The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1892-10-08

= To a populist attending the lat
democratic meeting here some yer,
: pointed suggestions seemed forces
upon him, as to the relations of th'
various political parties to eacl
other In this campaign.
The speakers seemed heavily
handicapped-save one, Mr.. Erase
I-by the consciousness that thel
were facing an audience composed
largely Of the members of the new
party that had risen in judgment
upon both the old parties.
The case seemed to be that, ii
confronting such an audience the
speakerswere made aware that viii
the rise of the third party the dem.
ocratic party was placed in an awk
ward position in American politics
Agreeing with the new party in
especial antsgonism to the present
republican party, it finds itself be.
ing put aside by new reform party
drawn from its own ranks and
those of its hereditary enemy, the
republicans,
| This uncomfortable position nee.
essarily makes the old democratic
"party of Jefferson" both perplexed
and self-questioning. Face to face
with the audiences Of the new party
it neither dares treat populists dis.
courteously. nor knows what to
say! Knowing that it has had not
moral principle or vitality enough
to displace the republican party
since that organization fell from
moral grace, the democratic party,
while it wishes to pose as friend
of the people, that it may get into
power, inevitably feels self-con-
demned upon finding itself con-
fronted at last by genuine move
ment of the people in the name of
reforms and political government
of justice to all which movement
finds both democratic and republi-
can parties weighed in the balance
in this respect and found wanting.
Both old parties, in the view of the
new party, are inextricably involved
in private monopoly favoring, plu-
tocracy building, tendencies de-
structive of the growth of mankind
and the nation upward and onward.
In listening to the speeches of
this democratic meeting it was es-
pecially and painfully evident that
Mr.. John M. Burke'e enlistment in
this campaign, either as a candi-
date for Office or as a private citi-
zen, was one that did not call out
enthusiasm on his part. Heavier
speaking never was heard, even
against the democratic hereditary
enemy, the republicans. To the
populist, or even to a democrat,
believing in his cause, it could not
but call out involuntary pity that
the democratic candidate for gov
ernor of Idaho must go through
five weeks more of such heavy
hearted speakingl"
Taking him as an average spokes-
man Of the real heart and selfdis-
trust of the democratic party in
the existing political situation, it
was an impressive proof to the
populist that the people can no
more 60 back to the democratic
than to the republican political
party for hope. Both parties, in
aim and organization, seem now
little else than machines, and the
breath of life having about departed,
new vitality can hardly be breathed
into them. They may make show
to live for time, but earnest men,
awaking morally and intellectually
to new economic and political
needs, are deserving them never to
return.
Young Mr.. Fraser's speech, which
was THE speech of the meeting,
alone showed enthusiasm, for he
was possessed with an idea he be-
lieved in; and a rather amusing
one it was, from its. short range of
view, namely: that to the Nc Kinley |
bill is due the plutocracy! That
from the republican latest "high
tariff" enactment of only two years |
ago had come all our money kings,
monopolies, trusts, combines. etc.
which are eating up the peoples
substance; and that, with this dis
;overy made plain, the peoples
party had but to disband and Join
The good old democratic party
who have failed to make percept-
bile impression upon the republican
high-tariff conscience for thirty
years, even to the extent of Undue
ng them to step down and out
md all would be we'll.
1t is pretty plain that death has
yet in with these once powerful,
and still outwardly strong, political
,rameworks, called the republican
md democratic parties.
As red blood is to the health of
he body, so strenuous principles Of
light and justice, aiming at the equal
good Of all men, must be to any
party that would now take up the
political march in the United States.
The wage-workers and the farmers
the two plain peoples that have