The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-11-19
SEATTLE. SATURDAY.. NOR. 10.
THE PEOPLES PARTY.

The Peoples party, pure and simple,
has disappeared at the South. 1t has car
ried no state in that section; and not a
single congressional district outside of Ala
bama, where three congressman are re-
ported elected in opposition to the Demo-
cratic candidates, but these were elected
doubtless by fusion with the Republicans,
and are morally certain, if contest be
made, to be unseated by the Democratic
congress. These Alabama Peoples party
congressman probably could not have
been elected as Peoples party candidates
in opposition TO both the Republican and
Democratic candidates. Watson, the ride
uious Popuiist crank, who mortgaged his
house and land to go into politics, and sub
jected Democratic congressman from
Alabama to arraignment ON charges of in
toxication on the floor of the house, has
been badly beaten in the Tenth Georgia
district. All the Populist candidates from
governor down were beaten in North Car
DINA, Tennessee. Arkansas, and in every
other state of the South where the party
had candidates.
In the South the Peoples party was
practically a political cipher in the recent
election. There is nothing surprising in
this. The average Southcrncr believes in
state rights, and he cannot easily swallow
the na.ionaiistic doctrines of the Omaha
platform, and he only listened to the Peo-
pies party demagogues under the pressure
of hard times produced by overproduc-
ton consequent upon three successfully
enormous crops of cotton. The war record
of Gen. Weaver as Union soldier weak
ened his party in that section, and its
fusions with the Southern Republicans
were disastrous to the third party.
In the North single-handed and alone
the Peoples party has not carried single
state nor chosen presidential elector in
parties. In Kansas the result was brought
about by fusion with the Democrats. In
those silver states where the Weaver
ticket was successful any party which had
declared for free silver would have sue
ceeded. With free silver plank in their
platform the Republicans could have
easily carried Nevada and Colorado. In
the fusion states the Democrats voted for
the Weaver electors when otherwise tho
Republicans would have been victorious,
and in the close states that were doubtful
for the Democracy many of the Populists
voted for Cleveland.
The Peoples party appear to have
chosen two members of congress from
Colorado on the silver issue, four from
Kansas and one in Nebraska. In Oregon
the Democratic party consented to
be tied to the Peoples party like
tin kettle to dogs tail, 10 make
him run faster if not better. In Washing
ton the Peoples party was under the local
leadership of jawsmiths. decayed tapsters
and tattered prodigals. the cankers of a
cain world and long peace, who did
their best by incendiary and anarchistic
speech to infiame the ranks of labor
against the Republican party. The local
leaders were probably i'll the pay of the
Democracy in both Washington and
Oregon. The Eugene. Or, Statesman
speaks the truth when it says Of them:
They slobbered the Democrats ell over with
praises and vomited with abuse. insults. libels
and falschoods at the Republicans like two ex-
ploded craters in fuu blast just before beccm-
ing extinct.
The coquetting of the Populists with the
Democracy did them no good. for both
parties fell between two stools. If the
Democrats who refused to vote for Nc
Graw and persisted in voting for Snively
had voted for Young, the Populist candi-
date would have been elected governor, or
if the Populists had voted for Snivey they
could have elected him. As it is the Re-
publicans have good plurality, aud the
combination scheme OF Nelson Bennett
Republicans, Sniyely Democrats and
ropulists 10 beat McGrsw has completely
failed.
The present prospect is that rs national
party the P0pulists, pure and simple, are
without promise for the future. There as
not the slightest evidence that their prin-
ciplos have taken any deep hold on any
considerable portion of the voters OF the
country There is small prospect that
there Viii be any Peoples party in lSa6,
for the free silver or currency issue is Likely
to be forced 10 decisive radical settlement
before tina, time. and this issue eliminated.
the Peoples party's chief strength will be
Cbiitsraied.