The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1892-09-17
Peoples Party Points.
II A xEMprR OF rHr xrrcHun srLvrn c1up,


MORO: With firmness toward air; With
malice toward none.
Our local peoples party festival
was pleasant success, and Melted
fifty dollars for the campaign fund.
To the women of Ketchum-who
in some cases disregarded party
linee-is due the inception and the
work that has added this handsome
sum to the treasury. Let note be
made of it!
If popular enthusiasm goes for
anything, as we know it does, the
new party certainly grows out OF
real needs and has securer basis in
fact and political philosophy than
the average old-party man yet sees.
Because the latter can easily see
in the movement some of the i'm
maturities and defects of new
party. he makes the mistake of un-
derrating it and not studying it.
He adopts the ostrich policy OF
hiding his head in the bush. The
accounts that are coming in of the
three to six-day political "picnics''
that are a growing feature of the
campaign in various states, like
those of California, Texas, ETC.,
show that not since the "Old HicK-
ory," "Tippecanoe and Tyler too
and Honest Old Abe, the rail
splitter" campaigns, have the peo-
pie been so aroused.
A correspondent has been writing
the St. Louis Globe Democrat about
what he has been seeing in Texas
this year:
BRowNwooD, Tex, Aug. 27.-Therc is
much that is unique in Texas politics this
year. And one of the most curious things
is the third party picnic. Perhaps twenty
Eve of these picnics have been held. As
many more are announced. The idea is
new one to this generation. 1t is very
taking. The third party picnic
is the old fashioned camp meeting in
politics. 1t never lasts less than three
days. Some of the picnics have been pro-
longed six days. 1t isn't necessary to
have railroad connections, excurion trains
und reduced rates to make third party
picnic. Several Of the most successful
have been held miles out of hearing OF
the iron horse. The conditions of sue
cess are timely notices, good water and
abundant shade. The cause does the
rest The Texas farmer puts his wife and
children into a big wagon and journeys
twenty, fifty aud y hundred niles to one
of these picnics. With plenty Of fried
chicken and cornbread for the inner man
and feed for the horse, he sets out for a
good time-and he has it.
The picnics are under the control of the
third party committees. The grounds are
poIiced bv volunteers. All Of the priv
ileges--the merry GO rounds, the lemon
ade and pop stands, the booths OF various
kinds-are retained by the committees.
Tae profits, which are often considerable,
go into the party treasury. Thus the pic
mic serves double purpose. 1t dissem
mates the enthusiasm, not to say priDci
pies Of the party. 1t raises the revenue
with which the party machinery is main
tanned.
Those who have never seen one Of these
Texas political picnics will find it diff
cult to believe the estimates of numbers
attending. There have been several of
the picnics where the crowd and camp
spread over many acres, and where 1t
seemed as If there must be 10000 persons,
as claimed by the leaders. Rarely does
the number fall below 2,CO0 Social in
tercourse, visiting Of aelatives, games and
more or less love-making are attendant
features. But three times day the crowd
gathers where the platform has been
erected and covered with green boughs.
There the songs are sung and the speeches
are spoken.
Such scenes as these in our Amer
lean politics are significant, to the
thoughtful mind, Of something
more than insincere calamity howl
ing. The same writer refers to the
readiness with which the movement
produces speakers
The picnic oratory is entertaining. 1t
beats Sam Jones and his brother Jim put
together. The third party has no end of
takers. A farmer with knots ON his
hands, stoop in his shoulders, sub soil
burrows in his face and the color of an
Arab will climb on the platform and
speak as if possessed o. the gift. The
oratory is homely, spontaneous and effect
i've, if enthusiasm is the measure.
And he gives a sample of the
things said:
A speaker in this political experience
meeting" said: I'VE farmers have to sell
everything We raise that's fit to eat in or
der to buy decent clothes and other nec-
essaries, and the refuse of our products
that ought to be given to the hogs. All
Of the butter and eggs is sent to town
The best fruit and vegetables are sold
Every fat 2-year old steer is taken to the
! butcher. We, who produce these things
have to live on what other people won't
have. We live on the slops you may say
Those who do not see the pathos
of such words, and feel called by
them into the new party, must be
in the complacent ostrich position
of the republican leaders, Harrison
Depew & Co., who profess to believe
that all is very well in the United
States, as the result of their policy
The truth is, that from some
cause or completely of causes, there
had set in a tendency away from