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The Commoner
JANUARY, 1921
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at largo from the state of Oregon. I. kept in .
touch with your headquarters whilo in" San
Francisco, and can assure you ,'th'at I wad an
ardent supporter of the amendments as pre
sented by you at the 'convention, and still am
endorsing the stand you are now taking and have
-taken relative to the league of nations and
peace' treaty,, an'd I believe that much good will
result from your conference with the president
elect of Friday, December 17.
Jas, H. Wdertcndyke, Illinois. -I am more in
terested iii, th.e. proposition to reorganize the
Democratic party t than I am in most any bit of -news
that has come to my office cluring the past
presidential campaign, and if the party cannot
be reorganized with different leadership, that
will harken more to the wishes, of the people
on the settlement of great public questions, then
I hope there will be a now party organized
along lines that will meet the requirements of
the present day".
I was originally a Democrat, but have been
a Prohibitionist since 1900 and am willing now
to join in an effort to make the Democratic party
over anew and to join with you and others in
that effort, with the thought that there will bo '
due consideration given, to some important re
forms that must be taken up, and some that
are now up and must be settled with a stable
policy of government. If advised when and
where the contemplated conference is to be
held I would be pleased to be present and par
ticipate in such an undertaking. I was the
nominee on the Prohibition ticket at the late
election for governor of this state. Wishing
you every success and hoping to hear from you
or the committee in charge of arrangements
with -an announced opening that I may be ad
mitted' -to such a conference.
I believe they will abandon their projudico in
order to secure victory, or at least be placed in
.the position to get a respectable run for their
money. . '
t Chas. A. JOiemari", Iowa. It probably means
little to you what an unknown Iowa 'Republican
might think, but I do want you to know that I
fully concur with your opinion in the matter oi
this presidential election. Not alone is it the
Republican who lakes this view, but I can name
a good many Democrats in this city who cast
their votes for a Republican president for the
very reason, you have stated, among them wo
men who were casting their first votes as Iowa
citizens. Although of a different political belief,"
I have always admired your stand in the wel
fare of our c-unlry. I am sorry we cannot have,"
a 'man. of your ability and broad vision In the
chair. "
tion succeeds in cleaning up the mess the out
going administration' has l.:t behind there will
be no need of reorganizing any party. I have
always been for W. J. Bryan and am yet but he
should "form a new party with a platform that
means something more than empty promises.
The Democratic party don't go with mo any
more.
R,. T-Jordan, Texas. I enjoyed reading"" the
many expressions from the people found in the
last issue of The. Commoner. I think the Missouri.
Democrat has expressed it about right. .Any re
organization of the Democratic party that does
hot recognize W. J. Bryan as tfie foremost ex
ponent of Democracy can hardly expect to suc
ceed. . Mr. Bryan is no better. Democrat than
many of us but he hap -the happy faculty of
expressing it better in word and deed. His fore
sight into things political, and courage to ex
press them in and out of season, is remarkable
and admirable., -For a. number of years X ave
f c llowed him and most always found out that
his course was the proper one. I-haVe. never
found occasion to regret Liy course. Hte in
fluence for moral and religious ideals ts in
estimable. Hit; influence for nation-wide pro
hibition, is a moral irifluen-e.
Just now we are face to face with economic
and moral problems that need solving. J.Tho
agricultural interests of the United States musu
be encouraged and built up. Just how, I do
not know best, -but will suggest that a commis
sion similar to the .interstate commerce com
mission be given some kind of advisory powers
tp suggest a market for farm products, based
on cost of production and a fair profit to the
producer; also, that this commission be given
power to grant a license to dealers in farm pro
ducts, and no one can deal in them without a
license; and if the dealer asks too much for
his products his license could be revoked. The.
dealer's prices too should be based upon a
legitimate profit and cost of carriage. All deal
ing In "futures" in farm products- should be
forbidden. The horse races and lotteries went;
why not the "future gambler"? Many other re
lief measures could -be suggested, but this will
do to start on.
B. "W. Durkee, Oregon. I- have just flnishea
reading '"The Commoner, which I read every
month from A to Z with great interest. Especial
ly do I- enjoy the letters from the people re
ceived by The Commoner commenting on cur
rent events. Mr. A. A. Meredith of West
. Virginia in his eulogy of. William Jennings Bryan
writes one sentence In which I have no doubt he
is sincere and absolutely honest. Here it Is:
"I have voted for him three times and have al
ways voted the Democratic ticket though at some
elections I had to hold my nose to do it." His
Democratic ticket must 1 rve been foul, even rot
ten. It was so immediately after the national
convention - at San Francisco. It could not be
otherwise being controlled as it was by that rot
ten disloyal, whisky element. Againr-in the very'
next paragraph Mr. Meredith said: "I am will
ing to do my part to make the Democratic party
a -real party of the people and for the people,
etc."
In these sayings Mr. Meredith admits, as it
stands today, fha't the party is not a "real party -of
the people" and that it is rotten. The only
remedy is get rid of its rotten element. , If he
and the better element of the party had rallied
to the honest support of William Jennings Bryan
in, the San Francisco convention as they should
have done to force the adoption of his prohibi-
-tioiu-plank, the party would have got rid of those
disloyal bums to bo joined by every prohibition
ist in the land. The result would have leen the
election of an honest prohibition president, and
the party would have been-, as .Mr. Meredith
wishes for, "A real party of the people and for
the people." I join with Meredith in saying "I
will do my 'part to that end."
Morris H. Mills, Idaho. There was an elec
tion on Tuesday (Nov. g, 1920). Today is
Wednesday, the day "following, and we can in
imagination see the emblematic donkey be
stiring himself in, Washington and perusing road
-maps showing the various lines of travel lead
ing to a place called Lincoln, in the state of
Nebraska. In the light of past experience, he
knows of no other place where there is hope
of getting the- sustenance necessary to enable
him to compete .with a show fpr success in a
race with the elephant, which can only take
place four lean years hence.
The people have spoken. The verdict has been
rendered, and while many reasons have been
given , by the wiseacres, the fact remains that
the "masses that were ignored are ALL that is
left. The donkey moves stowly, and it may be
some time before he puts in an appearance. How
ever, he can be heard even now braying in the
distance. """
R. R. Beam, Colorado. -Although they were
the boldest and most mercenary band of po
litical hyenas that ever secured control of a
great party, their oblivion in my opinion is
permanent. Certainly support or alignment with,
them in the future would spell disaster. They
had the opportunity to develop their real char
acter, and did, so that an association with any
of them would be considered a liability, and be
courting political bankruptcy.
Your silence during the campaign I approved,
and' what an excellent finale. Some Democrats
(Eastern), I believe, considered you as handi
cap to the party. That has certainly been
eliminated, and I think valuable to you, Those
that did not entertain that idea now know that
you are indispensable and absolutely essential,
and I predict; an almost unanimous appeal, that
you 'take ,fytf ' qohtrdl'' of the policies of theT
party in the! future. Some may 'not like-it, but
H. H. Hill, Oklahoma. I am for Mr. Bryan
for president in 1924. We ought to start at
once to get the next congress. I am for a new
deal. Put none but Bryan men and women on
guard. The Wilson bunch laid down on us this
time. They knew they could not elect Cox; they
were for 'anything to beat Mr. Bryan. The next
time, with Bryan the candidate, the Republicans
can't say he promised to keep us out of war as
they did this time about Wilson. They ap
pealed to the "slacker" vote and they got them.
I think it was a shame that- the Republicans
forced Wilson in the war, then said he. promised
to keep us out, and then got back into office
on it. Cox and that bunch. did not deny it, so
the voters found them guilty.
Frank E. Lenhart, Nebraska. I have read the
statement given by you to the p.ublic after the
November election, and wish to congratulate you
in speaking more truth, and, getting noarcr to
the true and exact conditions than all the po
litical speakers and information given to the
voters during this great election. I assure you
I have always had the greatest respect for you as
a citizen of our great country, though have boon
of different political faith, after reading this
great littlearticle it would be a pleasure to sup
port such a man even if I am of Republican
faith.
Xulius T. Long, Louisiana. You may say for
me that William Jennings Bryan has triumphed
over the wing of Wall street and autocracy
heretofore pretending to belong to the Demo
cratic party; that he was with Woodrow Wilson
so long as Wilson remained working for the
best interests of the people, but kept steadfastly
on with the people when Wilson strayed away
with their enemies.
Juan M. Garcia, Colorado. Your kind note
is at hand, and will say to you that I consider
it a' great statement in regard to the overwhelm
ing defeat that our party suffered at the hands
of the present misleadorj of our people and great
party. The plan for organization is a good one,
but under what leadership? I will say frankly
that I would rather follow a progressive Re
publican than a traitor Democrat. I did my part
in behalf of our national ticket, although I was
a dry, and knowing that Cox was a wot reac
tionary. I will promise you and my fellow
Democrats that I will do my very best to or
ganize my party in my locality and county. I
want a suggestion from you as to what kind of
an organization we must have. If it is for the
great Commoner as our leader, or any other of
his type, I am more than ready to go ahead, but
if we are going to promote some secret enemy
I will not ass'st you1 or any other. I know that
you are a real Democrat and that you are do-,
fending the rights of the common people, arid" '
your suggestions will bo highly appreciated. I
hope The Commoirer will turn out jevory week
Instead of monthly.
W. A. Reeder, California. Your suggestions
as to, a speedy method of securing a league of
nations meets my hearty approval. The dif
ficulty, it seems apparent to me, is that away
tlown in the bottom of his heart President Wil
son is more deeply interested in Woo;lrow Wil
son than ho is in the league of "nations. I
trust that your great ability may bring about
the consummation of your timely and bene
flcient suggestion. Your suggested possibility
pf a sufficient resurrection of the Democratic
party, to elect a congress two years hence, will
be accounted for by. many of your admirora on
the theory that a great and progressive mind
may at times over-reach itself.
J. S. McKenzie, Texas. After reading youi
interview, in which you suggest that the Presi
dent resign, and also your reasons for same, I
wish to say that it seems 'he only just and ra
tional course. He forced the issue on the coun
try, and much needed legislation was. delayed
thereby. Now we have the answer In a whole
sale repudiation of his policies and administra
tion. I like your suggestions because they em
body true democracy. I have read your po
litical obituary many times, but you seem to
possess an ever youthful mind, that is, the
faculty of coming back.' As my political idol
I wish you many years in which to lead to high
er life.
.R. H. Simpson, California. I .do not believe
in the rehabilitation of the Democratic party,
r Like, the old linch-pin wagon jt should be cast
into:the junk .heap. .It the incoming adininistra-
Walter Sillers, Mississippi. I believe the
time has come when we have got to organize
a new party. The press of the country has at
tempted to boycott Mr. Bryan, and has succeeded
as far as they can. The leading politicians in
the- Democratic party are jealous of his Influ
ence, and-Mr. Bryan's usefulness is greatly im
paired by these jealous and antagoriistic influ
ences. Many Democrats will await his action
with interest. '
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