The Commoner
FEBRUARY, 1921
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com'mpn people. Mr. Bryan, in my opinion, is
the only true standard bearer that can load,, tho.
Deniocratid party out of the tangled mess- that .
Mr Wilson alid his San Francisco convention
followers did in miring and lowering the dignity
of the Democratic party of every state in the
union. The delegates of that convention ahbald s
be censured and reprimanded by the people at
home. f
Edgar L, Ormsby, California. In your Com
moner you invite people interested -in better
government to give their ideas how jfco improve"
municipal, state and national politics.. There
' is nothing that 1 can say better than you have
said yourself; y.ou have summed up the whole
trouble with the Democratic party in your ar
ticle, "Get right then go ahead" and "Deserve
r win fhen organize." The party has drifted
away from the right course, that in the nation
and the state of California; there has been a '
great exodus to the other parties. The Demo
cratic party should not be disheartened; it must
come back, but only by inspiring the people with
a hope for better things. Let the Democratic
party stand for high ideals and "hitch its wagon
to a star,", and not let the wagon be a brewery
wagon.
In the San Francisco convention the word was
sent out "to eliminate Bryan." This "elimina
tion" has been going on for many years, but the
process has not been "dignified" enough to
"knock Bryan into a cocked hat." Those active
in the elimination should realize that when
Bryan is eliminated that they are only eliminat
ing the whole party. Mr. Bryan remained "elimi
nated" during the last campaign and they now
howl with rage (yet they had due notice in ad
vance), that he "eliminated" himself too much.
Suppose Mr. Bryan had been "eliminated" at
Baltimore would the men who fought" him at
San Francisco- would- they now be holding their
exalted positions in Mr. "Wilson's cabinet? "In
gratitude more strong than traitor's arais."
Can anyone, after witnessing the one big, gen
uine demonstration of that convention lasting for
nearly half an hour (even if the brass bands and
pipe organ were' hushed by, orders) ; can anyone
doubt after hearing the thousands of people
crowded into that auditorium, -who attended that
session especially to pay you tribute, shouting
themselves hoarse for you. can anyone doubt that
you stand solid in the hearts of the people?
I have talked with many Ilepublicans and Pro
gressive Democrats and they will be with you;
many who formerly believed all they read-in mis
loading newspapers now know your sincerity and
unselfish qualities, they now understand and ad-
mire you. In 1896, when I first listened to a
speech you delivered in San Francisco, I was con
verted from the Republican party to your cause
and I am proud to say T have followed you: ever
since. It was may greatest regret in the last cam
paign when you stopped your friends from plac
ing your name on the primary balfots.
In your reorganization plan you can count on
me if there is anything I can do to help. I am
yburs to command and if there is no one to come
forward to -accept leadership under your new and
definite program it is my wish and prayer that
you allow your friends to rally around you. May
God spare you.
Willis T. Keese California. The foremost
.Statesman in America and of the world today is
William Jennings Bryan. At least this is the
opinion of one man, and from talking with
others I find that many are coming to the same
conclusion. He is a LEADER, and I believe, the
only man in, America that can unite the reform
forces of the world to carry out the reconstruc
tion of the world for peace on earth and good
will among men! May God call him to the work
is my prayer. And here let me offer a sugges
tion to the common people of whom Abraham
Lincoln said "that God must have loved, or he
would not have made so many of them" let us
unite in sending out a call to that gentleman to
the work in the reorganization of the Democratic
people 4feo one party that shall be 100 per cent
American, and call it the American party, or
some other name suggestive of TRUE reform.
E. W. Fulmer, Pennsylvania. I see in the;
papers occasionally that your name is connected
with the reorganization of tie Democratic party.
In my estimation, the strongest plank we could
insert in the Democratic platform, or to be used
1 as a campaign issue, ECONOMY, and LOWER
SALARIES FOR ALL FEDERAL EMPLOYES'
a reduction instead of new increases now being'
proposed. .,....."
D'rVpS,rSuddarth, 'West VjrginiaI Vnm
ready-io' help- rehabilitate. the oldr Democratic
EACH THINKS HE IS BEING PURSUED
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From the Chicago Tribune.
party under the leadership of the greatest Demo
crat and statesman our country has ever pro
duced. There are many of us who are willing to
go with him as leader to the last ditch more
than ever followed any other leader except the
Prince of Peace.
R. B. Watson, Indiana. Mr. Bryan, you can
safely bank on having many friends in this part
of Indiana, both Republican und Democrats. We
feel and know that you have proven yourself to
be the greatest and best man in the world to
stand for honesty and justice to all mankind at
all times, even under the most trying circum
stances. If the Democratic party is ever reor
ganized it will be done through and by the ad
vice and leadership of Mr. Bryan. The Job is
too large for any other man in the party.
D. R. Harris, Illinois. You wanted to hear
from those who will undertake, to help rehabili
tate the Democratic' party in their respective
i counties, If for one, will, do all that I can to
help in Kane county, Illinois.
H. C. Boger, Washington. In, response to
your suggestion in the December number of The
Commoner, that readers of The Commoner write
out their ideas as to what reforms the next
Democratic platform should contain to be placed
before the people for their consideration at the
polls two and four years hence, I wish to sug
gest at least two reforms that, in view of events
of the past few years, have become questions of
great importance to the whole country; namely,
profiteering and the war. In view of the whole
sale and cold-blooded profiteering that was so
manifest on every hand during the recent great
war, when sacrifice should have been the watch
word, I wish to suggest that a demand be made
in the next Democratic platform for a law that
will be adequate for such crimes.
The second reform I wish to suggest is a law
that will put the power of a declaration of war
in the hands of the voters to' be decided at tho
polls, and that only the .power to repel an in
vasion be left in the hands of congress and the
president.
I hope to see William J. Bryan the .leader of
the Democratic party, and that he will be given
a platform to stand on that will appeal to the -voters
of the country. A platform if ratified by
the voters at the polls and then enacted into,
law will mean real relief to the people. I would
be glad to support Mr. Bryan and such a plat
form with my vote, as I have always supported
him in all his efforts in the past for the public
welfare.
FROM A COMMONER HEADER
, Hon; W. J. Bryan,
Lincoln; Neb.
Dear Sir:
Please find herewith $1.00 to cover rcnowal
to Tho Commoner founded in 1901. After read
ing, digesting and marking the beat articles 1
mail it to an acquaintance or friend' at a modest
expense of a penny wrappor with thp hope ot
increasing subscribers.
Doubtless I will enjoy reading editorials in
which you take to task now and thon benenfioi
aries of special priviloge and shave them close
with tho sword of truth in Justice to all con
cerned. Evidently you are an able, appreciative, and
appreciated defender of the honest wealthy, and
an effective thorn in the flesh oftho predatory
rich who put tho dollar above tho man and seek
defeat of Presidents, Senators, and Congress
men of independent thought and action.
A, group of Domocrat and Republican multi
millionaires constitute an invisible government
which systematically exploit tho public through
protective tariff regulation, combines and trusts.
These strangers to principle are pretentious no
bodies who import pauper labor as competitors
of skilled artisans whom they underpay and
overwork until they are turned adrift or humbly
bear with the yoke of oppression. Gladstone,
one of the greatest humanitarians in his day,
was conscious of the blessed truth, a knowledge
of which makes us free, when ho declared in
substance that labor was driven to organize for
protection by the aggression of organized capital.
Brains and poverty seldom compete success
fully with brains and money, because brains
and money unite to divide brains and poverty.
Many good men fought, bled and died in thi
Revolutionary war for independence and a voice
in the government. Men and women alike
should study political economy and work a
wholesome reformation in public affairs at the
ballot box. In- tho sgrvico of public servants,
justice demands enactment of an initiative, ref
erendum measure and a constitutional amend
ment reducing the unwieldly army of federal
and' 'state misrepresentatives in order to obtaiu
better representation for an increase of compen
sation and in the interest of honest government
economically administered.
Men of conviction with coura'ge to express it
are unafraid because they are just: the people
are, in dire need of such men as public ser
vants; such a man is Hon. William Jennings
Bryan of Lincoln, Nebraska; meaured by poli
cies championed in the interest of the people,
a majority of which was appropriated by the
Democrat and Republican parties and a majority
of which are in the statute books, he is the
greatest statesman in the nation.
The conflict, between government by the peo
ple for the people and government by big busi
ness for big business will never bo settled until
it is settled right. ,
God made man and man made the dollar, Big
business puts the dollar above the man. As
between the man and the dollar vote for the
J. N. Welch, Illinios. You have been kind
enough to ask the readers' of The Commoner to
say what they want in the platform of the party.
I would like to suggest one plank, and that is,
that no person or corporation be allowed to
make war material. I am now 76 years old
and have voted the Democratic ticket since L
wag 21, except for Greeley and Cox. I would
not vote for Cox because he stood for some
things that I think get us into trouble worse -than
'we have ever had;" '
man.
Brownsville, Tenn.
Jan. 27, 1921.
J. B. KEATHLEY.
A POSY FOR BRYAN
Just in order to convince his readers that ht
is an unbiased, big, brbad-guaged gentleman.
Gen. Jo Alden in his Republican of York, said
last week:
Edgars-Howard has heard and gives currency
to a rumor that Mr. Bryan is coming back to
Fairview to take up his residence and once
again make Nebraska his home and not merely
his voting place. Politically it may afford no
comfort to the Republicans to have Mr. Bryan
again take up his residence in the .state, but
from the standpoint of a non-partisan citizenship
the home-coming of Mr. Bryan is atfesired and
promising thing to contemplate. The influence
of the commoner is still unabated. He has
the esteem of his neighbors. It would be quite
fitting for Mr, Bryan in the fullness of his years
to return to the state which has many times
honored him and always openly or secretly
owned a great pride in him and his great abil
ities, and take up his-residence at-historic Fair
view. The. Republican hopes Editor Howard's
rumor will grow into a fact. Waco, Neb.,
Waconian.
Morris & Co., ono of the big five packing com
panies, declared a stock dividend of over 1300
per cent the other week. It'ought to.be easy .to
make big money when a corporation controls the
price of-what it buys as well as of whatsit sells.
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