The morning call., 1892-12-21
THE POPULlSTS.

1t appears to be reasonably certain that
the POpulisis have elected five Senators and
ten members of Congress- They polled
about One-fourteenth of tie popular vote for
Presidential electors, not enough TO divide
the electoral college, but enough to encour-
age The class Of politicians who believe in
new brooms. What interests people at large
Is, What are Populis!s going 10 do with their
strength? Are they going to fade away as
tie Greenbackers did. or are they going TO
form the nucleus of party which may in
the fullneSS Of time elect a President OF the
United States?
The first difficulty which arises in attempt
ing to cast the horoscope of the Popuisis is
the uncertainty about their present position.
The nearest approximate which they have
made toward the construction OF party
platform is TO be found in the resolutions
adopted by the conference at Cincinnati and
the doctrines set forth in the platforms
adopted at st. Louis in 1889. at Ocala. Fla,
in 1890, and at Omaha in 1891. The ground
taken by representatives of the Populist
or Peoples party on these several occasions
was radical enough TO suit the most extreme
among American socialists. The main plank
of the platform demanded an unlimited issue
Of legal tenders to be loaned on farm land
at per cent and combined with this the
Kansas sub-treasurY scheme. Other planks
demanded the free coinage IF silver. an
income tax. Government ownership of rail-
roads and an eight-hour law to apply to ali
corporations employing labor in the United
States. The other planks are to be found
in the platforms of the existing political
parties.
1t is very doubtful whether this platform
would command the unanimous assent OF
the voters who cast their ballots for the
POpulist candidates last November. Sepa-
rate planks would be popular in certain
localities Kansas and Nebraska would
vote for the sub-treasury scheme and Col
orado and Nevada for the free coinage of
silver A few persons here and there say
that they are in favor of Government own
ership of railroads: and in Humboldt
County in this State and in scattering coun-
ties in other States the idea of unlimited
issues Of irredeemable paper money COM
mends Itself TO persons who are in debt.
But there is no such Conference between
these various planks that the partisans of
one of them can be reckoned as sure parti-
sans OF the others. People who want
cheaper transportation through Government
OwnerShp,of railroads are not necessarily
In favor OF an income tax; nor will the sill
yer men be likely TO pin their faith to the
sub-treasury system, which is in one sense
a Teductj0 al GbSUydups Of their hobby, As
to greenbaeking il has had its day in court
and judgment has gone against il. If il
could not elect members Of Congress under
its honest old name can it expect TO do
better when its members disguise them
selves as PopulistS2
The platform as a whole looks like a
thing of shreds and patches put together
by apprentices I'D the business Of politics
There is far too much cnmmon-sense in this
country for a party to succeed which goes
TO the country with an.aYowed purpose 20
plant communism and paternalism on the
ruins of American institutions. We are not
ripe for Jack Cade yet, ana we know all
about Nj. PtoudhOn's philosophy and want
none OF it IN ours, There is room in the
political field for a new party, and if il
were rIanted on a plain, honest platform
and differed by men Of intelligence and
character it would probably make inroads
into the ranks of the two old parties. But
the platform must not involve abstruse
questions of political economy which the
average workingman cannot understand.
1t must not rest on principles which are so
widely cOntr0verted that it is hard TO find
two men who agree about them. 1t must
not start cut with a purpose to rob Peter in
order to pay Paul If the new party in
tends TO capture the country il should co.,
fine its creed 10 one, or at most two, simple
proposals-for example. the publication Of
politics and the eXtiTpation of ring rule.
Those all men can understand, and on them
all men are agreed. A party which started
out with the avowed purpose of breaking
down the old political machines which have
disfranchtsed the rank and file Of the people
and Of restoring self-gOyernment TO its
ancient simplicity might 10 much if it sue
ceededfn rousiDg public attention. 1t is in
that direction that the Populists should try
10 move