Rosebud County news. [volume] (Forsyth, Mont.) 1901-1906, 1905-04-13
The Pledge Outlined.

Mr.. Bryan has been in receipt of a
multitude of letters since the election
urging organization for the campaign
of 1908. The rank and file of the party
are ready to begin the fight; they only
await plan of cooperation. This
plan has been under consideration for
some weeks and is herewith submit
ted.
"Let each democrat pledge himself
to attend all the primaries of his
party to be held between now and the
next democratic convention, unless un-
avoidably prevented, and to use his in
Huence to secure a clear, honest and
straightforward declaration of the
party's position on every question upon
which the voters of the party desire to
speak.
This plan does not involve the
writing of a platform in advance of the
primaries; it does not rest upon the
paramount Importance of any one is
sue. 1t recognizes the right of the
democratic voters to control the policy
OF the democratic party, and to de-
termine its position upon public ques-
tons. 1t also recognizes the import
ance OF honesty and sincerity in poll
tics.
"This proposition will appear to all
who believe in the rules of the people
TO all who are willing that the ma
Jorlty shall govern in party manage
ment and in the nation. 1t does not
mean that those who exert themselves
to secure a good platform will be
bound to support a bad platform-that
Is question which each must de-
termine for himself-but it does mean
that the democratic platform shall give
voice to the prevailing sentiment Of the
democratic party, and that the party
shall take the country into its conf
dence. The pledge proposed is pri-
mary pledge-because the people speak
at the prlmars. The national con-
vention is attended by delegates and
each delegate represents tens of thous-
ands Of democrats. The county con-
ventions are, as a rule, attended by
delegates, and these in turn represent
hundreds of democrats. At the pri-
mary the voters speak for themselves;
there democracy has its citidel
"When the work of organization is
sufficiently advanced, a time can be SET
for meeting of the members in their
various localaties. The members of
all this organization, while pledged to
but one thing-namely attendance up
on the primaries-are urged to cooper
ate among themselves for the support
of every effort put forth to eliminate
corruption in politics. No cause can
prosper permantly that does not APP
peal 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 its part in
aiding every movement that has for it's
object the ascertainment of the will of
the people and the scrupulous enforce
1.-The Commoner will also furnish
all the information it can upon the
questions which are before the public
to the end that its readers NAV be pre-
pared to render the maXium of assist
ance to every worthy cause.
"Who will be the first to make this
pledge? A record will be kept in the
Commoner office of the name and adj
dress of each person who enters into
this movement. Those who desire to
be enrolled can write approving The
object of the organization, and asking
. to have their names entered On the roll
1.-The Commoner will be pleased to
publish a limited number of brief let
tiers on this subject. Mr.. Bryan is en-
couraged by his correspondence to be-
leve that there will oe a prompt and
hearty response to the above propo-
sition.'
National Convention, Woodmen of
the world, Los Angeles, Cal to San
Francisco or Los Angeles and return.