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The Commoner
ISSUED WEEKLY
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aH nucond-clasM matter.
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THE COMMONER, Lincoln, Nob.
comniittco injures tho party In Illinois and out
side. No successful light can bo made in Illinois
until ho rotiros and tho party leadership is in
position to attack Lorimorisni and all other foes
of tho people Tho delegates to tho national
convention should ho men who are outspoken
progressives men who will not only select a
progressive to succeed Sullivan on tho commit
tee, but men who will vote for a progressive
candidate for president men who will not at
any timo or under any circumstances support
Harmon or any other reactionary.
MK. BRYAN'S POSITION
Senator Jlitehdck, in an interview, published
In liis own paper, says:
"LET THE PEOPLE SAY"
"Any candidato for delogate-at-large is free to
declaro his personal preference or to conceal it
Tho important thing is that ho shall pledge
himself to cast his voto in tho convention for
that candidato who has received tho largest
numbor of votes at tho primaries in which ho
was elected. That pledge I have made. I know
tho three democratic candidates for president
who will bo voted for in tho Nebraska primaries,
in my opinion Judson Harmon will bo the
strongest ir nominated. II0 stands the best
chanco of election. Ho is my personal preference.
Nevertheless, if Wilson or Champ Clark receives
moro votes than ho does in tho Nebraska pri
2e;j ". Bent to the convention, choo -tnl
y voto tor either as long as he is in the field
and with my vote will go an earnest support
I do not deem it necessary to attack or dis
parage Clark or Wilson because I prefer Har
mon. I feel rather like rejoicing that the party
1 as such eminent, distinguished and worthy can
didates to choose from. The attaoka on Harmnn
ejt est irs? vSr fie0',.0;
fair show in tho Nebraska primaries just as
Wi son and Clark are. Ho is a good democrat
and a clean and honorable man, worthy SSS
gressivo democratic support." wuluiy 0l lo
This gives tho senator's preroronco nmi ,
at large and 1 In Uio dlBt?lots atatf th Sate?'
nomination of eithorlibeinf 1, a8B,8,t in the
convention by the natruc tfona ? ,ln tho
democratic voters of Nebrask"8 b,y the
But ho will not assist hi nominating avy'
Harmon. Ho believes Cover c it? Governor
a reactionary and the cloice o Bn bo
Governor Harmon can nn . al1 street.
out tho'active aid ofwaH aot101111?3 Vfih'
has worked too hard am ton ian2 Mr' Bryan
Blvo mocratic WolV
The Commoner.
mental in surrendering-tho Par?-S2rmw
trol of the predatory interests. If Mr. rmn
U the choice of tho democratic voters of Ne
braska they are entitled to ; delegates ; who can
lioarliiy carry out such sentiments. Mr. Biyan
can not and will not represent such a sentiment
in Nebraska or anywhere else. If Nebraska s
democracy instructs for Harmon Mr. Bryan will
refuse to servo as a delegate (in case ho is
eloctcd) but will, instead, go to Baltimore as an
individual and, as an individual, do what ho can
to secure the nomination of a progressive demo
crat, lie will later discuss the influences back
of Governor Harmon's candidacy in Nebraska,
hut this announcement is made at this time to
accompany Senator Hitchcock's announcement
for Harmon.
MK. HITCHCOCK'S EDITORIAL
"Some two years ago it was attempted to lay
down tho rule in Nebraska that there could be
no good and true democrats unless they were
for county option. Tho World-Horald opposed
it from start to finish. Tho brutal branding of
democrats opposed to county option as 'tools and
dupes of the brewers' was resented by the free
and untrammeled democracy of tho state, and
expression of that resentment was given unmis
takably and overwhelmingly in the Grand Island
convention.
"Now another rule is being laid down. It is,
in effect, that no democrat has a right to think
for himself in determining his preference for
tho presidential nomination of his party. It is,
in effect, that only those who are for Woodrow
Wilson are good and true democrats; that those
who arc for Champ Clark are badly spotted,
either 'tools or dupes;' that those who are for
Judson Harmon are entirely without tho pale,
reactionaries and traitors, foully doing the bid
ding of Wall street in order to betray, the party
and assassinate the demand for equal rights and
a square deal in government.
"Speaking for itself, the World-Herald re
sents this rule quite as much as it did the county
option rule. The democrats of Nebraska are
freemen, and intelligent. They do not take
orders; they give orders. They are more compe
tent to decide, patriotically, democratically, in
telligently, whd is their choice for president
than any man, however honored, than any clique
or coterie, is to decide it for them." Omaha
(Nob.) World-Herald.
DROPPING HARMON FOR PRESIDENT
Editorial in Norwalk (Ohio) News: The
Scripps-McRae papers and the Cincinnati En
quirer took a poll of the democratic members
of tho Ohio constitutional convention prior to
February 8th, upon which date Governor Har
mon delivered his speech against tho initiative
and referendum. On this poll the vote showed
Harmon 30, Bryan 17, Wilson 10, Clark 5, Folk
,' A. fGfw dftys aSo a second poll was taken and
hero ,s the result: Harmon 23, Bryan 19 Wil
son 15, Clark 4, Underwood 1. In the first no 1
Tw htw;VOt.?S aS aSainst e "eld wlfic
had 33. Now in the second poll Harmon his
ft nTM 2? and the field has inoVSSid to
J J. This is indicative of the change of senti
ment going on all over Ohio and -in fact Hie
ZoZrZolnn HarUT'S WeV to the
peoples cause. It was shown at the meetintr
of the democratic state central commit?!! vf
If ex-Congressman Ben Caldwell nf tih .
gets into the governor's nfTW ? ? Illinois
have to take off their sho a t SieZf i tB
and knock their heads on t? a outlside dor
before they canUdrnis highness. "
.
VOLUME 12, NUMBER 12
DEMOCRATIC CONVENTIONS
Following is a dispatch to the Louisville
(Ky.) Courier-Journal: Augusta, Mo., March
19. Local option for cities and towns; a $2,000
000 bond issue for good country roads;" a public
utilities commission, arid adequate employers'
liability legislation' wero the principal policies
outlined in tho platform adopted by tho demo
crats of Main at the biennial state convention
today. It was the first state convention in New
England to select delegates to a national con
vention. Tho local-option plank advocates tho
adoption of an amendment to tho constitution
as an addition to the prohibitory amendment.
It provides that the prohibitory amendment
shall not apply to cities in which -places tho
manufacture and sale of intoxicating liquors may
be permitted under such regulations as the legis
lature may provide.
Tho twelve delegates to the national conven
tion in Baltimore will go not only unpledged,
but without an expression of preference from
the convention. A Wilson resolution was sub
mitted to tho committee on resolutions, but was
not accepted. The convention also nominated
six candidates for the electoral college.
Addresses were made by United States sena
tors Charles F. Johnson and Obadiah Gardner
and Congressmen Daniel McGillicuddy and
Samuel Gould. A resolution offered by Gover
nor Plaisted to the memory of former Governor
John F. Hill was adopted.
By agreement of the convention no delegates-at-large
were chosen, the districts each naming
three delegates instead of two, thus making
up the state's full quota of twelve. In the past
it has been the custom for the district represen
tatives to name two delegates each and the con
vention itself to select four to serve at largo.
The delegates named are: First district Dr.
Charles M. Sleeper, Dr. Harry A. Weymouth and
Stephen C. Perry.
Second District Senator Obadiah Gardner,
Representative Daniel J. McGillicuddy and Mil
ton Cundall.
Third District- Senator Charles Johnson,
Representative Samuel W. Gould and Governor
Frederick W. Plaisted.
Fourth District Fred H. Strickland, Fred W.
Thurlow and J. S. Williams.
JUDGE DUNNE'S PLATFORM
Judge Dunne of Chicago, formerly mayor, has
announced his candidacy on a clean-cut plat
form. It will bo found below. Now will other
candidates follow his example. If not, why not?
1 he Commoner will be pleased to publish the
platforms of other candidates if they will send
them in, but until some better gubernatorial
platform comes in, this one is good enough:
1. Abolition of the state board of equali
zation; its functions to be performed by a com
mission of experts appointed by the governor,
approved by the senate, who shall sit the year
louncl in open session and preserve daily
mn? tes and records of its proceedings.
of v , Gllactment of. a corrupt practices
act limiting tho amount of a candidate's election
co!!6" and rG(luiring the publication of the
same before and after election.
nni ,The. en.actment of a direct primary law
SSSlin? 1 ? United States senators and presi
dential electors.
mp'nt tv?8111!.101 Providing for an amend
Sinof ?n f ate constitution permitting the
in5?nffv ? f, lavF for tlle establishment of the
initiative and referendum.
to thnf eg!Sla.ti0,n l,rovidlng for an amendment
atrictS 2,f Ue stafe institution which re
one nrffn iendents of th sa to more than
a vticZ nn? Sthe Sa,me session and to the same
S PnffteneJ than once in nr years.
6. Reform of the revenue law.
Chicaeo ??? ldat,on 0f tne Park boards of
conti'ol ne cornorate bdy under city
"8. Retrenchment of state expenses.
GOOD WORK
income tax hm ?f ,frC0 sugar biH and the
are CTo-it atSni ?y UQ hoilBe of representatives
fs cKr? m o,1Silncadvance and The Commoner
hla InfluiSnn ndlt,Speaker CIark with exerting
mattwa nMr TTh0, Side of tllG peol)le ln tllese
Sthep but wn-ynd0P,wJ?0d dId not desire it
committpp tn f?rd by hIs colleagues on the
SShS hnJU th? measure through. The
tion and fbn iSl0W totake UP tlle " &?
favoring n Si9mooratic '0avcns, errod, iin not
Money Strustfh,al i?Trateoi,tQ Jayostigato 'the
rwlne AVJ Sy has Jnado-'a torn strolae in
tonoomgr'y'mUlions of t& Jfromcfcoasulrtplioii
w0in,qomeB.M..,. 0() ,-,,5 ,
IXK9HOM
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