24
The Commoner
VOL. 16, NO. 2
People Protest Against "Scaredness" Program
F. J. Flanagan, Fairport, N. Y.:
God bless you for the stand you have
talcon upon tho question of a big
army and navy. I Have just read
tho statement you issuod covering
President Wilson's speaking tour and
I wish I could convoy to you how
clear and refreshing it soomod after
tho ondless outpouring of words,
words, words on tho part of all the
advocates of preparedness, including
tho President, on this subject. I
heard you speak in the fall in De
troit upon this question, and consid
ered your speech then the best I
havo over hoard you deliver. . I am a
traveling salesman, and I am posl
tivo you havo voiced the sentiment
of tho majority of tho American peo
ple on militarism. I havo covered a
largo section of the country In tho
past six months, and nowhere have
I found any great sentiment for a
huge military and naval establish
ment. On tho contrary, I have found
that among tho plain people there is
a tromendous sentiment against such
a burdon being placed upon thorn. To
you, Mr. Bryan, wo look as tho lead
er in this fight against tho corrupt
ing forces who are making a tre
mondous effort to fasten militarism
upon this nation, and who are so
poworfuj they have evon bont the
PrnRlrlnnf. tn thnlr will. Now. as ill
tho former fights you havo mado for
tho people your vast army of friends
havo ralllod bohlnd you, and you may
depend on their strength as they de
pond on your leadership. May God
glvo you tho power to lead us to vic
tory. O. F. Carpentor, Weston, Ohio, ad
dressed tho following letter to Wil
liam Gordon, Washington, D. C.:
From roports in tho Cleveland Plain
Dealer, I loam that the savages of
that vicinity are attomnttnjrvto frlght-
on you because of your'liono'sty and'
courage In opposing the lttst "cow
ardly and loathosomo "pork barrel"
over sprung upon an American con
gress. Rocont editorials In the Plain
Dealer aro most emphatic evidences
. of tho power of the military spirit to
make It zealots vicious and blood
thirsty. I hope you will not be swerved
from your convictions by a howling
group of military maniacs. I hope
you need no encouragement to con
tinue to play tho role of a man
charged with the responsible duties
of preserving civilization and defend
ing tho twentieth century against tho
forces of hate and greed that threat--en
tho return of tin dark ages.
Preparodness for war will necessi
tate a war to prove the wisdom of
"Proparcdnoss."
I am convinced that the greatest
enemies of America are within her
own borders. Tho "Rockefeller
massacre" in Colorado and the Bast
land horror In Chicago are more vi
tally connected with our honor and
self-respect than the safety of Amer
icans who choose to enter war zones,
porchod beneath a belligerent flag
and above a cargo of munitions.
An armed peace is not worth the
having, oven if such a peace were
possible. Justice and friendship to
ward all nations and peoples are the
mightiest guarantees of national se
curity. Militarism knows no peace;
Its food is hate and suspicion, its mo
tive greed, and its method slaughter.
May you never make nennt wifii
j.the enemies of our nation's peace.
Mason C. Breckman, Becklev, W.
Va,: In about one and one-half hours
time I secured tho enclosed club of
twenty-ono subscribers. Shall en
deavor to send another list soon.
Would be clad to havo you furnish
tho current December number to
these people If possible. You have
my best wishes.
Alfred Lookabill, Crawfordsville,
Ind.: You will And enclosed a list of
thirteen subscriptions to your most
valuable paper. This is only a small
testimonial of my appreciation of the
great work which Is now being done
by your paper and the great leader
who stands behind it. Tho curse of
this country Is the power of organ
ized greed and graft represented by
the great corporations which through
the subsidized press, under tho flimsy
pretense of false patriotism and the
excuse of "preparedness," are now
seeking to burden America with the
damnable policy of militarism.
In tho light against this great
evil tho nnnnlo would now be without
a leader and friend were it not for
that matchless statesman, William
Jennings Bryan, who has no equal
In our country, and perhaps hone in
all the world. It Is through his vqjee
and pen that the people are now able
to get the light turned in on the de
based and corrupt schemes of the
great interests to pass laws inimical
to the Interests of the great body of
the people. It is a blessing to the
people that this light shines, because
other papers and other leaders both
great and small are too cowardly to
toll the people what is going on. I
am seventy-eight years old and have
aways voted the democratic ticket.
I voted for President Wilson in good
faith, but if he is" instrumental in
fastening on this country the curse
of militarism I shall have to break
this record and vote the republican
ticket, or some other, and' there are
others of the same mind. Let me
urge every reader of The Commoner
to co-operate with Mr. Bryan in this
great work by redoubling the sub
scription list to The Commoner. Let
us not let him bear the brunt of the
battle alone. Now is the time for
us to uphold his hands and in that'
way really serve our country. You
will And enclosed a money order for
seven dollars and eighty cents for
thirteen yearly subscriptions to The
Commoner. I have written the
President and Senators Kern and
Shively regarding this matter.
W. D. Folsom, Henniker, N. H.:
Mr. Bryan is representing the side
of the people. Herewith find draft
to pay for club of eight yearly sub
scriptions. Walter E. Simnien, Mitchell, Ind.:
Being greatly interested in Mr. Bry
an s personal work and life we feel
obliged to assist in making it possible
for people to know just what he is
advocating, and in fact what he is
doing. lo
Arthur A. Robinson, Primrose
Nebr.: I am heartily ln synnmthy
Si aft that is proposed to be put un
on tho people of the country without
enn?n8entVYoU viH And enclosed
tim?? tn ffiy n1' flve yearl' subscrip
tions to The Commoner. J will trv
to get more; want to do all I can
against tho great "preparedness"
graft, and for the state dry campaign.
T. L. Stiles, Howe Valley, Ky We
are with you heart and soul in you?
opposition to "preparedness." ygl!
hem hard. But very few we have
heard express themselves in' favor of
it. Scarcely one in twenty-five vote?s
approve of it. I enclose three yearly
subscriptions to Tho Commoner
Thos Hyland, New York City, N
V: We admire with undiminished
.i- ,,M Haflncriitaltorl brother. I
know that whatever stand ho takes
is prompted by love of God and man.
Ho will be honored when those who
now criticise him shall havo been
forever forgotten. May God protect
and spare him to our country. I
enclose a club of four yearly sub
scriptions to The Commoner.
F. H. Gillan, Humboldt, Neb.
The first gun fired in the state, out
side of Omaha, in opposition to the
proposed program for preparedness,
now before congress, was by Hon. I.
J. Dunn of Omaha, in an address de
livered at the opera house in Hum
boldt, on the evening of February 4,
under the auspices of the Humboldt
Commercial club. This was the first
of a series of public addresses on im
portant questions, that the club is
arranging for. Mr. Dunn is a well
known lawyer, of strong convictions
relative to government principles,
and fearless in giving expression to
tho faith that is in him. He is one
who has fought the battles of dem
ocracy in this state for years against
the influences that are stimulated by
the brewers and other trusts. In his
address in this city, he was greeted
by a representative audience of men
and women of almost every political
faith. It is difficult to conceive of
anyone presenting so forceful an ar
gument against the idea of prepared
ness as suggested by the President,
as was presented by Mr. Dunn, and
at the same time keep himself free
from the charge of openly criticizing
the motives qf the President in the
marvelous change of front' he has
made in the last fourteen months.
And from his presentation of facts
concerning the gigantic combinations
of munition manufacturers, it is easy
to see how easily even a president of
the United States might be uncon
sciously misled, in tho actual senti
ment prevailing in the hearts of men
and women who would be compelled
to furnish the fighting blood of the
nation.
Michael J. Doyle, Berkeley, Calif.:
Only through united effort of liberty
loving Americans throughout the
whole country can the death-mongers
be checked in their dealings. They
are out here displaying moving pic
tures that must have cost fortunes
flashing fear into thousands of eyes
while a paid liar fulminates in ac
companiment to the horrors of the
reel. I am not much of a solicitor,
but am sending a club of four vearlv
subscriptions.
T. A. Walsh, Spokane, Wash: The
opposition delight in alluding to Mr.
n.7au inde?fcly as a "Peace at any
price" pacifist, which is a libel. ' Our
fire eating, militaristic friends should
be referred to as advocates of "War
at any price." Both expressions rep
resent extreme views, and there is as
much sense in one as the other.
Peter C. Anderson, Minden, Neb.:
heartily endorse Hon. William Jen
nings Bryan's position in regard to
the "preparedness" plan. I am cer
tainly opposed to it. I am a deaf
farmer, and also a subscriber to The
Commoner. I know what prepared!
"rr,f0r- is m'ean? for
war of barbarism." We, the nenniP
of the United States, are 'strong with
W. J. Bryan, for he is a verv ,.,,i
dutiful peace-maker to ou cLntry
He is right to lake the fight Sust
Hee7srrinKhtoeCaUSe W0 S e
ffifcSga 7rbiti- w
uians buftrage, because we arp r
them. May God bless him wUh
strength and success for more years
to fight against' evils because' our
hearts are his in spirit.
Ex-Gov. Charles N. Herreid, Aber
deen, S. D.: For one, I want to ex
press my appreciation of your stand
on the "preparedness" issue. The
people are just getting their eyes
open on this question, and will be
with you.
R. C. Ghostley, Edmontdn, Alberta,
Can.: Enclosed please notice clipping
strongly supporting your attitude up
on the "preparedness" program of
the United States, contained in state
ment made by ex-Premier Rosebery,
of Great Britain. In discussing the
policy of the Wilson administration
upon "preparedness" with several
erstwhile Americans (being one my
self even yet) I have found many of
them believe in you and your power
to frustrate the passage of this pro
gram. Many Canadian-Americans
in Western Canada strongly approve
your policy and stand. Many Can
adians as well; This is to'widh you
success in your fight to ; save the
country and hemisphere from tho
most terrible, calamity that ever
threatened' its history.
A. B. Smith, Convoy, Ohio: "Down
with preparedness" is the slogan of
this vicinity. We want to "read more
of Mr. Bryan's Views on 'this sub
ject. In enclose club of four yearly
subscriptions. '
M. H. Wolfe, Hudson Wise: I
will do all in my power to' defeat the
plan of the speciarinterests; I fullv
agree with Mr: Bryan's position' on
the question of so-called "'"prepared
ness." I am sure Mr. Bryan is the
champion of the people.
W. J. Fuller, Callaway, Va.: I
want to help the cause for whicti Mr.
Bryan and The Commoner stand. I
know of no better way than to get
as many voters as possible to read
his paper. Herewith find a club of
five.
Robert Jones, Herrin, 111.: The
"preparedness" nrocram is haine- se
verely criticized and protested in
mis community. I have talked with
a great number of people and feel
safe in saying that eight out of every
ten are opposed to any appropriation
for military purposes, over and above
the amount appropriated in late
years. Organized labor has sent in
a protest. I have been fighting mil
itarism for a number of years and
think it is not wise for our country
to fall into the snare of the makers
of war supplies now.
G. E. Meissner, New York City, N.
Y.: I am fully in favor of your action
in protesting against "prepared
ness" and shall endeavor to assist
you in your work with the- utmost
energy.
Mrs. Chas. Maples, Green Forest,
Ark. I am strictly against this so
called "preparedness" now being
considered by congress. I am high
ly in favor of Mr. Bryan's idea, and
so are the democrats in- this locality
who I have heard express themselves.
m E. Estill, Boonville, Calif.: Wish
ing the great Commoner success in
his work for the people of the United
States, I am enclosing a club of six
yearly subscribers.
Andrew Paton, Ypsilauti, Mich.': I
uo not suppose it will do you anv
special good to hear from a plain,
everyday citizen of Ypsilantf, Mich.,
.."" .BMAjhJMd&AtfJiJL, j