'' r vrm-
NOVEMBERS, 19,0;, ;f.v
The Commoner.
7
"SHASH THE OHIO BOSS AND ALL HIS WORKS"
Columbus, O., October 30. (Special Corres
pondence.) The one speech or Secretary Taft
In the Ohio campaign was more than enough
to confirm the majority of the people of Ohio
in their determination to retire Governor Her
rick and elect John M. Pattison in hU stead.
Ithas been estimated that there were 200,000
republicans who were in some doubt as to
whether it was their duty to vote against Myron
T. Herrick and a boss machine legislature. Sec
retary Taft's speech resolved the doubt and
pointed out to them the duty of voting for Mr.
Pattison an -J for members of the legislature in
the foreheads of whom the boss has not "written
hia number."
The secretary's speech at Aicron was a most
adroit and ingenious special plea for Herrick,
whom he had not the cruelty or heart to openly
oppose. Hence he devoted all his scathing de
nunciation to Bos3 Cox of Cincinnati, giving
him what was intended to go all the way up and
down the line, from the head to the tail of the
ticket.
"Smash the boss and all his works, but sparo
Herrick." This is the burden of Secretary Taft's
speech. "If I were in Cincinnati on the day of
election I would not vote for the Cox machine
ticket," he fervently exclaimed, for which all
good men, republicans and democrats alike thank
him.
The boss and his works ought to bo smashed,
mat is what the people are rolling up their
sleeves for. In 1903, ho sent orders to tho repub
lican stato convention to nomin'ato certain candi
dates for office, beginning with Myron T. Her
rick at the head, and then Mr. Cox put the gang
Hamilton county ticket on as a supornno tail.
Mr. Cox considered tho work he did in 1903 as
being "very good," and ho repeated it In 1905,
again ordering tho republican stato convention,
presided over by Secretary Taft, to re-nominato
the same ticket. "Smash the boss and all his
works!" is the bugle call of Secretary William
H. Taft to all tho people of Ohio without regard
to politics.
"Remember the case of oln dog Tray." "A
man is known by the company he keeps." "The
tree is known by its fruit" These arc tho lumi
nous sentences that glow through the lines of the
secretary's excusatory sentences devoted to Gov
ernor Myron Timothy Herrick.
"Smash the boss and all his works." We
know that President Roosevelt endorses this
comprehensive sentiment, even though ho did not
send his secretary to Ohio to specially deliver
the great message.
The fiery denunciation of Cox and the weak
plea for Herrick, emphasized tho clmrgo mndo
by Pattison last weok that Governor Horrlck,
oven in advanco of his Inauguration aa governor,
had ontorod into tho plan to glvo tho canal, really
worth In Urn neighborhood of $100,000,000. away
from tho stato.
George B. Cox was tho loading factor in tho
organization of what lo popularly known as the
electric mulo company," tho object of which was
to steal tho entire canal system by Indirection
and through tho operation of grarting legislation
filled with "sleepers."
Mr. Pattison charged that Governor Horrlck
had subscribed for $150,000 of tho stock of the
concern, and then tauntingly rererrod to tho fact
that no traco of this big. subscription can now
bo found. Tho fact s, when depositions wcro be
ing taken in an investigation of the "olectrlr
mule," Governor Herrick nnd four or flvo promi
nent republican leaders wero chased Into a corner
and wero liable to bo caught with tho goods on
them. Then a "good Judgo from Cleveland wiur
found who Issued an. Injunction to prevent tho
taking of further testimony in tho case, and there
tho matter stands at present. Tho governor,
however, does not dispute tho goods, and Cox
and the rest of them are hoping for the election
of Herrick and a gang legislature, , which ovont
tho canals will bo tnkon into tho grafters camp
bodily.
HANY DEflOCRATS SIGN THE PRIflARY PLEDGE
As this copy of The Commoner may be read
by some one not familiar with the details of the
primary pledge plan, it is necessary to say that
according to tho terms of this plan every demo
crat is asked to 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 secure a
clear, honest and straightforward 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 organiza
tion and askings to have their names entered on
the roll, or they can fill out and mail the blank
pledge, which is printed on this page.
Extracts from letters received at The Com
moner office follow:
, E. K. Ellefson, Ivanhoe, Minn. I send the
primary pledge with four signatures.
F. H. Spangle, Westphalia, Ind. Eclosed-find
thirty-five signature to tho primary pledge.
Samuel Bartell, Forest City, 111. Please pid
enclosed 20 signatures to your primary pledge
petition.
G. M. Henault, Seat Pleasant, Md. I send a
list .of 35 primary pledges, and more coming.
1908 sure.
Robert B. Knight, St. Croix, Ind. Enclosed
find primal, pledge with 32 signatures.
Luke Good, Joplin, Mo. Find enclosed here
with a llzt of 2-1 'signatures to the pledge.
John J. McCroary, Wilmington, Del. I en
close a primary pledge with 35 signatures.
Peter L. Basby, Heater, W. Va Please find
enclosed 28 signatures to the primary pledge.
J. S. Arthur, Beckwith, W. Va Please find
herein 17 more pledges. Have not had time as
yet, or would have had more.
H. V. Best, Gloversville, N. Y. Enclosed find
15 names to the primary pledge. It Is a good
thing for every democrat to sign. Push the good
work along.
Louis J. Dober, Rockport, 111. Believing the
primary pledge plan to be of great importance
to the success of the. party championing tho
cause of the common people, I heartily endorse
tho same, and ask that my name be enrolled.
M. G. Horgan, Winnebago City, Minn. I
herewith send my full endorsement of the pri
mary pledge system. I am a Bryan democrat
and proud of it Success to The Commoner.
D. P. Minturn, Fremont, Nob. Don't think
because I haven't written before this that I have
lost faith in democracy. I still believe in its
fundamental principles. I can't promise- to at
tend the primaries am getting too old. I am C8
years old, but I hope to live to see the triumph of
true democracy. My. first vote was cast for S.
A. Douglas for president, and I have voted at
every election since, save one that was for S. J.
Tilden. I lost my vote that year by moving out
of the state. I lived in Iowa then. It is true
I havo voted for some that I did not consider
democrats, but I was loyal to the ticket.
A. J. Oberg, Douds Leando, la. Believing
that the i inclples on which the democratic party
is based are fundamentally correct, as proven
by the beneficial effects following their crystall
zation into laws (frequently by tho opposite party)
I heartily endorse .your plan for their future de
fense, and enclose primary pledge signed.
J. H. Parsons, Wayne, W. Vn. Having pre
viously sent you my pledge, I hereby hand you
41 names of the minute mc i for the banner demo
cratic county of the state of West Virginia, Old
Wayne.
W. C. Morris, Terra Alta, W. Va. With best
wishes to the noble work you are doin through
the primary pledge plan, I enclose my pledge.
May the good work go on until every true Ameri
can has joined the army that is marching on to
victory.
John L. Elder, Taylorsville, Ky. I am in
favor of the primary pledge, because I think . It
best to have the sentiments of the rank and file
at the primary than to have their resentment
at ,tho .polls. I believe it Is host to be subject
to the common, independent, free thinking dem
ocrats than to be subject to such a diobolical
set of politicians as "wo had at the St. Louis
convention. I don't mean to say that all of our
political leaders are lost beyond the power of
redemption, but I do say that, a majority of tho
delegates went to the St. Louis convention with
the determination not to discuss questions as
to their merits, but as to thoir political influence.
The first time in tho history of our grand old party
great and far-reaching issues were cast aside on
account of expediency, and victory was mndo the
paramount issue. Then they nominated a. man
who had oxpressed no sentiments, who had ad
vocated no principles, and had been dodging the
great questions of tho day. What an insult to
the free thinking democrats! No wonder wo lost
one million and a half votes. Therefore, I harken
to the voice of Mr. Bryan. Let us gel back to
tho people. And how are we to got back to the
people? By advocating what wo believe to bo
right.
Henry C. Assche, Sunman, Ind. My words
can hardly express how highly I appreciate your
great paper, The Commoner, and how I love to
read tho same. Its words will surely convince
and convert. It is suroly doing more to enlighten
the people than any other paper published. The
primary pledge plan is O. K. Below I will give
you the names and addresses of persons who, I
think, would be interested in your organization
plan.- You would do well to write to thorn. I
will also see them personally.
THE PRJMARJY PLEDGE
'r
I promise to attend all the primaries of my party to be held between now and
the next Democratic 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 wbioli the voters of the party desire to speak.
Signejl.
Street.
Postoffice.
State.
County.
Voting precinct or ward.
85f Fill out-Blanks and mail to Commoner Office, Lincoln, Nebraska.
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