Monroe City Democrat. (Monroe City, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1905-06-29
THE PRIMARY PLEDGE
From The COmmOner, Lincoln, Nebraska,
March II, 1905.
THE PLEDGE OUTLINED

"Mr. Bryan has been in receilt Of
q multitude Of letters since the cleo
ton urging organization for the cam
paign of 1903. The rank and file OF
the party a. ready to begin the fight;
they only await a plan Of cooperation.
This plan has been under considera-
ton for some weeks and is herewith
submitted.
"L,t each democrat pl, dye himself
to attend all Of the primaries Of his
party to be hnld between now and the
next democratic national convention,
unless uuavoidabIy prevented, and to
use his influence 10 secure clear,
honest aud straightforward dcclara-
tiOn Of the party's position on every
question upon which the voters Of the
party desire to speak.
"This plan docs not involve the
writing Of a platform in advance OF
the primaries: it does not rest upon
the paramount Importance of any one
Issue. II recognizes the right Of the
democratic voters to control the policy
o. the democratic party, and to deter
mine its position upon public qucs-
tions. 1t also recognizes the import.
ance Of honesty and sincarit. in poll
tics.
"This proposition will appeal t. IA
WHO believe in the RUE Of the people
to all who are willin" that the ~.
iorlty shall govern in ptrty managr
men and In thu natiOn " does not
mear that tho5" wh 1T thems" y.
TO secure "A good platform will b
bound to support a bad platform
that Is a qne ton which each must dc.
terminc for hinsclf---uut il does mean
that the d mucratic platform shall
give voice to the prevailing sentiment
Ol the democratic party. and that the
party shall take the country into its
confidence. The pledge proposed Is a
primary pledge-because the people
speak at the primaries. The nptionaj
convention Is attended w delegates,
add each delegate represents tens OF
thousands Of democrats. The state
convention is alsu attended by dele
gates and these represent thousands
o. democrats. The county conven-
lions are, as a rule, attended by dele
gates, and these In turn represent hun
dreds OF democrats. At the primary
the voters speak for themselves: there
democracy has its citadel.
"When the work Of organization is
sufficiently advanced, a time can be
set for the meeting OF the members in
their various localities. The members
OF this organization, while pledged to
but one thing namely, attendance
upon the primaries--are urged to CO.
operate among themselves for the sup
port OF every effort put forth to eIimi-
nate corruption in politics. No cause
can prosper permanently that does
not appeal to the moral sense OF the
country, and the moral sense Of the
country is now being awakened to the
Importance OF purifying politics.
"The Commoner will do it's part in
aiding every movement that has for
it's object the ascertainment OF the will
OF the people and the scrupulous en-
fOrcement OF that will.
1.-The Commoner will also furnish
all the information that it can upon
the questions which are before the
public to the end that its readers may
be prepared to render the maximum OF
assistance to every worthy cause.
who will be the first to make this
pledge? A record will be kept in The
Commoner Office Of tho name and ad-