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Where the Rank and File Stand
11. B. Minor. San Antonio. Texas Have just
boon reading Tho Commoner of 7th and especi
ally tho leading article, "Eternal Vigilance
Necossary." You are right without doubt. But
with nearly every groat daily newspaper busily
engaged in deceiving tho people, how can they
understand tho real situation? These news
papers can deceive "tho very elect." Here's a
suggestion: Establish in a prominent place in
Tho Commoner a "Newspaper Directory," in
which give tho leading daily newspapers and
opposite each give the names of tho owners of
tho majority of tho stock of these newspaper
corporations according to tho best information
obtainable. Then tho reading public, when the
Now York and Chicago dailies begin to advo
cate a particular candidate for president, could
' Tofer to their "directory," and learn from what
source this advocacy comes. Wouldn't that "put
them wise?"
Beatrice, W. Va., July 14. Editor New York
World. Dear Sir: I just received copy of your
paper and did not find any slap in it at William
J. Bryan, tho "dead politician." Wo just heard
that ho was still alive. Better try him again.
One of tho six million supporters of Bryan.
A. E. Lamp.
Walter Hooy, Wallace, W. Va. I for one cer
tainly appreciate tho stand W. J. Bryan took on
the wool tariff question. It certainly is gratify
ing to follow a man who thinks more of party
principle than of party success. My eyes are
being opened as they never were before. I hope
Mr. Bryan will stand firm and not compromise
on anything that is right. He is wielding a
mighty influence for good in the world which
will live after he is gone. He will be remem
bered by all good people of future generations
when many of the politicians who now are be
traying our party will be forgotten. I think
we ought to encourage a man who will do as
ho is doing and this is why I am writing this
letter.
James Scully, Iona, Mich. Enclosed find check
for $1.00 for The Commoner. I like the tone of
your paper and believe that this is the time for
every true democrat to put forth his greatest
efforts to return the control of our government
to the people. While it may seem Bomewhat
eaTly to form an opinion as to the most avail
able candidate for president, at the present writ
ing Governor Wilson appears to loom up as a
very formidable candidate. There 1b one thing
certain, the democrats must nominate a pro
gressive, or their work will be in vain. I wish
you greater success in tho splendid work done
by your paper and convey my highest regards
for the nqble work of the great commoner.
Otto Poltz, Kansas City, Kan. "The sugges
tion comes from Nebraska that Bryan's head be
put on tho new postage stamps. It wouldn't do.
When Bryan is licked and stuck in a corner he
never sticks." The above editorial can be found
In the Kansas City Journal of July 25, 1911.
Being printed in a "corporation paper" it is
meant as ridicule. This is what the interests
have been striving for since 1896. Since then
they havo "licked" Bryan three times, con
signed him to a political graveyard a number
of time3 more, and never, in the last fifteen
yearB, have they missed an opportunity to ridi
cule, and villify the greatest champion of the
common people the world ever knew. This edi
torial shows that they have failed and they
fcnow it. After fifteen years of battle Bryan
has never been "stuck in a corner" hard enough
to stick. Our greatest struggle is now before
tis. In addition to the court protected corpora
tions, we must battle with tho traitors in our
own ranks. Those boosting Harmon, and cry
ing for harmony. If all democrats wero as
honest and fearless as Bryan, wo would have
had harmony, all through these years of struggle.
John R. Moore, Palestine, Texas I heartily
approve the stand you are taking in The Com
moner. Especially am I pleased with your po
siton as to the tariff. By the way, I should like
to see published In The Commoner, in parallel
columns, the tariff plank as reported by the
platform committee and the substitute adopted
by the democratic national convention of 1892.
According to my recollection the plank as re
ported by the committee was a straddle while
the substitute adopted by the convention was
clearly - against protection. - I notice that much
has been said about the tariff plank of tho
Texas convention of 189 G, and some parties
seek to bolster that plank with the name of
John H. Reagan. I happened to be one of
three delegates from my county in attendance
upon that convention, the other two being Judge
Reagan and Hon. T. M. Campbell, since gover
nor of Texas. Judge Reagan may have been
responsible for that plank but I give you a little
circumstanco that happened at that convention
that may show ho was not tho whole thing. Tho
money issue was the all absorbing question and
yet the plank as firBt reported by the committee
declared in favor of the redemption of the paper
money in gold or silver coin at the option of
the government. Hogg, from the floor of tho
convention, called attention to the error and
it is true that Judge Reagan undertook to de
fend the platform and it was some time before
he caught on to the mistake. I write about
these two convention matters merely from mem
ory and leave tho publication of this letter en
tirely to you. I feel sure that the papers pub
lished at the time of the two conventions will
sustain my statemnt. Next to you, I "should
like to see Wilson and Folk or Folk and Wilson
head our ticket in the next campaign.
Martin Rosenbaum, Melrose, Mass. The de
cision of the supreme court in the Standard Oil
case, is the rankest that ever was delivered by
that court or any other court. The next demo
cratic platform should have a plank, stating
there is no such thing as "reasonable restraint
of trade," in fact, it ought to embody entirely
the dissenting opinion of Justice Harlan, which
was the grandest utterance of the very best and
greatest man that ever sat upon the supreme
bench.
Graham C. Hunter, Nutby, N. Jl In the last
few months we have seen two cases in particular
in which the supreme court of the United States
has repealed legislation by process of distinc
tion; one the Danbury Hatter's case, the other
the Standard Oil case, both under the Sherman
law. However necessary the action in the first
of these cases may have been, yet evidently the
supreme court does not believe that the law
making body represents the general opinion of
the common people. Perhaps the reform needed
then, is to strengthen the legislative body, and
make it the undoubted representative of the
people. In the general idea it is not that now.
Most people distrust not only congress, but also
the state legislatures; and, some have abandoned
all hope ever of seeing a legislature constantly
responsible to the people. May one of your
readers who admires The Commoner and its
editor uphold the suggestion made long ago
that even with the referendum one of the great
needs is that the people may hold their legisla
tors up to the requirements of the party plat
form? They need to be able to say to their
legislature: "Here is the bill fulfilling the party's
pledge, and sanctioned by your party; vote for it."
In four or five states of the union they are do
ing this. One is Colorado, where Governor Shaf
roth has again and again shown himself to be
the head of his party as well as governor by
holding before the legislators what the people
desire and what they do not. Another is New
Hampshire, and another is California, and a
very eminent example is this state of New Jer
sey, where by cool persuasion and without use
of the patronage, Governor Wilson xset before
the legislators the program the people desired,
showed up each man to his constituents, and
gained by the simple method of getting in the
light, a splendid list of progressive laws. Your
reader believes firmly in the separation of the
judicial and legislative departments of the gov
ernment. We are, however, getting back to the
first principles of independent government when
the chief executive of nation or state also acts
as head of the party whose platform has been
chosen by tho people as their desire. A gover
nor or a president who recognizes this need
can never be a tyrant, for he is always under
control of tho legislative body, and he will be
the means by which the great needs of the time
will bo met.
VOLUME 11, NUMBER 32
of congress. The principle you fought for was
democratic as well as right, and was on tho
side of the masses. Underwood has shown us
that democracy can be forsaken by those whom
the people havo entrusted to write It into the law
under the dome of our capitol. It seems to mo
that the real fight was whether or not Bryan
could be humiliated by his friends. Can wo
right a wrong by doing half wrong and half
right? They claim they left 20 per cent duty
on wool because of the sins of the republicans
which put a 44 per cent duty on wool. Under
the light of reason then, if I should be convicted
in court of stealing and argue to the court that
I would quit half my stealing, ought they not to
turn me loose free, and say, go, ye blessed of
our land, for of such rest the hopes of our gov
ernment. Light of reason! Every time you
steal $44 you are entitled to keep for your
trouble $20 and for being generous-hearted,
praised by the newspapers of protection. If I
were in the habit of getting drunk every week
and whipping my wife and spending the money
that should go to buy warm clothing for my
children I should only be allowed to commit this
very immoral wrong and injustice to my family
every two weeks instead of every week. Mr.
Underwood, under the light of reason, if you
were going to quit sinning would you under
take it by degrees in broken doses, or would
you change suddenly aTound and quit the one
and cling to the other. When the poor sinful
woman was brought before Christ for Him to
condemn, He told her to go and sin no more.
He didn't say quit sinning by degrees, but quit
now. I suggest that if Mr. Underwood is left
in our party that the party plainly tell him to
do so no more. And poor old Champ. We had
banked so much on him. Where is he? We
can't find him. Whose side was he on? Has
he denied like Peter? If so, let him repent
like Peter and we will think over giving him
the keys of our next choice to unlock the white
house, which will be in 1912. I would rather
. give them to Mr. Bryan. I have never known
him to bow the knee to Balaam or worship the
golden calf. We always know before election
what he stands for and after the election we
know that he still stands for the same thing.
We feel sure he has been taken up into an
exceedingly high mountain and. instead pf bow
ing to the prince of the world (money) he said
get behind me for it is written that man shall
not live by bread (money) alone but by obey
ing his conscience. I have heard many remarks
concerning Mr. Bryan becoming a candidate
again for president in 1912 and the only objec
tion among the democrats is his being defeated
three times. Let us run someone who can unite
the forces. Tommyrot, we can never unite tho
forces no more than you can unite light with
darkness. We must never choose our captain
from our enemies, no matter if they do say
they are our friends. Let us follow the more
sure way of being right, that is, stay with those
that always stay with us. Don't imagine you
can trample on the feelings of your conscience
and go against sound sense and be freed from
sins by merely working your hands. It will
take a deeper washing than the hands to cleanse
us of our mistakes.
P. H. Long, Stella, Mo. I feel that if you can
smooth these few remarks out and make them
roadable they will speak for many of tho back
wood democrats who are beginning to think
for themselves and are going, to support principle
rather than men. I wish to congratulate you on
your-stand on the recent wool fight in the .house
WATCH rr GROAV
Mr. Bryan has given instructions that every
new subscriber shall receive The Commoner for
a period of two years (which will carry it be
yond the presidential election of 1912) for the
sum of one dollar. Every Commoner reader is
asked to secure at least one new subscriber.
Many will be able to secure more than one.
Everyone, however, may render some aid in
this work.
The following named readers have sent in five
or more subscribers:
Geo. W. Garrett, Ark.; T. F. Miller, Cal.; M
J. King, Mo.; W. E. Fowler, O.; W. A. Hoover,
Ind.; R. J. Vaughen, O.; F. M. Wilson, Kan.;
L. W. Anderson, Mo.; A, Holdale, Miss.; J. W.
Hughes, N. Y.; N. B. Hoyes, N. Y.; J. A. Okey,
O.; H. H. Peters, 111.; Elizabeth Compton, Mo.;
C. W. Hollis, Mo.; W. H. Grow, Minn.; J. J.
Dean, la.; J. L. Caldwell, Tex.; Michael Mc
Carthy, Cal.; Geo. M. Haight, N. Y.; W. T.
Elmore, Mont.; O. L. Hanna, 111.; M. A. Hoyt,
la.; Geo. A. Grabe, Cal.; J. A. Henne, O.; S. S.
Patch, la.; A. G. Sherbardger, Pa.; A. B. Smith,
Ala.; Bernard Borgmann, Neb.; L. H. Hayes,
Va.; M. W. Harris, Ind.; Arthur H. Ebel, Ind.;
J. H. Hall, Neb.; Wm. Misbaum, O.; J. R. Ar
mor, Pa.; S. J. Hockman, Ind.; S. E. Wheeler,
N. Y.; M. McLaughlin, D. C; A. L. Pearse, 111.;
Jno. Shufolt, N. Y.; J. R. Richey, Tex.; R. B.
Arnold, la.; Jno. T. Hupp, 111.; A. P. Barnum,
Pa.; W. A. Deen, 111.; .M. A. Hdyt, la.; W. T.
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