9 '
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The Commoner.
VOLUME 8, NUMBER ft
4
The Commoner.
ISSUED WEEKLY.
W 1 1 MAM J. UllYAN
I tiller mill Proprietor.
IlHIIAIIt) I.. Ml.'ICAl I'M
AtMicluti- Ktlltor.
ClIAIlt.KM W. JJllYAM
Publisher.
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h'ninplc Ci'iilci Vti'f.
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Presentation c..prn: Many perwotiH Hubserlbo Tor
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ceived to and Including the last Issue of January,
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ADViQUTfSliVG Hates furnished upon applica
tion. Address all communications to
THE COMMONER, Lincoln, Neb.
Will tho Chicago convention adopt a smoke
less platform?
-
H Ib about, timo for the right hand to learn
what tho "Black Hand" is doing.
The Knox boom has reached tho stago when
It is necessary to put its fender on behind.
Easter hats aro to bo smallor, but this is
not tho hat information that interests father.
If tho presidential boom of Pennsylvania's
"favorite son" gets to first base it will be on
balls.
The ulterior motive sought to bo concealed
In the Aldrieh bill sticks out llko a boy's soro
thumb In baso ball time.
Tho gentleman who has charge of tho re
publican "full dinner pail parades" this year
will havo his work cut out for him.
Mr. .loromo of Now York is assuming tho
what-are-you-going-to-do-about-it and tho Com
modore Vandorbilt to the public attitude.
Doubtless Pat Garrett's last regret was
that he, such a wonderful "gun man," should
havo been caught napping by a mere farmer.
Now it is charged that thero was congres
sional graft in tho Holland submarino boat mat
ter. Always trying to do something under
cover, oh?
Mr. Gompors seemingly forgets that tho
tariff which protects steel does not protect labor.
That's why the price of steel Is kept up and tho
price of labor hammered down.
Tho marriage of a Gotham heiress to an
American born gentleman was considered enough
nows importance to warrant a column of mon
tlon under a triple-decked slug head.
Whon tho London and Paris papers do
scribo tho "Indian debate" between Senators
Owen and Curtis thoy will picture all tho gravo
and rovorend senators as wearing war bounetq
and blankets.
THE VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATION
"The Bryan Volunteers" aro being or
gan i.ed in various sections. In Indiana, Ne
braska, Iowa, Minnesota and Illinois tho work
of organization is being entered upon in a sys
tomatio way. Following is tho constitution of
tho Indiana Federation of Bryan Volunteers:
DECLARATION
Tho purpose of this organization is to se
cure tho establishment of democratic clubs
throughout the state of Indiana under tho club
namo of "Bryan Volunteers," and to associate
them for a more effective political work into a
stato federation.
ARTICLE 1
Tho officers of the federation of "Bryan
Volunteers" clubs of Indiana shall bo a presi
dent, secretary, treasurer, stato organizer, first
vice president, second vice president and a vice
president from each congressional district, all
of whom shall bo elected at the first regular
meeting each year, and shall servo without com
pensation. ARTICLE 2
Each club shall bo entitled to delegate rep
resentation in the affairs of tho federation at
lis regular or special meetings, each club to be
entitled to one delegate for every twenty-fivo
members or fraction thereof.
ARTICLE 3
When possible It is purposed that a separate
club shall bo organized in each township of tho
state, and in tho largo cities in each ward
thereof, to the end that meetings may be made
convenient and the conditions of their immediate
localities may be better looked after. Where
country clubs havo been or shall be formed, they
shall at tho earliest possible moment arrange for
separate local organizations.
ARTICLE 4
The dues of members shall be determined
by each club for Itself, and such dues shall be
held and used by the respective clubs, but each
club shall pay tho state organization a sum equal
to fifty cents for each of its members, twenty
fivo cents to be paid when the member joins
and twenty-five cents on September 1, 1908;
the sum so paid to be held by the state treasurer
and paid out upon proper vouchers for the ex
penses incident to the work of the state organ
ization. ARTICLE 5
The officers of all local clubs shall be such
as each club may determine upon, but such offi
cers shall upon request promptly report to the
state president and secretary the work done by
such local clubs and the conditions at any timo
in their locality.
Tho statistician who figured out that con
gress costs tho country $120 a minute should
have gone farther and told us what roturn wo
have secured for our money. For instance, the
workingmen of the country have been wonder
fully benefited by the reduction of twenty nor
cent on tho tariff on French champagnes.
tho wording should bo simple. The following
form is suggested:
I, the undersigned, believing that the prin
ciples advocated by W. J. Bryan are for tho
best interests of the American people, and de
siring his election to the presidency of tho
United States, hereby join
of Nebraska, and promise
my support to that end.
Signed
Address.
Secured by
VOLUNTEER HELPS
Correspond with us.
Please answer all inquiries promptly.
Don't lose your temper in a political argu
ment. Urge the organization of local clubs every
where. Don't abuse the opposition. Vituperation
is a vote loser.
Personal work counts. Get in touch with
tho voters of all classes.
Kindly report the names of your club offi
cers, with address, to the secretary of the stato
volunteers.
Keep open house for all comers. If pos
sible, provide a suitable meeting place for the
club and urge regular weekly meetings.
The local club should subscribe for some
newspapers and periodicals of our faith and keep
them on file in the club room. Especially do
we urge the loyal support of the friendly local
press by our people. The country newspaper
is our best friend and most potent aid in politics;
Write to us. Correspondence for local club
officers and members will receive prompt atten
tion. It will add to our pleasure to assist in
the work of local organizations.
Respectfully submitted,
C. M. GRUENTHER, Secretary,
Address, Columbus, Nebraska.
In Nebraska Arthur Mullen is president and
C. M. Gruenther secretary of tho Bryan Vol
unteers. Like the officers in the other states
mentioned these gentlemen are hard at work
pushing tho organization throughout tho state.
One leaflet issued by these gentlemen is on
titled "Suggestions and helps for local club
organizations." This leaflet may be of service
in other states, and so It is given in full below:
SUGGESTIONS
Tho Bryan Volunteers of Nebraska do not
wish to establish a set of rules for the govern
ment of local club organizations. In matters
of this kind, the judgment of local organizers
can always bo trusted to draft a constitution
and by-laws best suited to local conditions. How
ever, in response to numerous inquiries, we sub
mit the following brief suggestions:
1. Mako your set of rules short. Lengthy
declarations and complicated by-laws do not help
to win elections.
2. Tho namo of your organization is en
tirely a matter of taste and choice to be de
termined by tho members.
3. Briefly stato tho obi'ect of the organiza
tion. Enumerate the officers and prescribe their
duties.
1. The matter of dues is important and
should bo well considered. Usually, the neces
sary expenses are defrayed by voluntary con
tributions. Tho local club should enlist and
welcome all comers, and no one should bo
barred on account of inability or indisposition
to pay certain dues.
. 6. Tho card system is by far the best and
most convenient method of securing members
Sol citors may conveniently carry these cards in
their pocket and enlist members on all occa
sions. This system also offers the best oppor
tunity of coming in direct contact with all
classes of voters. The cards may bo small and
In Iowa the officers of the volunteer organi
zation are distributing throughout the state
cards on one side of which appears the fol
lowing: Des Moines, Iowa. I hereby agree to be
come a member of the Bryan Volunteers of Iowa,
and pay to the treasurer of said organization
the sum of $5 on or before the first day of April,
1908. I further agree to secure at least one
other person to join the Bryan Volunteers of
Iowa who will sign an agreement similar to this.
Name
Address
Secured by
On the other side of this card is the fol
lowing: OBJECT OF ORGANIZATION h,
The object of this organization shajj be to
advance the principles of democracy, asjtaught
by Thomas Jefferson, defended by Andrew Jack
son, brought to the attention of the world by
Abraham Lincoln, and advocated by W. J.
Bryan. To that end, our aim is to form a state
wide club of men who believe that those prin
ciples are fundamental to good government.
We invite all those who believe in the prin
ciples of W. J. Bryan and desire his election to
the presidency of the United States, to unite with
us in this movement, irrespective of their past
political affiliations.
ALSO!
The East Liverpool (Ohio) Review says:
"Most of the presidential aspirants, Bryan in
cluded, have discovered that a sure way to win
applause is to quote Roosevelt approvingly."
Well? And the president has discovered that
a sure way to win public commendation Is to
follow democratic policies and principles.
IN THE WOODS
'Tis sweet to worship God when Love commands
In temples unadorned by human hands
The grand cathedrals of the solemn woods
Where no unworthy devotee intrudes;
At mossy altars and in cloister-bowers,
Where prayer is blended with the balm of
flowers;
In leafy corridors and woodland ways,
Where all Is resonant with hymns of praise;
In shady groves festooned by drooping vines
Whore bending bough with pendant branch en
twines; Where babbling brooks with liquid tongues pro
claim Tho glory and the greatness of His name.
David Banks Slckels in New York Tribun.