work of reform. The principles
for which it stands every i alriotlc
American citizen should be found bat
tering for. I always have been; I
am now and always expect to bo a
firm believer advocate and unceasing
supporter of the true principles of
democracy, because Its principles are
founded upon the cornerstone of this
grand republic, the Declaration oT In
dependent and the constitution of
these United States which stands for
number and for the masses and not
the classes as set forth in the teach
ings of William Jennings Bryan and
his followers. Whenever I can be of
service in this section of the country
I am at your command.
Virgil L. Penland, Mountain Grove,
Mo. Enclosed please find primary
pledge with 35 signatures. This
makes 102 signatures; lime, about four
hours. One of the unfortunate feat
ures of our form of government is
the unwillingness cf many to take an
active part in our primaries. In order
to secure a healthy condition of pub
lic sentiment, it is necessary that
there should be tho greatest freedom
in the discussion or public questions.
In our primaries is tho place to dis
cuss these question. May the demo
cratic party strive to get more demo
cratic in the future than it has in
the past. There is more interest and
enthusiasm among democrats here
than there were one week before the
last election. The democrats here, arc
renewing their faith in tho final tri
umph of the democratic party. May
success crown the efforts of Mr.
Bryan in bringing tho government
back to the people.
T. J.Wright, Youngs, Miss. I glad
ly join the force of democrats who
believe in a government of the peo
ple and by the people and like our
great leader, William J. Bryan, in
equal rights to all and special privi
leges to none, which principles I be
lieve will ultimately triumph. I will
tell you what kind of a democrat I
am. .1 cast my first vote for presi
dent when the party committed sui
cide in the nomination of Greeley and
voted it straight ever since, but it
was nil I could do to volo for Parker.
II. F. Williams, Stanbury, Mo. I
take pi asuro In subscribing to tho
primary pledge and encliso sarno here
with. I was an cnthuilantlc supportor
of the democratic ticket in 1896 and
1901 and reluctantly supported Mr.
Parker In the last campaign. You can
depend upon mo to do all I can to
further tho principles ao foarlewily
championed by yourself in 3890 and
1900. Success to your in your good
work.
C. L. Coston, Mancos, Colo. Among
other good things which Tho Com
moner brings us Is tho primary
pledge, which find enclosed. It Is a
step in the right direction and If
faithfully carried out, much good must
accruo from It.
R. II. Minister, The Palms, Los
Angeles County, Calir. I enclose pri
mary pledges that I havo been able
to obtain to dato. You will note
names that arc familiar to you al
ready. I. B. Dockweller, former can
didate for lieutenant governor of the
state; W. IT. Workman, city treas
urer; George M. Cake of tho Tam
many club, Democratic club of which
I am also a member; M. P. Snyder,
ex-mayor of this city. I may be able
to send you more later on. My resi
dence at present is outside city. I
hope to obtain subscriptions; to your
paper, but at present am at a dis
advantage. F. W. Carswell, Hephzlbah, Ga.
Enclosed 1 send list of 28 signatures
to the primary pledge. You might
send blank pledges to my friends as
follows. Mr. J. Ifl. Tarver, Augusta,
Ga.; Hon. Joaovh S. Hhenolda, Au
gusta, Ga.; R. J3. Farmer, Louisville,
Ga.; Hon. Wm. IT. Davis, Waynesboro,
Ga.; W. W. Hamilton, Grovotown,
Ga.; W. J. Caeswell, Waycross, Ga.
Also send sample copies of The Com
moner to each of above.
David Whaley, Humphreys, Mo.
Herewith find my primary pledge duly
signed and 28 others. I heartily ap
prove the object of the organization.
It is a good way to arouse and en
courage tho part of democracy that
should control tho party, and I feel
that this move on your part, with
the help of the common people, will
head off another farce convention,
such as we had In 1904. There are
yet plenty of good democrats in this
country, but they want sincere lead
ers and sound principles to work, for.
t
:
I promise to attend all the primaries of my party to be held between now and the next demo- $
THE PRIHARY PLEDGE
cratic national convention, unless unavoidably prevented, and to use my influence to secure a clear,
t
honest and straightforward declaration of the party's position on every question npon which the jL
voters of the party desire to speak.
Signed ; ....;,, . . . . '.
Street,
Postoffice....... .' .....' State,
: J
Count? Voting precinct or ward
Till out blank! and mail to Commoner Office, Lincoln, Neb.
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