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The Commoner
26"
VOL. 15, NO. 12
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when ho assert8 that Germany's 40
years of preparation was only for do-
"fohso, yet the pages of history are
bloody with tho record of a hundred
wars that woro caused by prepared
ness and not one that was caused by
tho lack of it. For 140 years we
have sot tho world an example of a
pooplo independent, confident and un
afraid. Wo assorted tho Monroe Doc
trino in the face of Franco when we
woro exhausted by Civil war, and in
tho faco of England when our army
was smaller than now and our navy
but a few rotton wooden tubs. Now,
that wo are a nation of a hundred
million peoplo and our wealth a hun
dred eighty billion, with resources
unequalcd by any nation of this or
any other age. With, an efficient
army and a powerful navy, with no
enemy in sight and no possible an
tagonist, who is not already engaged
in war and cursed with a crushing
debt, the President tells us that our
national safety demands that we
abandon this American policy of 140
years standing and adopt the Euro
pean plan of preparation for war.
The Presidont seeks a middle ground
between the extremes of Bryanism
and Rooseveltism. There is no mid
dle ground. Nations must live either
by righteousness or by the sword. If
wo must depend upon the sword, then
. Roosevelt's plan does not go too far.
If might must continue to rule the
world, then tho New Testament
should never have been written;
Christ was but a crucified phantom
and tho hope of democracy is but a
dream. Against such a philosophy
every man who still has faith in a
government by the peoplo,
must and will revolt. When
we reflect that 90 per cent of
our great dailies are against us, the
thought is appalling, but it should
only stimulate and not discourage us.
We are not without leaders. A few
kuy
The Guaranty
State Bank
extends to its foreign deposit
ors, scattered through thirjty$qf
the states, a
MERRY XMAS and a
HAPPY NEW YEAR,
r l '
".
and trusts that'.tlie year' 1916,
' will be one of;' "
PEACE and
PLENTY.
!
At the same time prepare for
the days to come by starting an
account with us, on Savings Ac
count or Time Certificate, draw
ing interest at
FOUR PER CENT, COM
POUNDED SEMI-ANNUALLY.
All deposits made by you pro
tected by
OKLAHOMA DEPOSITORS
GUARANTY LAW.
Freo booklet and copy of law
on request.
GUARANTY
STATE BANK
MUSKOGEH
OKLAHOMA
M. G. HASKBUU Presidont.
H. B. DAVIS, Cashier
fearless souls havo dared to speak:
Bryan, Kitchen, Bailey, Carnegie and
Ford, and as tho people become
aroused, politicians will take courage
and more leaders will arise. The is
sue is clear cut. Attempt is being
mado to wipo ,out the difference be
tween the democratic and the repub
lican parties. It is the same issue wo
faced at Baltimore. We won then
and wo will win again under the same
leader.
J. B. Akin, Chautauqua, N. Y.:
Your paper should be in the hands
of every citizen of tho United States
at this time, regardless of party, sex
or color, and if it is the last act of
my life, will get up a list of sub
scribers. I have no time to cdmment,
but you will hear from me soon.
Frank L. Gannaway, St. Louis Mo. :
I most heartily indorse your position
in regard to the "preparedness"
bunk that seems to have taken hold
of some people, and I am sorry that
the only democratic president we
have had for 20 years seems to have
"fallen for it" for some reason or
other. I consider it undemocratic
at well as unchristian. It seems to
me if there ever was a time that
"preparedness" was unnecessary it is
just now.
President Wilson'8 new military
plan of preparedness for war, and de
cidedly in favor of your theories and
plans. I believe as you do in regard
to this question and will do what I
can to aid in keeping America from,
becoming a military nation with a
chip on its shoulder.
Horace Addis, Portland, Ore.: I
just want you to know that I have
written both the senators from Ore
gon, Messrs. Geo. Chamberlain and
Harry Lane, telling them I am one
democrat who regrets the President
going over to the side of the militar
ists in favor of a big army and navy
expenditure, under the name of a
"defense plan." I told them I be
lieved a very large proportion of the
members of the party in our state
do not endorse this idea of "being
ready," with a chip on our shoulder,
and that we prefer to follow the lead
of that greatest democrat and great
est of living statesmen, Wm. J. Bry
an, who is now, as he has been on
every question, right on the proposi
tion that justice in all tho dealings
of the nation are the best "protec
tion" the nation can have. God speed
you in your work for peace, temper
ance and the betterment of govern
ment and mankind.
J. L. Woods Merrill, Kansas City,
Mo.: Preparedness means war, war
means destruction, death and mur
der. For two thousand years the
only step against world's peace of
nations, by the world's board of ar
bitration, to settle the differences of
nations, and save millions of lives
and billions of unnecessary war taxes
has been caused by "preparedness" of
nations. Are we degenerating? Are
we going back as a nation to heathen
dom? Ancient history says fights,
Wars, and to kill, comes from ignor
ance. In America, from the first set
tlers, "copper colored nation," are
we to adopt their ways, take their
example into our family, and close
our eyes to progress. Our port pro
tections should be considered with
moderation on expenses. Where is the
money coming from to meet the large
obligation? By taxation. The num
ber of cadets at our naval schools
should bo increased, A large stand
ing army is preposterous, as our coun
try is at peace with all nations.
W. C. Jarboe, Altus, Okla.; I have
been, a subscriber of your paper for
a good many years, and after read
ing your last copy I feel like 1 would
pe glad to distribute a few copies,
with a view of getting some more of
my friends to -abscribe. I believe
that if we could crntv ntin in fpn nf tiio
thinking public to read this 'last copy
of: your paper, we cquld defeat this
worse than useless proposition to put
our country on a war footing at a
time above all others when we are
not threatened from any source.
Geo. L. Clements, Uniontown, Ky.:
iveep up tne good work for unpre
paredness, peace, prohibition and
woman suffrage.. I have voted for
you three times, would like to do so
again in j.yit. everybody here for
peace among Christian nations.
F. G. Flower, Spokane, Wash:
You are quite aware of my personal
feelings they haven't chanced in
twenty years but, like you, I might
find myself in a position to material
ly differ with my closest, most per
sonal, intimate friends upon ques
tions of public policy; just as you
are now differing with your
good friend, President Wilson. I have
made it my business to carefully
sound public opinion here in Wash
ington, Idaho an! Oregon and, outside
of some newspapers and their cor
poration influenced allies, I have
found a very large majority against
R. B. Trechsel, Idana, Kansas: I
am certainly opposed to prepared
ness, in fact, the great majority of
the people are. If the President
wishes to do what the people want,
he must quit talking preparedness,
and take that money and build trans
continental roads.
I. W. Crooks, Cicero, Ind.: Our
local papers published an article
from my pen early last spring,' point
ing out tho danger of the prepared
ness crusade, and this article was
commended by a letter from ;Dfr.
David Starr Jordan. I have 'been on
the firing line in this anti-military
battle for many years. By today's
mail I send our paper (The' Times)
another article under the caption
"The Bugaboo of Unpreparedness,"
which shows that although an old
soldier of the CiVtf war, passed sev
enty Tears,' I am' still in the!. ftpny
making war on war. Colonel Bryan
has made many fights against public
evils, hut in his present fight' oigaihst
militarism lie is engaged Jn a bare
handed fight with the devil tilmself.
When the, civilized part of the people
comprehend tlie true nature of the
fight, Mr, Bryan will soon have
enough help to put the devil's back
to the mat.
B, F. Kimn'is, N. Mex.: The $1
I am enclosing for subscription was
given me as a premium as the oldest
man at the annual picnic at Richland.
N. Mex., last September; my age was
83 years, 7 months and lrdays. I
have been a reader of The Commoner
since it started, and take itfa editori
als for the truth.
R. A. Church, Jorico Springs, Mo.:
I have been an admirer of President
Wilson, but I am not pleased with
the stand he has taken on prepared
ness in his Manhattan club speech.
I do hope he will see his mistake. I
was for Wilson before the Baltimore
convention, and living in Missouri
With Champ Clark. I hope you will
keep your good fight going, and that
the American peoplo will be aroused
to the dangers of preparedness.
J. W. Tanner, Filer, Ida.; I showed
a young man who is making a study
of tho many political questipns now
coming up, a copy of The Commoner,
and asked him to read what W. J.
Bryan has to say on "preparedness,"
and he became so interested that he
asked mo to send in his subscription.
I was telling a couple of democrats
about it, and they asked me to send
in their subscriptions at the sama
time, which I am doing. From now
on I am going to see how many mora
I can get you. Will run a little ad
every week, as well.
A. M. Ross, Sedan, Kansas.: I am
deeply concerned in the crisis through
Which our country is now passing. I
know of no better way in which a
poor man can render service to
friends, country and mankind, at the
present time, than to assist in circu
lating The Commoner, hence I make
the free contribution by sending tho
following club of five appreciative
readers.
Fred L. Prow, Salem, Ind.: I am
well pleased with Mr. Bryan's posi
tion on "prep edness," and would
like a few copies of The Commoner
with his Johnstown, Pa., address for
free distribution. Best wishes for
the success of The Commoner.
Chas. T, Phillip, Colo.: Please find
check for $3.00 in payment for club
of five yearly subscriptions enclosed.
The following is a part letter which
I have just written to a publisher
whose paper does not stand for the
things advocated by The Commoner:
"Kindly stop sending my paper Dec.
22, when my subscription expires. I
believe by using the dollar in pay
ment of one year's subscription for
W. J. Bryan's Commoner to be sent
to one of my neighbors will be a
much better investment."
S. J. Galloway, West Plains, Mo.:
I am with you in your fight on behalf
of the people, against special inter
ests and so are all of my neighbors.
F. B. Grainger, Allegan, Mich.: I
appreciate The -Commoner, and hope
and pray that God; will sparo W. J.
Bryan's life and' give him strength
for a long time to come--to enlighten
the people and that he may drive
his charges against the grafters that
are conspiring to , .fill . their pockets
from the. labor tho? man; in the over
alls is producing. .? ,
E. W. Woodward.; Neosho, Mo.: I
highly approve of ?WJlson's adminis
tration, if. he does nftt: follow the ex
ample of Joash: affcejc:.he ;was from
under tho influence; of Jehpida. Je
hoida was influenqed, by.Ievil coun
selors. . . v , .'
J. A. Minteer Neligh, ftebr.: I am
disappointed and surprised that the
president has t ken the stand. he does
in the matter of militarism.
T. J. Wolverton, Waterville, Kans.:
I am very sorry that President Wil
son has taken the stand that he has
for greater preparedness. I do not
see how any one can hold that pre
paredness prevents war when the
countries now at war were all pre
pared. I do not think there is any
danger of any European nation at
tacking this country they have
about alUthe fighting they can man
age without coming oyer here to in
terfere with the Unit d States.
Joseph B. Welcher, 111.: Enclosed
herewith please find draft for $3.00,
which pays for the renewal of my
subscription and for the enclosed list
of four new yearly subscriptions.
Thomas E. Scott, Ind.: The Octo
ber Issue of The Commoner was a
particularly good one. There is lots
of educational work to be done and I
shall try to do my share.
S. L. Lowr-y, Pittsburgh, Pa.: I
am writing to you at this time to aslc
you to send me some sample copies
of your November issue of Tho Com
moner. I wish to use them in try
ing to s'-jure subscribers for The
Commoner. This number is the. very
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