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APRIL 17, 1908
may have an interest to serve entirely distinct
from the public interest. There are "some papers
whose, support would damage a man rather than
help him, because some of them are notoriously
the representatives of the interests that are ex
ploiting the public."
"Do you think that, under all the conditions,
your party has a fighting chance in New York?"
"Yes, more than a lighting chance. While
I think the party could win without New York,
it Is entirely within the range of probability that
wo shall carry New York. The situation is quite
different from what it was in 1896 and 1900.
The power of the great financial interests, of
course, has been very much weakened. The in
vestigations have disclosed the unholy alliance
botween the high financiers and the corrupt in
politics, and no such campaign of intimidation
can be carried on now as was carried on a few
years ago. The three reasons which I have given
for democratic hope apply to New York as they
apply elsewhere. It must be remembered that
all of the state officers of New York are demo
crats now, excepting the governor, and that the
radical vote in New York City, as well as in the
state of New York, is an increasing one. There
is no reason whatever to concede New York to
the republicans."
"How do you construe the Kentucky elec
tion?" "It will not have any effect upon the presi
dential situation. We" lost Kentucky last fall
because about thirty thousand democrats stayed
at home, and the election of a republican sena
tor is apt to impress those who stayed at home
and make them the first ones out at the polls
next fall. While the-election of Governor Brad
ley was due to a betrayal of their trust by four
democrats, the action of these democrats can
not excite anything but indignation among the
democrats of the state."
"A charge was made in The Commoner that
money has been used to control the selection
and action of delegates. Is there anything more
to say on that point?"
Mr. "Bryan replied warmly: "Information
came to me, and it Is positive, direct and con
clusive, that an effort is being made, or at least
it was being made some three weeks ago; and I
know the name of the man who had the money,
and I know that those interested stated that they
had all the money they needed. I can not say
how widespread this effort is, but I thought it
worth while to put the readers of The Commoner
on their guard by giving them the information
that had come to me."
"You have said that other men may have
been mentioned for the democratic nomination.
Are you willing to express an opinion with refer
ence to their qualifications?"
"No, I do not care to discuss the qualifica
tions of men mentioned for the democratic nom
ination or of men mentioned for the republican
nomination."
v "What do you think of Mr. Roosevelt as
a candidate? Do you believe that he has a secret
yearning to succeed himself?"
"No. In the first place, I do not see how
a man could desire to hold that office for a third
term. I believe that a single term is as long
as a man ought to hold it, and I have assumed
from the beginning that the president meant
what he said the night of the election, and his
recent utterance en the subject emphasizes this
view. I can not understand why friends of his
raise any question as to his' sincerity; neither
do I see how the question can arise. If Mr.
Taft has a majority of the delegates the presi
dent would certainly not be a candidate against
Mr. Taft, and an adverse majority is likely to
be as much against the president as against Mr.
Taft, so that the stampede to Mr. Roosevelt,
which some imagine, looks to me like an im
possibility." "Your feeling, then, is one 'of optimism
and of assurance of democratic success?"
"I have already given three reasons for
hope, and I find that these reasons have made
the democrats hopeful. Wherever I have been I
have found our democrats ready for the fray.
The .conventions that have been held have been
large and enthusiastic, unusually so, and our
banquets have been better attended than ever
before. Some of the most enthusiastic of our
democrats this year are men who were not with
us in 1896, while those who were with us then
feel that this is the year when the defeat of
twelve years ago is to be converted into a vic
tory. Not only are democrats hopeful, but re
publicans are despondent, and one can get a
great deal of encouragement from conversation
with republicans."
The Commoner.
The Commoner Million Ar
r,iT?, U,gh V1? Commoner's million army
plan It is hoped to circulate this publication in
every precinct in every state in the union. To
this end The Commoner will bo sent to those
who take advantage of this plan for 60 cents
from now until after the November election.
Cut out, sign and roturn the certificate
printed on this page for your own membership.
Or if you do not care to mutilate your copy of
The Commoner send in a request asking for n
number of blank certificates and they will bo
forwarded to you, thus enabling you to glvo
your acquaintances an opportunity to join In
the work of building up the "army of a million
plan" and enabling them also to secure The
Ccnmoner from now until November, 1908, for
only sixty cents.
It is not possible to print in full the letters
received at The Commoner office and relating
to the Million Army plan, but extracts from
some of them are given below:
Albert Bryan Lewis, Lenoir City, Tonn.
Enclosed find money order for $1.80 for three
subscriptions to The Commoner. Please send
me a few certificates and I will try to secure
others for your paper.
W. L. Snapp, Belleville, Kan. Find en
closed 60 cents for subscription to The Com
moner. Please send me six certificates and I
will try to increase The Commoner army.
-Alvin Koch, Liberty, III. Enclosed find
money order for $1.80 for which please send
The Commoner one year to the enclosed names
on the membership certificates. Please send a
few more certificates.
Robert L. Edwards, Dexter, Ore. Please
find enclosed three certificates for your million
army. Please send me a dozen more certificates
and I will help you all I can.
Wm. H. Petrie, M. D Gray, N. Y. En
closed please find six membership certificates to
gether with money order for $3.60. I will-have
some more in a few days. Send me ten more
certificates.
Edwin D. Smith, Llgonier, Ind. Please
find enclosed money order for 60 cents and one
certificate for membership in The Commoner
army. I am glad to say that things look very
favorable for democratic success in Noble
county. Please send me a few more certificates.
Sam Vincent, Hayton, .Wis. Find enclosed
four membership certificates and $2.40 to pay
for same.. Send me ten more certificates and I
will place them.
Johnson Pence, Estancia, N. M. Enclosed
you will find money order for $4.20 for which
send The Commoner for one year to the follow
ing names. PJease send me six more of your
certificates and I will try to dispose of them.
A. C. Hensley, St. Joseph, Mo. Please find
enclosed money order for 60 cents for one sub
scription to The Commoner. If you will send
me a few more certificates I will try to get some
more subscribers.
Wm. Reedy, Yates Center, Kan. You will
please find enclosed herewith thirteen new names,
to add to the list of the million army for the
campaign and new subscribers to The Commoner
from now until after the campaign of 1908. Find
money order for $7.80 to pay for the same.
my
Please mail mo twonty-fivo copies of your val
uable papor and tho samo amount of certificates
for now subscribers, as I boliovo I can got that
many more by making a little effort.
F. D. Gallup, Franklin, Vt.- Enclosed find
postofllco money order for $1.20 for which ploaso
send The Commoner to tho following namod re
publicans. Pleaso send mo a few certificates
and sample copies.
M. W. Mitchell, Welser, City, Idaho.
Pleaso find enclosed money order for $2.40 for
four subscribers to Tho Commoner. Last week
I sent you fourteon names and I think I can
soon send you more.
Charles Revoir, Bloomer, Wis. Enclosed
pleaso find monoy ordor for $2.40 for four sub
scriptions to Tho Commoner. Send mo sorao
more certificates.
Pete Brashears, Laddonla, Mo. You will
find enclosed money order for Ayo subscriptions
to The Commoner. Pleaso send mo more certifi
cates. J. S. .Payne, Green City, Mo.; Pleaso find
enclosed money ordor for $1.20, also two mem
bership certificates. Please send mo a few more
membership certificates as I think I can use
them to good advantage.
I. L. Carter, Yorkville, 111. Enclosed pleaso
find money order for $3. GO for Tho Commoner
to bo sent to tho following named membors of
the Yorkvlllo club, if you will kindly send mo
twonty-fivo certificates I think I can mako uso
of them.
Francis Ryan, Argylo, Wis. Enclosed find
monoy ordor for $4.80 for eight subscriptions to
The Commoner. Pleaso send mo ten subscrip
tion blanks and I will uso them to promote the
cause of true democracy.
N. M. Thompson, Alplna, S. D.; Please find
enclosed $1.80 for three subscriptions to The
Commoner. Please send mo a few more cer
tificates. Wllla W. Vlley, St. Louis, Mo. Enclosed
please find 60 cents to pay for one subscription
to Tho Commoner. You may send me a few
application blanks and a few copies of The
Commoner. I wish to distribute some copies
among my friends.
O. Scott, Galena, Mo. I would like for you
to send mo one-half dozen certificates for your
valuablo paper as I want to got up a club horo.
W. H. Petenon, Ellensburg, Wash. Here
with find monoy order for $1.80 for three sub
scriptions to Tho Commoner. Send mo ono dozen
more membership certificates and I will seo
what I can do.
A. N, Whittlngton, Red Lodge, Mont. En
closed pleaso find 60 cents for which please send
Tho Commoner to the following address. Send
me a few subscription blanks.
John L. Ferguson, Sweet Springs, Mo.
Enclosed please find $1.20 for two subscriptions.
Please send me some blanks so that I may hand
them to my friends to increase tho good work.
George O, Monday, Mt. Airy, N C. En
closed I hand you monoy ordor for 60 cents for
subscription to The Commoner. I will be glad
to spend some effort in this cause if you will
send me about twenty membership certificates,
also some sample copies of The Commoner.
Here is Your Opportunity to Help
The Com
moner will be
sent from now
until Novem
ber, 1908, to
every one who
Will sign and
send Coupon
accompanied
by Sixty cents.
ONE MILLION MEMBERSHIP CERTIFICATE
Cbc Commoner Jlrttty for 190$
HEADQUARTERS LINCOLN, NEB.
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V
T hereby enlist in Cbe Commoner Jlrmy and pledge my
assistance in bringing snecess to Democratic arms.
Enclose 6oc to cover the expense of sending The Commoner to my address
until the close of the jqoS campaign.
Post-Office. -
t
State
Nans. Membership certificate will 'bo countersigned with Mr. Bryan's print! signa
ture and numbered In tho order Uioy are received at Too Commoner office; and they will -be
returned at tho close of the campaign to the members who signed them, If requested.
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