rOff
The Commoner.
AUGUST 23, 1U
vm-i
Sixty New Commoner Readers from One Community
H. J. Schmidt, Oialrraan Democratic Comity Central Committee, Dodge City, Knn. Enclosed find check for $15.00 for which send TJio
Commoner to the enclosed 00 names of subscribers. This list was given mc by Mr. H. W. narahbergor of this city and i tho rcult of an
afternoon's work; ho started out to get one hundred, but was forced to quit, but lie says ho will attend to tho rest later. Ifo is a Virginia
democrat, born in the same county and in the same year as Governor Wilson. It looks now as if Wilson and Marshall will carry Kansas, also
as if wo would elect the second democratic goyornor old Kansas has ever had.
How to Beat Murphy
Governor Wilson has very properly announced
that he can not participate in stato contests.
Some New York democrats desired to enlist tho
governor's help in the fight against Charles F.
Murphy a fight New York democrats are now
waging. A candidate for ofllce must ofton take
things as he finds them so far as party machin
ery is concerned. Ho can not always do what
he would like to do in reforming his party and
in forcing undesirables to tho rear. But Gov
ernor Wilson's help is not needed in this fight.
There are enough good democrats in Now York
to drive Murphy to the rear and to defeat him
in his efforts to control New York politics if
these democrats will go to the fronli in defense
of their party and thoir country. Tho New
York World is making a gallant fight against
Murphy and Murphyism and on this lino it gives
the democrats of tho entire state a broad hint
when in an editorial entitled, "How to Beat
Murphy," it says:
"The World gives its unqualified indorsement
to Governor Wilson's policy of. non-intervention
in the contest against Charles F. Murphy. The
duty of ridding the democratic party of the
blight of .Murphyism does not rest upon the
democratic candidate for president. It rests
upon the 700,000 democratic voters pf .New
York. We do not believe in the superman
theory of government. We do not believe that
a resident of New Jersey, however eminent,
should be expected to do the work of tho demo
crats of New York. If they can not save them
selves from stupid and corrupt boss rule, they
do not deserve salvation. Tho way to beat
Murphy is not to appeal to Woodrow Wilson but
to appeal to the enrolled democrats who will
vote in the primaries next fall. Murphy can
not control the democratic state convention un
less he has a majority of the delegates. He
can not have a majority of the delegates unless
his delegates are chosen at the primaries. If
the democrats of Brooklyn refuse their allegi
ance to the Tammany boss and his local under
lings, if the democrats up the state refuse to
send Murphy men to the convention, tho control
of the party can be wrested from Murphy's
hands. Now is tho time for the democratic
newspapers of this state to prove their courage
and independence and capacity for public ser
vice. The leadership in this contest belongs to
them and the responsibility rests upon them.
Let them present the issue clearly and plainly
and forcefully to their readers, and Murphy can
be beaten. The great majority of New York
democrats do not want Charles F. Murphy to
name their candidate for governor. They do not
want Charles F. Murphy to appoint judges of
the court of appeals. They do not want the
Murphy system of government by contracts ox
tended throughout the state. They do not want
their party machinery In the hands of the boss
who disgraced New York at Baltimore. But
they will never make the fight againBt him un
less they are stirred into action. If the clean
cut issue of Murphyism can be effectively pre
sented to the democratic voters at the demo
cratic primaries, the democratic party will no
longer be at the mercy of the stupid boss of
Tammany. Governor Wilson has enough to do
without trying to clean up tho democratic party
in New York. Let 700,000 democratic voters do
this for themselves, for the stato and for their
country."
DIRECTORS WHO DO NOT DIRECT
The Wall Street Journal tells of a verdict
rendered recently in London which bears strong
ly upon the interesting American question affect
ing directors who do not direct: "On tho
strength of a pamphlet and circular issued by
the authority of the directors of tho Law, Car
& General Insurance Corporation, Frank Dod-
son purchased shares in that company and sued
tho directors for breach of faith. It appearod
that neither the 10 per cont dividend nor tho
2 per cent bonus declared simultaneously with
tho Issue of the circular had been earned, and
that tho directors had boon deceived by ono or
more of the executive ofllcors. These diroctors
were Sir Henry Cotton, a distinguished English
public servant, and four others of unquestioned
probity and standing. A criminal charge was
made but was withdrawn whon these gontle
men were able to prove that they themselves
were buying the shares at a premium subse
quent to the declaration of tho dividend. Tho
question of good faith, therefore, did not outer
into the civil trial, which turned entirely on tho
responsibility of tho directors. They were do
fended by some of tho ablest men at tho English
bar, and the summing up of the judge, although
entirely impartial, laid stress upon thoir un
blemished standing in tho community. Tho
jury after a deliberation of forty-five minutes
returned a verdict for the plaintiff, holding tho
directors liable for his loss. Tho jury accepted
the direct instruction of tho judge that tho
directors wore appointed for the purpose of
supervising tho notion of tho oxccutlvo ofllcors,
and found that they could havo satisfied thom
soJvob as to whethor the dividend and bonus had
been oarnod or not; and an to tho truth of tho
glowing statements about tho company's nllogod
incrcaso of business mado in tho pamphlot and
prospoctus, upon tho authority of which tho
plaintiff bought 1i!b shares."
Tho Wall Street Journal hits the nail square
ly on tho head whon it says: "What would not
this country give for only a few verdicts liko
that? Tho more respectable a director Is, tho
more Is he bound, for tho sake or his honor and
credit, to see that ho, a trustee of tho stock
holders, Is not deceived. Our laws givo him
ample opportunity to do so. Do they equally
protect stockholders when ho accepts tho posi
tion as a dummy, or as a tribute to his commer
cial standing, accoptlng also the director's fcou
and porquisites and yot fails to direct?"
A federal j;n?o in Georgia seeks to punish
for contempt tho man who asks for the impcacu
mont of tho judge. Yot wo aro expected to go
right ahead entertaining tho profoundest respoct
for such judicial procedure.
The "Torchlight Procession" is Doomed
As a means of- Influencing thinking men in
this day and ago of progress, the "torchlight
procession," liko other similar agencies, is
passing Into history.
The voters of today aro reading and thinking
for themselves They demand arguments and
reasons rather than red lights and loud noises.
In the future, tho party that makes Its appeal to
the intellects of men is the party that will win
political conflicts and promote progressive re
forms. The democratic party today occupies an 'Im
pregnable position with tho best voters of all
parties. Its platform is strong; its candidates
.are strong; but its message MUST bo carried
to the voters themselves. The voters MUST
BE SHOWN WHY the democratic party deserves
success. Good campaign literature must bo
placed in their hands. This Is a work every
earnest member of the democratic party CAN
and SHOULD do In his precinct, regardless of
whether there is a political club or not. Whoro
political clubs are already -organized, this work
will make them doubly effective.
Numerous instances can be cited where a fow
earnest men have set out to supply the new and
doubtful voters of their precinct with good cam
paign literature. As a means of doing this,
they have placed The Commoner in their hands
for the fall campaign. In actual vote-getting
results, the work of these few men has been
more effective than any other method. With
Tho Commoner going into tho homes of 10,
25 and 50 doubtful voters orrery week the re
sults have been surprising.
The reason is simple personal, individual
work counts. An Instanco of what ono
worker can do was told in last week's Com
moner. This worker started out to get up a
Commoner club in his precinct. Ho secured
tho names of 111 voters, 8-1 novor having read
The Commoner, and SIXTY-FOUR of the num
ber were REPUBLICANS formerly. Thoso re
publicans, on account of their previous affilia
tions, would perhaps not caro to Join a political
club. At the same time, they havo shown that
they are willing to read and think on the vital
issues of tho day, and when the time comes
to vote they can ho depended upon to cast an
intelligent ballot.
Here is a class of voters that can not bo easily
reached by political clubs. Thoy CAN BE
REACHED by tho earnest party workers their
next door neighhors by organizing a Com
moner club. Hundreds of Commoner workers
have started out on this plan and are placing
Tho Commoner in tho hands of doubtful voters.
This kind of work will "make tho higgest light"
when tho ballots aro counted in November.
Will you be ono of tho earnest workers to
take up tho work in your precinct? The tlmo
is short; tho opportunity is great. Tho Com
moner campaign rate is low 25 cents for single
subscriptions from now until the close of tho
campaign. A good Commoner club will bo tho
most effective way of Increasing tho party
strength in your precinct. Start tho work to
day. Uso the attached blank for clubs of four,
or attach to blank Bheet for larger club.
FOUR FOR $1.00 CLUB
THE COMMONER, Lincoln, Neb.:
Gentlemen Enclosed find $1.00 for which please send Tho Commoner to the follow
ing four new subscribers under your special campaign offer FOUR FOR $1.00 from now
until the close of the presidential campaign.
Name '. ' P. O.
Name
,.,v,,..P,jp. ..,....-.... :...:!: .....; ,
' ' ' ' " -. it:, . Ajr .. ' .-
..'.. v. .......,...,;,.., p !-'. O"' ' ' "" - i 1 . .
" ' ..." - ' h - . "
Name
Name '. . . P. O.
