Omaha daily bee., 1892-10-14
THE ropuLIsr CANDIDATE.


General Van Wycli is getting some
rough handling from the press of the
state on account OF the manifest incon-
sistcncy OF his past record and present
professions. Although veteran polit-
ical cdmpaigner he cannot conceal tho
fact that the exposure greatly annoys
and irritates him, and this grows with
the increasing knowledge that he is
steadily losing strength. There are
thousands of populists who believe, in
view of the developments, that the
party made grave mistake in selecting
General Van Wyck as its standard
bearer in this campaign. He is not only
compelled TO make Il defensive fight but
he has shown uneX pected weakness as
an advocate of the principles of the peo-
Dle's party.
General Van Wycii processes to en-
dorse the plank of the populist platform
which demands u national currency,
''safr, sound and flexible, issued by the
general government only, full legal
tender for all debts, public and private,
and that without the use of banking
corporations, and therefore he is op-
posed to the national banks. Yet Cen
eral Van Wyck was TO the extent of his
voice and vote in congress responsible
| for the creation of the national bank
| system. He was one of the strongest
| advocates of the national currency act
| in congress at the time of its adoption
| and was one Of the seventy eight mem
bers who voted for the act on its final
| passage, February 20, 1868 Nor was
this all, for the general availed himself
of this Legislation in becoming interested
in {. national bank. No sensible man
blames him for this, but the question
naturally sugges Is itself, what is there
about the national banks now that
renders them so Objectionable to Gen.
eral Van Wycll which did not exist
when he was their friend and bene-
| iiCiary?
The republican candidate for gov
ernor has brought to light, though not
or tho first time, in the joint debates
with the populist candidate, a number
interesting facts in the public record OF
the latter which must present him in Il
rather awkward and undttractive po-
sitfon to many populi5ts who were led tC
coniidingly believe that they had found
in General Van Wvck the ideal leader
of the new political movement, the en-
bodiment of the simple, unselfish and
humanitarian instincts which the aver.
ago populist ascribes to himself and his
fellow partisans. 1t must have been
something Of u shock to not few o
these people to discover, after having
irrevocably named their standard
bearer, that he belongs among the
''plutocrats" of Nebraska, that he is eX-
ceptionalty shrcwd in Il financial trans
action and has a tenacious grip on wha
he has accumulated.
AS a matter of fact both the party
and the candidate were deceived-tht
former in overestimating the popularity
of the candidate and the latter in under
estimating the intelligence of th,
people. Few men ever succeed in rid
ing two horses in political campaign
Conservative citizens, who demand tina
the executive of the state shall at leas
be free from every fo' m Of dlssimulatioi
and deception and worthy representa-
tive of the intelligence, the integrit,
and the conscience of the people, canno
consistently give General Van Wycl
their support.