3TJLY 21, 100G
The Commoner.
9
GRAY HAIRED DEMOCRATS SET GOOD EXAMPLE
mBwaaaaar
democrats. I wish The Commoner
success.
Elisha Bond, Atkinsvllle, W. Va.,
I was born in old Virginia but was
opposed to secession, so I went north
and stayed there through tho Civil
war. I returned home fighting for the
old Jeffersonian principles. I never
miss an opportunity to promote the
interests of democracy.
Frank Popegay, New Virginia, Iowa.
I enclose my primary pledge. I have
always voted the democratic ticket
and will attend the primaries as often
af I can. I think Bryan and his prin
ciples are O. K.
J. B. Roders, Delto, Mo. Enclosed
And ten primary pledges.
Charles T. Mitchell, Truth, Ark.
I send you thirty-five signatures to the
primary pledge.
James Hammond, Winneton, Nebr.
Enclosed find primary pledge. I
em a life-long exponent of Jefferson's
principles, and have never failed to
do my duty as I saw it, and never ex
pect to do otherwise. Why should we
shirk our plain duty to ourselves and
posterity? Push on' the good work.
J. H. Morgan, Pana, 111. I send
you nineteen primary pledges.
W. S. Cole, Hartsburg, Mo. I will
Bend in six more names to the nri-
inary pledge. About all of the demo
crats In my precinct have signed.
I have not found a democrat who
lias anything to say against Mr.
Bryan, We need more readers of The
Commoner in this section.. All that I
have talked with like The Commoner.
J. O. Vansant, Bowdoinham, Mo
t have not labored very hard In get
ting my neighbors to sign the pledge.
They were all pleased to do it. I
'hone that others down in old Maine
will wake up to this great work of
ours. I am in poor health, but you
can count on me.
J. N. Sapp, Gladesville, W. Va.
Put me on the primary pledge list. I
am here to stay. I am sixty-five years
old, and never voted for any half
way democrat except Grover and
Greeley. I took Parker and am now
sitting In sack cloth and ashes, and
Imagine that I feel like Esau did after
he had sold his birthright for a mess
of pottage. The only argument re
publicans put up in this country re
minds me of the Itmorant negroes in
the south when they said: "Take us
away from Massa, and where will our
bread and meat come from?" Their
argument Is "Take away protection,
and where will our dollars come
from?" Back to the constitution and
principles of our political fathers!
L. W. Syckes, Dunkard, Pa. Find
enclosed my pledge. I have always
been a democrat. I have voted for
very democratic candidate from
James K. Polk down to Parker. I am
in favor of Mr. Wright's suggestion
thn.t every democrat who has sent in
bis pledge wear a button, with the
names of Thomas Jefferson on one
side and Andrew Jackson on the
other. I suppose I am the oldest
voter who has signed the primary
pledge. I think I ought to be entitled
to a button with silver rim and gold
center. This would represent our
Btandard of legal mone;'.
William T. Creasey, ex-chairman of
state committee and member of
Pennsylvania legislature 1894-1906.
Catawissa, Pa. I enclose the primary
Pledge signed. I am very much
pleased with your work. Under our
representative form of government
the primaries mean the election of our
oulcials, be they good or bad, and in
my experiences the more interest the
People take in the primaries the bet-
"iey win be served by their offi-j
ciaJs. The nominations can never
safely be trusted to tho bosses it
is a power one possesses and should
never be delegated by staying
home when the primaries sire hold
ofnafICt,at much g00d will come
out of this movement. Our form
of government demands that overv
voter should be a sentinel on guard
a good marksman and be sure of tho
right man for his mark. Steady!
Bang!! Another trust man out of a
job.
James A. Graham, I'attcrson N J
Enclosed please find my primary
Pledge filled out as per request in
The Commoner. I Heartily approve
the plan.
Thomas S. Kirby, Chicago, 111.
Find pledge signed. I have had the
honor and pleasure of voting for Mr
Bryan In 1896 and 1900.
H. C. Prewitt, Llnneus, Mo. En
closed you will find primary pledge
signed by sixty as good democrats as
can oe round anywhere. They all
approve of your plan to get the people
to attend the primaries. You win nn.
tice the name of Dr. P. H. Perkins,
who was a great grandson of Patrick
Henry, also E. F. Perkins.
W. T. Johnson, Hlnton, Okla.
Please enroll my name as a primary
pieager, urst, last and always. Later
on I have an amendment to tho pri
many pledge to offer with a number
of signatures.
E. M. Wickhara, Delaware, O. I
desire to say that I heartily approve
of The Commoner's course, and I can
assure you that I will always be found
standing on the side of The Com
moner brand of democracy. I do not
believe in temporfzing with those who
call themselves "conservative demo
crats." The democratic party should
be the radical party of the country,
and should champion radical princi
ples of reform, of which the country
now seems to stand so much in need.
William Lowry, Guy, Texas. I
heartily endorse your plan. I am
3eventy-one years old, have never
scratched a democratic ticket, but I
would hate to be Greeleylzed or Par
keriszed again. .1 expect to read The
Commoner, as long as it preaches the
gospel of democracy and liberty.
Emmet Miller, Damsel, Mo. En
closed find primary pledge signed by
my brother and myself. I believe
every voter ought to awaken to his
duty of attending the primaries and
sco that nothing undemocratic is
crowded in the democratic platform.
I am a thorough believer in demo
cratic doctrines as was advocated by
Henry George, and with the leadership
of such men as Tom L. Johnson, Louis
F. Post and William J. Bryan, I hopo
to see our cause advance.
S. B. Carson, Ardmoro, I. T. T
had n little spare time this morning
and went out and outalned tvonty
two names to the primary pledge,
which I also enclose. We are dis
franchised here at the presont Hmo,
but hope to bo allowed to vote in
time to take part for the next cam
paign. We appreciate the work Mr.
Bryan and Tho Commoner are doing
for tho democratic party and the com
mon people, and hopo through that in
strumentality to be able to roll up
the grandest victory for tho people
that has ever been known in tho his
tory of the country.
Henry Diener, Washington, Calif.
Late, but always willing to put the
shoulder to the democratic wagon. I
send you my pledge. The outlook
was never better. Mr. Roosevelt and
Mr. Tart have given us a mighty lift
with the Panama controversy. Are
they sincere? I doubt not, but a re
publican senato will balk their inten
tion and give the democrats still a
mightier lift, in fact put the wagon
on the smooth pavement.
W. H. Laramore, Coyle, Okla.
Find primary pledge signed by my
self and two of my neighbors. We
think the plan all right.
J. Polk, Cayce, Miss. Enclosed find
primary pledge signed. I want to be
enrolled among the old guard of fight
ing democrats and promise that I will
continue to attend all tho nrimnrlnH
and help name a ticket and then help
elect it. Success to tho grand old
Commoner.
Carl B. Collins, It. F. D., Hunting
ton, Ind. Enclosed find primary
pledge signed by some of my neigh
bors. Keep up the good work. I am
not yet a voter but will be before the
next election and am in hearty accord
with you in your efforts to make the
democratic party democratic. As the
wheels of progress roll on the demo
cratic party will lead the procession if
Mr. Bryan's efforts are crowned with
success.
O. P. Oldham, Ripley, W. Va.
Please find enclosecL'the names of 105,
who have signed the primary pledge.
Wo most hourllly approve tho plan,
bocauo it reminds the citizen of hhr
duty to his country and to his follow
man, ho that truth and right, and
tho will of the people may prevail.
J. B. William, HiiMtonvillo, Ky.
Find oncloaod the primary pledge of
which i am truly glad to have an op
portunity to sign ami will ondoavor Lo
got as many moro as f poislbly can.
The Colfax, Wash., Commoner nays:
Every true democrat should bo will
ing to join In and encourage tho plan
advocated by Mr. Bryan for organiz
ing tho party, by pledging himself U
attend all its. primaries, held before
the noxt national convention, mifmtu
unavoidably prevented, and lo uxa his
influence to secure a clear, honest
and slraightforwara declaration of
the party's position on tho important
Issues beforo the country. Tho plan
Is cortninly slmplo and democratic.
Mr. Bryan believes in having the rank
and file of the party frame its plat
form, instead of delegating that Im
portant duty to a fow loaders. Ho
believes that the people are better
judges of what they want than the
politicians can bo. No one calling i
himself a democrat is barred. All
can attend the primaries and have an
equal voice In determining tho posl-'
tion of the party. The consorvatlvn
will have an equal opportunity with'
the radicals, but the nlatform will bo
framed and the standard bcareru
named In accordance with the wishes
of the majority of the party. There
will be no guess work as to what the
voters want, because they wiU have
expressed their sentiments. This is
one advantage of tho plan but there
are otners.
It will result in a lanrcr and moro
representative attondanco at the pri
maries, and this will mean Uyj elec
tion of better men for doftt Ites to
the county conventions. From this
will follow the nomination of stronger
candidates for county offices, and a
higher grade of delegates to the state
convention. Interest In the primaries
also tends to rouse enthusiasm and
inspire more aggressive work in the
campaign.
Every democrat in Whitman county
should certainly be willing to take the
trouble to sign the pledge and send it
to Mr. Bryan. By so doing he will
help to make the democratic party the
party of the people In fact as well as
in theory.
THE PRIHARY PLEDGE
i
I promise to attend all the primaries of my party to bo held between now and the next demo- A
cratic national convention, unices unavoidably prevented, and to uae my influence to secure a clear,
honest and straightforward declaration of tho party's position on every question . upon which tjie
voters of the party desire to speak.
;. signed,..,. ...,.;.... ;5;.. . v.. :?:v
Street,
Poatoffice . . . . .. V State,
County Voting, precinct of ward
Fill out blanks and mail to Commoner Office, Lincoln, Neb.
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