Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1892-09-22

nj. but how is it here The action of
the State Convention of office holders
and oiiicc-ScckCrS which met here last
wear is too fresh in the minds OF the
people to need repetition. Called sim
ply and ayowcaly to nominate three
railroad commissioners, it had not a
line to say on the subject of railroad
supervision or control. but Illuminated
n platform on National politics i'll the
interest of certain candidates for
United States Senator and read out of
the party every farmer and Alliance
man in the State who had the temeri-
ity to differ with the party bosses on u
certain question of finance. Not a sin
gle straight-out farmer was appointed
on the big committee on resolutions,
and not single regular farmer on the
new State Executive Committee
This years State Convention, though
for policy's sake little more cOnciiia-
tory in tone. was substantially repe-
tition of that. 1t was composed Of
pretty much the same class of men and
individuals Not a single farmer or
Allianceman was placed upon the del
egation of Is sent to Chicago to help
frame National platform and select Il
candidate for the Presidency. though
there were hundreds of good Demo
cratic farmers who might have been
selected. Eight out Of the nine candi-
dates nominated for presidential cleo
tors. were lawyers opposed to the finan-
cial demands of the Farmers Alliance,
and the State Alliance Lecturer. who,
to preserve his own consistency and
self-reSpect. was forced aftCrWard to
resign, was confcssedly placed on the
ticket as a decoy duck to gull Alliance
men.
And all of this in the face of the fact
that fully scven-tenths of the voters of
the Democratic party of Mississippi
are farmers, and the further fact that
they will compare favorably in point
of patriotism, morals and even intelli-
gence, with many of the Democratic
party bosses. It cannot be argued that
farmers could not be found who we're
willing to serve in the various capaci-
ties named Real farmers were found
to serve as delegates to Omaha, and as
Presidential electors and executive
committee men of the Peoples party.
and why not the Democratic, which
vaunts itself as being par excellence
the party of the people:
But it is in the nomination of Con
grcssmen this year that the Democrat
&c party bosses have most pronounced
ly discrcdited the farmers, to whom
they owe so much for party success. and
shown their purpose to monopolize all
the offices as well as the party manage
ment. Of the seven Democratic nOmi-
necs for Congress every one of them is
a lawyer, md if they should all be
elected something we are gratificd to
believe is by no means probable Mis-
sissippi's entire delegation in Congress,
including her Senators, will be COM
posed of lawyers.
Farmer Beeman and Farmer Lewis
were both incontincntly turned out to
give place to professional gentry. Far
mer Beeman was one of those farmers
and Alliancemen who was opposed to
the so-called "Sub-Treasury heresy;"
had not yet served one term, and had
made as good record as a servant of
his people while there as Private John
Allen, Congressman Hooker or any of
the rest of the Mississippi delegation,
but he was cast aside to make room for
one of the legal brotherhood. Graft
tude alone for the service he rendered
the machine crowd last year when they
were i'll sore straight ought to have
secured for him better treatment at
their hands.
Farmer Lewis believed in the Sub
Treasury, and has made one of the most
faithful and industrious Con
gressmen Mississippi ever had; but he
too had to walk the plank and give
place to a lawyer, politician whose for
mer Congressional record is not even
above the suspicion of corruption.
Much is being made by the Demo
cratic organs of the fact that Messrs.
Beeman and Lewis will support the
men who were nominated over them ::
but having placed their corn in the
Democratic hopper and pledged them
selves to accept what came out, they
could not do otherwise without having
it hurled in their teeth that they were
Democrats for office only. They are
very unnatural kind of men. however.
if they do not feel keenly the unjust
treatment they, and through them the
farmers of the State, have received mt
the hands of the Democrats party
bosses.
In short, the political bosses seem to
have inscribed on their banner and
adopted as their policy the motto, mo
farmer need apply" So long as the
Alliance was content TO do their bid
ding and act in the capacity of Dem
ocratic annex, there was no objection
heard to its taking part in politics and
no condemnation from any quarter. but