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SEPTEMBER 11, 190f
The Commoner.
1
FROM THE PEOPLE
THE PRIMARY PLEDGE
SPECIAL OFFER
W. S.Tisch, Chelsea, Mich. I have read The
Commoner since Its first Issue, and I think that
it Is the best paper in the United States, for it
is a true and fearless teacher of Jefferson, Jack
son and Bryan democracy. Its great strength
and teaching is growing brighter every day. It
stands by the people, and? the people will approve
its work. The Commoner is the guiding star to
the democratic party and the . masses of all
parties. , Its . efforts will bring blessings to the
common people whose interests it is defending
against greed. .
G. H. Ely, Mauston, WIb. The greatest po
litical convention in the history of Wisconsin,
was held by the democrats of this state, Wednes-
. day and Thursday, June 27 and 28. Over seven
hundred delegates, representing every county In
the state, were present. It was a platform con-
. vention and the enclosed copy of the platform,
issued therefrom, speaks for. itself. The democ
racy of the state has been set right before the
people and I have thought that Wisconsin's army
of Commoner readers ought to and will hold up
the hands of that dashing young organizer, the
chairman of the state central committee, H. H.
IVi .nson of Wausau, by all contributing one dollar
each to the great work to which he is so loyally
and faithfully devoting himself. He has brought
order, unity, hope 'and enthusiasm out of political
chaos. Let's all send him at least one dollar for
the good of the cause. Truth crushed to earth
Will rise again.
James R. IJorter, Halgler, Neb. I have been
a reader of The Commoner beginning with the
first issue, having been a supporter of Mr. Bryan
from his appearance in public affairs, and highly
admire the kind ethical and political writings of
Mr. Metcalfe. The great papers that reach me
daily filled with tales of deception, falsehood, bri
bery, perjury, burglary, holdups, murder, divorce,
social scandal and its rotten details, baseball,
football, prize fights, horse racing, railroad, acci
dents, fire, and flood,, without the suggestion of a
'remedy: then winding up with page after page
Bfof' -advertising It makes m weary. But I sup-
'pos'e the low Intellectual thought of the people is
""anxious to read of the sins and misfortunes of
others as a coincident extenuation ' of their own
misconduct The greed of the press ha sold it
self to this line of news. You ask if I am optimis
tic as to democratic success. Can only say that
I "am persistent voted for Pierce and every dem
ocratic candidate up to Parker, when I preferred
defeat to victory, remembering Cleveland. You
' 'ask me to put my shoulder to the wheel. My
" t seventy-nine years makes my shoulder useless,
'but what I can do is yours.
b
D. P. Norton, ' Dunlap, Kan. I want to sug
gest to your, artist, Mr. Spencer, an idea for a
.cartoon.. Imagine "Teddy with one fopt on the
democratic platform, the other foot in the repub
lican mire, while he is making a desperate effort
to get both feet on the platform, and the republi
can bosses holding him back bythe coat-tails.
It may be this Is too Jate in. the day for such a
cartoon to bo .appropriate, but I am of the, thought
it might be worked to good advantage.
L. Pw Usher, Ludington, Mich. There were
two articles printed in a recent issue of The Com
moner which are deserving of careful reading,
and the writer believes the paper is doing a great
work. The articles referred to are Moreton Fre
wen's letter and "The Evils of the National Bank
ing Law." It is difficult to see how the opponents
of special privilege can ever cease their warfare
upon that law until it is swept from the statute
books. It seems that for every dollar the govern
ment Issues in bonds it makes what is virtually
a tree gift of a dollar to the- banks, which are
owned in the main by men who are already Tich.
W. BT. Allen, Brooklyn, N. Y. What has be
come of the enormous increase of gold currency
of which we have heard so much in recent years?
Five years ago United States Treasurer E. H.
Roberts predicted that as a result of this increase
gold coin would soon be circulating as freely
here as in other countries. But this prediction
has come far short of fulfillment. Bank holdings
show but little evidence of the increase, and the
only explanation offered by the experts is that
the coin must be in hand to hand circulation;
people, it is said, now carry around $20 in gold
where they formerly carried but $5. That people
As this copy of The Commoner may be road
by some one not familiar with tho details of tho
primary pledge plan, it is necessary to say that
according to the terms of this plan every demo
crat is asked to pledge himself to attend all of
the primaries of his party to bo held between
now and the 'next democratic national convention,
unless unavoidably provented, and to secure a
clear, honest and straight-forward declaration of
the party's position on overy question upon which
tho voters of the party desire to speak. Those
desiring to b6 'enrolled can either write to Tho
Commoner approving tho object of tho organiza
tion and asking to have their names entered on
the roll, or jthey can fill out and mail tho blank
pledge, which: is printed on page 15.
Extracts from letters received at Tho Com
moner office follow: '
S. F. Stambaugh, Shelby, Ore. I send you 35
primary pledge signatures.
Archie Adorchy, Boonton, W. Va. Enclosed
find 61 signatures to the primary pledge.
E. 0. Robinson, Dale, Ark. Please find en
closed primary pledges sent by seven good demo
crats. I believe the primary pledge plan Is a
good one and I hope all democrats will take It up
and get ready for the great fight in 1908.
R. S. Hussey, Princeton, Ind. Find on tho
enclosed sheet fifty-eight names signed to your
primary pledge, from this place. I may bo able
to send you in another list later on. I feel that
The Commoner and the primary pledge is doing a
great work in setting tho people right in regard
to the fundamental principles of a republican form
of government which can only be perpetuated
by the purity of the ballot. I send you a consti
tution and by-laws of the Princeton Reform club.
I wish The Commoner success.
H. L. Swisher, Morgantown, W. Va, send
you thirty-two signatures.
Tom E. Rogers, Mt. Summit, Ind. I am send
ing you sixty-nine signatures to the primary
pledge.
Theodoro Overman, Jefferson City, Mo. En
closed find primary pledge with twenty-nine sign
ers. This -was sent me by you some time ago and
I could have sent It in sooner but for the fact that
my work is always Very' pressing during the sum
mer months. I heartily agree with you in this
matter of getting the primary pledge, and I as
sure you I am more" than pleased to do anything
I can to help you. Send me another blank and
I will do what I can about the court house and
hope to send another list as large as this in soon.
Best wishes to The Commoner.
are handling more money than they did a few
years ago may bo admitted,' but that-they arc
handling four times as much gold is extremely
doubtful. I have questioned people- who have
traveled all over the country and their experience
is that so far from being more plentiful, there
seems to be actually less of the yellow metal in
circulation now than there was before 1896. A
friend of mine wrote to United States Mint Di
rector G. E. Roberts on this subject, and in reply
.the latter states that "without doubt there- has
been a large increase in these ten years in the
amount of gold coin held in actual circulation in
the western states, particularly tho Pacific coast
states, which have increased largely in popula-
- tfon and business, and where coin alone is the
money of circulation." Well, now, T should like
to hear from those readers of The Commoner
who reside on the Pacific coast and other western
states on this subject. Does their experience
confirm Mr: Roberts' view, that there has been a
large increase of gold coin In circulation in their
section of the country?
B. W. Arnold, Mt Vale, Va. -I see that Mr.
Watterson is cursing the primary election plan
- of nominating candidates for public office as in
the interest of the rich against the poor man.
Where the candidates are required to pay the ex
penses incident to holding the primaries as in
' this state it is true. It has been so arranged for
the "purpose of discrediting the primary plan. At
first the primaries In this state were "viva voce"
- also. - The primary should be contemporaneous
for all parties, should be held under, the strictest
Australian plan of voting and the expenses should
be paid for by the municipality, by the county
or state and tho candidate should not be assessed
one 'cent I do not lcnow but a special tax for
defraying the expenses of primaries and regular
elections would be desirable.
Tho following havo each aont in five yearly
subscriptions: W. 0. Outroll, Anson, Texas; tL
M. Johnson, Marys villo, Kan.; S. A.-Barnum, Cal
ifornia, Pa.; John N, Anderson, Gamma, Mo.; B.
C. Yancey, Umatilla, Fla.; R. B. Gillespie, Tecum
soh, Mich.; Dr. R. Cummins, Touchot, Wash.; M.
A. Stewart, Titusvillo, Fla.; W. C. Carroll, Fieldon,
111.; Charles Wright, North Manchester, Ind.; Dr.
S. T. Mahon; Toledo, Ohio; E. P. G. Houk, Dayton,
Ohio; A. W. Alston, Weleetka, I. T.; J. A. Clai
borne, Bolivar, Tenn.; W. M. Patterson, Davis,
111.; S. L. Perkins, Keota, I. T.; D. S. Burson,
Richmond, Ind.; Lcm Tibbots, Hastings, Neb.;
Eugene Wado, Addison, N. Y.; Clarence Martin,
Marys villo, Ky.; John F. Kelley, Nowton, Colo.;
Nick Washburn, New Richmond, Ind.; John Gard
iner, Spencer, Wis.; C. C. BItner, Sponcerville,
Cal.; D. H. Thompson, Meade, Neb.; A. A. Val
lanco, Johnstown, Pa.; N. F. "Hilton, Rousevlllo,
Pa,; James A. Axkley, Hematite, Mo.; T. B.
Staples, New Salem, Ind.; J. L. Brock, Ludlow,
Mo.; C. Slado, Paloma, III.; . Felix McElhanoy,
Danville, 111.; R, B. Tullls, Elkton, Ohio; P. H.
Robertson, Kokomo, Ind.; J. D. Lcclair, Union
town, Pa.; B. C. Jones, Bridgeport, Ala.; Ralph
E. Roberts, Rockport, Ind.; George Knoko, Sis
tersville, W. Va.; H. E. Mason, Olnoy, I. T.; J. E.
Leo, Dade City, Fla,; A. C. Karrich, Cynthlnna,
Ky.; A; W. Craig, Unlontdwn, Pa.; R. F. Reeves,
Milo, Iowa; James E. Baden, Baden, Md.
Commoner readers havo sent In yearly sub
scriptions In number as follows: W. W. Chesloy,
Schaller, Ia.HJ; W. A. Johnson, Bangor, Pa., 6;
A. B. Cockorill, Nevada, Mo., 10; R. W. York,
Bothany, Mo., 7; J. C. Laport, Shannon City, la.,
8; J. W. Bradley, Camden Point, Mo 6; H. Kubit
Bhek, Denver, Colo., 6; James Heagan, Elkhorn,
Mont, 10; Conrad Reigleman, Kremiss, Pa., 11;
G. M. Motz, Mlddleburg, Pa,, 7; Silas Jackson,
Kokomo, Ind., 6; John Cavanah, Tamaha, I. T.,
8; A. P. Nelson, Portland, Oref, 6; Archy Adkins,
Boston, W. Va., 10; George P. Gerber, Durand,
Wis., 8; R. B. Goff, Woodvillo, I. T 10; A. M.
Gibbs, 'Lowell, Mich, 8; T. W. Tedford, Rich Hill,
Mo., 7; S. S. Motternt Watauga, Tenn., 7; C. L.
Wilson, Saranac, Mich., C; William Lynch, Ethel,
Mo., 10; W. H. Kidder, Jamestown, N. Y., 7; J.
.S. Clark, Clarksdale, Mo., G; T. E. Downing, Day
ton, Ohio, 7; J. H. Rouner, Knox City, Mo., ;
C. E. Wall, Payson, Okla., 6; W. W. Lea, Neosho,
M., 7; George E. Church, Fresno, Cal., 7; J. B.
Liston, Carlinvillo, 111., 3G; N. B. Yadon, Linn
Creek, Mo., 30.
Everyone who approves tho work Tho Com
moner is doing 1b Invited to co-operate along
the lines of the special subscription offer. Ac
cording to the terms of this offer cards each good
for one year's subscription to Tho Commoner
will bo furnished in lots of five, at the rate of ?3
per lot. This places tho yearly subscription rate
. at (0 cents.
Any one ordering these cards may sell thera
for ?1 each, thus earning a commission of $2
on each lot sold, or ho may sell them at tho coat
price and find compensation in the fact that ho
has contributed to the educational campaign.
These cards may bo paid for when ordered,
or they may be ordered and remittance made after
they havo been sold. A coupon Is printed below
for tho convenience of those who desire to par
ticipate In this effort to Increase The Commoner'g
circulation:
I
THE COMMONER'S SPECIAL OFFER
Application for Subtcription Cards
5
10
15
20
25
50
75
100 "
Publisher Commoner I am interested in in
creasing The Commoner's circulation, and de
sire you to send me a supply of subscription
cards. I aprrce to use my utmost endeavor to
sell the cards, and will remit for them at tag
rate ot CO cents each, when sold.
NJJtt.
Box, on Stbmt No .'. .... ....
P.O.
Statu.
Indicate the number of cards -wanted by
marking X opposito one of the numbers print
ed on end of this blank.
If you believe the paper Is doing work that mer
its encouragement, fill out the above esupon and mall
ltta THE COMMONER-. Lincoln, Neb.
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