Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1905-07-12

should have success with your splen-
did primary plan. May it prove so.
]. A. Kilkey, Corvallis, ore-I take
pleasurein sending you a signed pri-
mary pledge. So long as the Stars and
Stripes Goat over possessions which are
deprived Of the privileges and immuni-
ties Of the constitution and are by
force, made unwilling subjects there is
work for Democracy. SO long as there
exists a trust-the creature Of special
privilege, monopolizing natural oppor-
tunities which belong to all, absorbing
the wealth that others have created,
destroying competition and impover-
ishing the masses, the hands Of de-
mocracy must not be idle. The party
of jefferson, Of Jackson, and Of Bryan
must win, or self-government is a fail
ure; but il will win. The spirit Of De-
mocracy is not dead, the good work you
are doing will arouse it to new life
and activity. May the God Of ma
tions hasten the day Of its triumph
Guy M. stealey, Buford, Colo. En-
closed find primary pledge. think
you have solved the problem of the
organization Of the Democratic rank
and file. Your plan is based on the
dictum Of the wisest Of our philoso-
piers that If everyone would but re-
form himself, there would be no evil
in the world to right. The Democrats
are in the majority today, as they have
been for years past, but repeated fail
ures to reform the Democratic party
as whole have discouraged at least
a third Of them. Yet they are TO
blame for this state of affairs; they
do not "reform" themselves. They
know how the government should be
maintained, they discuss the various
reforms-and "they then neglect to
votel" Ny vote does not count for
much, anyway 10 an oft.heard express
sion at election time. II needs but
little reflection to see that to this very
fact-this erroneous reasoning-is due
the failure Of the Democratic party,
"My vote doesn't count" and there
are scores Of these "doesn't count
votes in every precinct, hundreds in
every county, thousands in every state
in the Union. Add these thousands
and thousands Of votes, and, the to-
tai would elect Democratic president
by large majority. When these
voters realize that while individually
they are weak, yet that collectively
they possess mighty power, then De
moeracy will win. Let every Democrat
in the land sign tho pledge, and b'
ready to Join the ranks Of the great
= army that will march TO the polls II
4. 1908 to battle for their rights, theil
principles and the honor Of their coun
try.
II. b. Hopkins, San Francisco, Cal.
Enclosed please find an additional
lot Of primary pledges which the
writer takes pleasure in sending &c
; the Commoner. Please send me five
more blank lists like the one enclosed
, Mr.. Bryan, it is source Of great sat
isfaction TO your friends TO see the
overwhelming interest manifested In
the primary pledges, in all parts OF
the country. When you sounded the
bugle call on March II, 1905, "get
back to the people," it struck a re
sponsive chord In the hearts of the
masses, which is shown by the eager
ness with which they have taken uT
the work Of securing primary pledges
and the confidence which Democrats
everywhere express, regarding the
campaign Of 1908. II is certainly
gratifying to note the satisfaction ex
pressed on the part Of Democrats in
every state, that the principles OF
Jefferson, Jackson and Bryan are those
which will be adhered TO, in cOnnee
tion with the efforts which they shall
put forth from now, until the close
Of the Democratic national convention
in 1908. After the ST. Louis conyen
tion, they told us the Democratic
party was dead; and today we see In
every state in the union, such an
awakening that has not been equaled
in the recollection Of the present gen
Grafton. What does il meant II
means that when the Democratic par
ty stands for Democratic principles
that the people will support it, and will
not support Republican party prinei
pies" under the guise Of Democracy
The masses are becoming aroused In
connection with the existing condi
tions; as they behold Secretary Taft
and President Roosevelt, admitting