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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (July 22, 1910)
I'l JULY 22, 1910 THE NEBRASKA SENATORSHIP Petitions for tho nomination of Richard L. Metcalfe, associate editor of Tho Commoner to bo United States senator subject to the demo cratic and peoples independent primaries to bo hold in Nebraska, August 1G, were Hied July 15 with the secretary of state at Lincoln. On tho following day Mr. Metcalfe filed his acceptance and later gave to the newspapers the following statement: "In announcing my candidacy for United States senator subject to the democratic and peoplo's independent primaries, to be held August 1G, I am responding to a' call that has been made upon me by a large number of per sonal and political friends. It is true I would like to represent Nebraska' in the United States senate, but I would not have entered the race unsolicited and I am acting now after the most thoughtful consideration on my own part and after consulting with democrats and populists in various sections of the state. "I assume that in nominating their senatorial candidate the democrats and populists in Ne braska will select the man whom they regard as most available in the contest to be waged against one of the most skillful politicians ever elected by a western state to a seat in the sen ate. Should the men with whom I have affiliat ed for nearly a quarter of a century of Nebraska politics conclude that I am the available candi date, I will make an active campaign against my republican opponent and will do my best to win. "As reporter and political writer on tho Omaha World-Herald from 1888 to 1896, as editor of the World-Herald from 1896 to 1905 and as associate editor of The Commoner since 1905, my views on public questions have been made known to the people of Nebraska'. "In general, I take my democracy from Jef-. ferson, Jackson and Bryan. If it were republi canism, I would take it froni LaFollette, Cum mins and Bristow. Practically, I do not see materia1 difference between the two brands, so far as present day problems are concerned; and if I were elected to the senate I would take counsel of the republicans I have named sooner .than from men who, elected as democrats, fol low, in one way or another, the Aldrich leader ohip. "I would not be bound by any party caucus against what I conceived to be the welfaTe of my constituents. I would follow democratic prin ciples, as I have learned them, wherever I found them and would co-operate with men, regardless of party affiliations, whom I found faithfully enunciating those principles and undertaking to enact them into law. This is my conception of the duty of a democrat who realizes the neces sity for prompt action on the part of the patriotic men of all parties who would perpetuate popu lar government and make our union of states fairly representative of the sacrifices that have been made in their behalf fairly representa tive of the hopes and the aspirations of the rank and file of American citizens, regardless of political -prejudices. "My opponents, Mr. G. M Hitchcock, and Mr. Willis E. Reed, are both rich men, while I am a wage-earner. It will not, therefore, be pos sible for me to make as active a contest for the nomination as these gentlemen will make. But 1 am not without confidence that from now until August 16, some of the men whom I have met upon the firing line and with whom I have stood shoulder to shoulder in defense of the very principles that seem popular today will lend me a hand so that I may not, after all, be greatly handicapped in the race. "I enter this contest, 'with malice toward none, witll charity for all.' I would not know ingly sacrifice one personal friendship upon tho altar of ambition. While I shall stand resolute ly for the things in which I believe I grant to every other man the right to his opinion and respect It accordingly. I hope nothing shall occur to tarnish the fair friendship that has existed for many years between myself and tho 8two good men who are opposing me. I shall try to so act that both Messrs. Hitchcock and t Sleed will be able after the primaries have closed and the real battle is on to give mo that cordial support which I have It In my heart to give to either of them in the event of my defeat." i Tho American Homestead, a monthly farm gonrnal of national scope, will be sent to all V Commoner subscribers, without additional cost, ;; who renew their subscriptions during tho month tof July. Take advantage of this offer at once, fend send in your renewal. The Commoner. The Million Army In the campaign of 1908 Tho Commoner's Million Army rondorod distinguished servlco to tho cause of democracy and it may well bo be lieved that a similar organization will oven bo able to do bettor work in tho year of 1910 now that men who wero heretoforo Indifferent aro aroused to tho importance of action. If half of the readers of Tho Commoner would take active interest in tho organization of this Million Army plan, the results would bo imme diately noticeable and the contribution to tho welfare of popular government would bo enormous. Many individuals aro willing to help in a patrloticmovemont but find it difficult to know just what to do to make their efforts count. In a struggle such as tho one wo are now engaging in, the efforts of every man, woman and child on the side of popular government will count and in Tho Commoner's Million Army a practi cal plan is presented whereby tho efforts of many individuals may bo aggregated and used with telling effect. Have you joined Tho Commoner's Million Army? That is tho question that is being asked in many counties throughout tho union. It should becomo a familiar question in every pre cinct, in every county, in every stato. The fol lowing letters will be of interest: P. P. Hettinger, Hutchison, Kan. Am in re ceipt of five application blanks for enrollment in The Commoner's Million Army. Enclosed find one signed up. I have been a subscriber to The Commoner from the time of its first issue, and my present subscription has not yet expired. I am interested in good government, and hope to see it administered by the demo cratic party. The republican party today, as it has been for the past thirty years, is dominated by the interests. Wo aro in need of men who can bo more effective than republican insur gents. Wo need real democrats. All democrats should be enlisted in the cause for life, and not for a campaign only. I will, do what I can for tho Million cause. Long live The Commoner, and those who edit it, and publish it. James Shorten, Wayne, Nob. I agree with all the principles laid down by W. J. Bryan, and as I am an old man, now 82 years old, and not able to do business as formerly, I will endeavor to do what I can to espouse the cause that Mr. Bryan favors. I have been a democrat all tho better part of my life. My first vote was cast for James Buconnan in 1856, and I have sus tained the "cause" to the present day. I do not hesitate to join my name to tho Million Army, but can not promise much more for the future. Wishing you success in your undertaking I re main. Ben Widner, Nebsha, Mo. I think no one is more thoroughly convinced of the integrity and ability of W. J. Bryan and no one more firmly believes in the correctness of the governmental policies promulgated and advocated by him than I do. I will gladly, as I did two years ago, enlist in The Commoner's Million Army and extend my subscription to The Commoner for another year, and will make an effort to get four other demo crats to do the same. Ernest J. Gold, Newtonia, Mo. I thank you for the opportunity of helping in this great bat tle. While at present we have a republican in congress, yet I feel confident that we will send a' democrat this fall and a senator from the state also. It will be the happiest day of my lifo whon tho principles of democracy load and guide this nation. I ain sending my application, filled out, to becomo one of Tho Commoner's Million Army. I will bo pleased to glvo you any aid or information regarding political matters in this district. Phillip A. Cain, Ashland, Mo. Tho Commoner certainly haB my heartiest co-operation In Its effort to bring about good government for tho people and by tho people I will try to secure now subscribers. S. N. Pyles, Eldorado Springs, Mo. I will try to get signers for Tho Commoner's Million Army. This is a lifo and death strugglo for American independence. Mr. Bryan ought to score a victory as ho has worked hard and faith fully for tho public interests. W. C. Anderson, Erwin, S. D. I am interest ed in Tho Commoner's Million Army and shall do whatever I can to help It along. Have signed ono of the application blanks and shall try and get more to sign tho others. Wo must all try, and put a shoulder to the wheel, elect a demo cratic president in 1912. I. O. Bronhough, Ryder, N. D. Kindly mail mo ten more coupons; will try to securo somo more subscriptions for Tho Commoner. Tvo of tho five last sent in wero placed In the hands of tho first voters. William Gage and T. P. Fleming, Pinon, N. M. Please find enclosed two applications to Tho Commoner's Million Army. Please send to both applicants application blanks for Tho Commoner so we may help to get Tho Commoner In tho hands of every voter posBlblo. A. J. Anders, Oelweln, la. Please send Mil lion Army blanks to tho enclosed names. It is evident to my mind that tho democratic party roust be more progressive than tho Insurgents, or more standpat than tho standpatters. It Is also evident to my mind that ultimately tho standpatters of tho republican party and tho reactionaries In the democratic party will bo forced to affiliate openly as they now do under cover of different names and the Insurgents driven out of the republican party into tho demo cratic party or bo forced to create a new party. There can not long remain two parties within tho two old leading parties. Oscar Kerns, Kansas City, Mo. I am heartily in accord with tho stand The Commoner and Mr. Bryan is taking, and I oncloso my pledge to The Commoner's Million Army to do all I can to help In tho cause. Corporations certainly hold tho whip and lash over tho people of tho United States. How long thoy will bo able to do so is a' question. They aro tho worst scared now I have ever seen them. E. J. Zimmerman, Cleburne, Texas I am a democrat of the W. J. Bryan kind. Would sac rifice time when considered necessary to further the causes for which he stands. Wo have a red hot four-cornered run for tho gubernatorial nomination on here. People aro so absorbed that I fear a lot of unprincipled grafters may slip into congress. Our primaries como off tho twenty-third day of this month. Every honest democratic congressman in Texas, I am told, has an opponent pledged to graft and platform jumping. These rascals understand the situa tion, and somo of them may steal in. We trust this will not be tho case, but a great many vot ers are unable to tell you today who the can didate for congress and stato officers are other than for governor. I prefer to belong to tho democratic party unpledged to any future issues not now understood, but look upon Bryan as my leader. JMs ! T 3 : : V J53 ' II CS.2 S SI : :. o $3 : a I 5 : to PB j : no gh2 ; 3 ill : J OS ail APPLICATION BLANK The Commoner's Million Army X hereby enlist in The 'Commoner' Million Army, una pledge my assistance to eeeure the nomination oj only worthy and incorruptible men as democratic can didate; that X will attend democratic primaries and nominating convention, and assist in promoting the great democratic campaign of education by devoting area sonable share oj my time to the distribution of literature. X will recommend worthy person for membership in Tho Commoner's Million Army, and in any way X eati assist to increase the usefulness of this organization. Signed. 1 Address. iftMMtl With tho understanding that Mr. Bryan agrees to accept annual subscriptions to Tho Commoner from. mambersofthisAriny at a not rate of C5 cents each, and that each subscription to Tho Commoner ahall In clude a subscription to The Amorlcau Homestead (a strong homo and farm paper thus leaving- The Commoner frco to dovoto Its undivided efforts to political matters and current events J encloso herewith M coats for one annual subscripUon to Tho Commoner (including' The American Homestead). ir yen aro already a subscriber to The Commoner nnd do not care to extend your expiration date at this time, the last paragraph above may bo disregarded. . . 1! 4 1 i i'i ( i i -WO WW -tuv