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The Commoner.
8
VOLTTME t, NUMBER 2
CAST HIS FIRST VOTE FOR FRANKLIN PIERCE
m
F. E. Wilson, of Sprlngdale, Ark., cast his first vote for president for
Franklin Pierce. Although he is now 76 years of age he circulated the pri
mary pledge among his neighbors, Mr. Wilson writes:
"I herewith hand you a list of fifty-one names of democrats who en
dorse the primary plan. I have been very busy or would have secured
more. All democrats ondorse It. I am in my seventy-sixth year. My first
vote for president was cast for Franklin Pierce. Have v-ted twice for W.
J. Bryan. I have known him since his first election to congress. I was
then living in David City, Neb. I have four boyg who will support a good
democrat in 1908. We intend to organize a club here as soon as the busy
season is over."
This fine old democrat has set a good example to younger men. A
very little effort on the part of Commoner readers will result in adding
many hundreds to the primary pledge roll.
Every reader is urged to lend a hand In this work of organization.
The work Is progressing at a gratifying rate, but the field is such a large one
that it will be necessary for every democrat who can do so to actively in
terest himself in the movement. Don't withhold your pledge because you
always atter.d primaries. You can help the work by setting a good example
for your careless colleague. Send in your own pledge. Then ask your
neighbor to sign. It will require time to cover the entire field, but if demo
crats co-operate, the desired result will be accomplished. Every democrat
is asked to pledge himself to attend all cf the primaries of his party to be
held between now and the next democratic national convention, unless un
avoidably prevented, and to secure a clear, honest and straight-forward
declaration of the party's position on every question upon which the voters
of the party desire to speak. Those desiring to be enrolled can either write
to The Commoner approving the object of the organization and asking to
have their names entered on the roll, or tho. can fill out and mail the
blank pledge, which is printed on page 9.
Extracts from letters to The Com
moner follow:
B. K. Green, Westover, Md. En
closed find primary pledge.
E. F. Cunningham, Atty., St. Louis.
Mo. Please find enclosed primary
pledge duly signed. I note carefully
what the hosts of loyal democrats
throughout the country say of the pri
mary pledge plan and desire to record
my hearty approval of the plan and
my unwavering loyalty to Its author,
Wm. J. Bryan. The people must
bring about any groat reform, through
action at the primaries. If we remain
at homo on primary day and let the
agents c corruption and special privi
leges apejccfc delegates to our conven
tions; . rai.t platforms and promul
gate our party principles and nomi
nate our candidates, we can but ex
pect that they will select men who
will not he in full sympathy with the
plain people. Men who believe in
democratic principles and desire to
have the government run along those
lines are guilty of gross neglect when
they fail to attend and vote at all
primaries, and it is not enough to
merely vote, but we should exercise
the utmost of our power and influence
in seeing that democratic principles
are adopted in our local conventions
and sent to our state and national
conventions in the hands of men
whom we can rely upon to defend
them against those who are willing
to adopt a cowardly and compromis
ing policy. To compromise is to con
fess that wo are wrong, and such a
confession, in the light of recent past
experiences, moans ignominious de
feat. There can bo - safe compro
mise with the forces of wrong. If
"democratic principles, as declared by
Thomas Jefferson, and so ably defend
ed by Mr. Bryan, are right (and they
are) these principles must be fostered
and defended by the plain people and
if we do not control the primaries we
must fail; The Commoner's plan Is
right.
A. L. Herold, Driscol, W. Va. I am
a subscriber for The Commoner, and
although I shall not cast my first vote
until 1906, it gives mo genuine pleas
ure to sign the primary pledge and to
send it to The Commoner. By doing
this I feel that I am, in a small way,
aiding a powerful movement, which
is being lead by one of America's
greatest Christian statesmen.
"William B. Robinson, Vincennos,
Ind. Enclosed find my primary pledge
which I heartily approve, and hope
much good for democracy and the
country may be accomplished by this
plan of organization. I have been a
constant reader and admirer of The
Commoner from its first publication
and sincerely .believe that along the
lines of its advocacy will be found
the greatest good to the greatest num
ber, and that the adoption of the prin
ciple it maintains, while doing no real
injustice to any one, would secure the
general welfare of the American peo
ple. May The Comoner, its editor and
friends live long and well, and stand
firmly for the right, until right
prevails.
C. W. Hunt, Lincoln, Neb. En
closed find signed primary pledge. Be
ing a traveling salesman I am not al
ways able to attend the primaries, but
make It a point to always cast my
voto at the general election. To vote
and take an interest in the admin
istration of one's own government is
the duty of every American citizen.
Not only should they vote, but they
should devote as much time as nos-
sible to studying the problems of gov
ernment, the stands taken by the lead
ers of the different parties, the lead
ers themselves, and then seek to nom
inate men for office who have proven
by their acts that they are friends
of theqpeople and will look after the
interests of the people if elected. --The
great trouble of today is that the mass
of voters do not seek to learn what
effect their votes will have if cast
for this man or for "that man or fnr
this principle or for that principle.
President Roosevelt in his efforts to
establish much needed reform has
probably done all that he could under
existing conditions, but when we learn
or. nis action in the Bowen-Loomis
scandal, his inaction in the beef trust
case, the whitewash applied in the
Santa Fe-Morton affair, we are led
to believe that a large part of his re
form talk was to increase his nm
personal popularity and pacify public
sentiment. The people are beginning
to see that if theso reforms are to
be had that they must come through
the democratic party and the demo
crats must see to it that platforms are
adopted and that men are nominated
on these platforms w'hj will do their
duty when elected.
F. M. Sturgis, Franktown, Va.En
closed you will find primary pledge
properly signed and I promise to at
tend all democratic primary elections
when in my power to do so. I am a
firm believer in 18Cfr and 1900 plat
forms and hope the time will soon
come when your democracy will pre
vail. Send me some primary pledges
and I will do my best to get them
signed.
D. E. Weidner, La Fayette, Ind.
I commend your effort with regard to
the primary pledge. I wish to offer
a suggestion regarding the trust ques
tion. Most all have a remedy; there
fore I believe I am entitled to an
opinion as well. I think the most
effective remedy would be to make
it impossible for a trust or monopoly
to collect an account or realize on
their paper, after a court had declared
it a trust.
H. H. Bailey, Lula, Tenn. I send
nerewith Zi) more pledges. It is a
pleasure to work for the principles
of democracy. I have worked for
the cause since I was 15 years old.
I think we should meet our enemy on
the frontier; if we go down in de
feat let's go down with our colors
flying and our faces towards the
enemy. Then we can say we have
fought a good fight and kept the
faith. I love The Commoner. I
would like to see the circulation in
crease. Send me some sample cop
ies and I will try to get another club.
I would like to know how many
pledges you have received. I send in
list a letter from John B. Newsom. I
wish you success.
John B. Newsom. Enville. Tenn.
I send herewith my pledge. I am an
ex-conieuerate soldier. I gave some
of the best years of my life for my
country. I believe in a government
that is near the people, and for the
people. We need a platform that
speaks for itself. I hope that every
democrat will work for victory.
Count me" in the front of the fight
always.
Clark Cleaver, Nellie, Calif. I here
with forward my pledge to do my level
best for the democratic principles in
uio pomicai new, to attend prima
ries, etc., and to do ray' best to elect
its honestly nominated candidates. I
voted for Lincoln, and for all the
candidates nominated for the presi
dency by the republican party, down
to McKinley. It seem?? nnw in m
that the republican party has a string
in its nose and the trusts hold it
Nathan Smith, Fulford, Colo.
Please enroll my primary pledge. I
am pleased to see the good work go
ing on. Colorado needs lots of edu
cation. I am a prospector and miner
avo voted the republican ticket more
than all other. Since the Peabody
misrule it is time for all laboring peo
ple to call a halt.
C. B. Coe, Wyandotte, I. T. Find
enclosed two sheets of names who
have signed the pledge. I placed all
the blanks you sent me out among
men that I thouelif. wnii v
interest in getting the list up. I hope
to have remainder in soon.
W. T. Wilson, Bellevue, Texas.
I send you primary pledge with 20
signatures. I heartily approve of Mr.
Bryan's plan of the primary pledge.
fn TiQnnd f?r ,Mr' Bryan in 1896 and
!2 icSS' i f s, V0tGd for Mr- Parker
in 1904, but it was a bitter pill for
mo to vote for Mr. Parker. I hope
the primary pledge will aid the dem
ocrat party in avoiding such blunders
as that made last year.
Dr. Robert "RlnnlrtxroTI rk,.ni
of7"1?6 flnd herewith enclosed!
Ti , "uines to your primary
fwi , Virginia democrats feel
that this pledge idea is a very "hannv
thought. ' May God grant that our
grand old nartv mnv onn n
true principles as expressed by Jef-
OVu uu xjryan, giving us no more
emetics such as Clevelandiara, Par
kerism etc. Many or us have' swal
lowed the last dose of the last named
so-called democracy, that we intend to
take. Please send me another list.
I could get an unlimited number of
names if my time would allow me to
see the people. You might send all
on this list a sample copy of The Com
moner as very few, if any, take it.
All true Americans should read reg
ularly The Commoner. Best wishes
and many earnest prayers for long
and prosperous lives for both your
paper and "its noble owner.
Kean St. Charles, Kingman, Ariz.
Your kind of democracy is the only
kind worth fighting for. It is use
less to mix the Wall street variety
with the true version. Arizonians
will have only the one kind Jefferson
Bryan blown in the oottle. The pri
mary pledge is awakening real demo
crats to their duty. The battle must
go on to a finish. No Grovers or
Parkers will suit the people in this
mineral belt.
C. A. Smith, Bryant, Ind. You may
enroll me as one fully in favor of
the primary pledge plan, the Chicago
and Kansas City platforms and the
man who has stood the test.
J. W. Boeing, Berthold N. D I
return herewith primary pledge blank
with the names of democrats at Bert
hold, Ward county, N. D. If you will
send me another blank I will endeavor
to get the names of democrats at
Minto, N. D. I believe the following
named persons -would take an inter
est in this work. Wm. M. Woods,
Bottineau, N. D.; D. H. McArthur,
Bottineau, N. D.; E. A. Burr, Botti
neau, N. D.; Frank Slaberg, Grand
Forks, N. D.; J. W. H. Farver, Bert
hold, N. D.; Ross Feigley, Berthold,
North Dakota.
E. O. McConce, editor of the Mutual,
Okla., Enterprise. I enclose today un
der separate cover a copy of the En
terprise containing a short editorial
relative to the primary pledge system
you have so appropriately put into
action. Treat the article according
to its merits, as I assure you it was
not written with the object of "break
ing into print," as the former trend of
my editorials proves it to be a mere
analogy of what is the common out
put of the Enterprise. If, however,
you can use it to an advantage it is
your property. I am heartily in ac
cord with the doctrine of The Com
moner, and the system with which
it attempts to achieve. Every well
meaning citizen of any party, Iiko
Pilot "can find no fault" with a sys
tem which does not restrict consti
tutional liberties, defeat justice or dis
turb the conscience. Much less ought
a democrat fail to respond to such a
system. I am very largely impressed
with the idea that an awakening of
the conscience is the all important
issue of the day. It needs no argu
ment to convince the fair minded
that the nation is in need of good
citizenry rather than good soldiery.
I wish The Commoner success in its
efforts to restore conscience to an ap
preciation of the "higher ideal" and
trust that statehood for Oklahoma will
find a little space now and then in
its columns as heretofore.
Stoner J. Wheeler, Covington, Ky.
Enclosed find primary pledge duly
signed. I am a constant reader of
The Commoner and a great admirer
of Mr. Bryan. His noble stand at the
St. Louis convention shows the mate
rial he is made of.
E. L. Turner, Neosho, Mo. Am on
closings primary pledge more to let
you know whore I am than to show
my party i'ealty. The last time I saw
you was in Denver, when I was
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