Smyrna times., 1893-04-12
Political Changes in the West.

The Populist movement in the west
is movement, the meaning and prob
able duration Of which are of no little
concern to the East and the South.
1t has survived two Congressional
elections. A number of states formerly
steadfastly Republican, have been
withdrawn from Republican control,
aad are now represented iD the United
States Senate by Populists or Demo
Gratis. There has been, in fact, ir the
West and Northwest, a political revo-
luton of an unprecedented character.
Old ideas and party associations have
been discarded with a thoroughness
that astOnishes the more conservative
people of the older states.
a correspondent of the New York
EUening Post, writing from Omaha,
Neb., after some study of recent west
ern, political phenomena, throws a
great deal of light upon the situation.
The cataclysm has been due, in his
opinion, to a rapid and general spread
of socialistic doctrines. 1t was not, he
thinks, simply apathy or temporary
ebb of party zeal that caused the ava
lauches of 1890 and 1892, but a more or
less permanent conversion to radical
views of radical and un-Ameriean
| complexion. Bellamyism is in fashion.
! Socialism in its various grades, from
strictly organized paternalism to
anarchy, is openly advocated by lead
ers of Western opinion. Not only is
municipal control of natural monop-
olies demanded, but it is believed that
the Government should own and con-
troll all railways, and all telegraph and
express lines. The free aud unlimited
coinage of silver is universally favored.
Not only so, but also the free and un-
limited creation of greenbacks. The
idea prevails that whatever the United
States puts its name to is money, and
that there ought to be enough cash of
this sort made to give every citizen
plenty of it. What's the use, says the
representative Western citizen, of the
Government borrowing money? Why
can't we make all we want? Opinion
on such topics is Subscribed by the cor
respondent rs "fever of anarchy, of
socialism, of political and financial
lunacy."
An official of the Nebraska State
Senate declares, it is stated, that he is
an anarchist, and there are many other
prominent men in Nebraska and the
DakOtas, who profess the same faith.
The anarchist feeling is said to be very
general in Kansas, where political
theorizing has gone to great lengths.
In that state every debtor is said to
have plan to pay off his mortgage
with Government money. These
heresies, it is said, are not confined to
/ 80 he
members of the other parties. ThOus-
ands of Republicans and some Demo-
Gratis accept them. They frankly
demand that paternalism shall be the
guiding principle of all future legis-
lation in this country.
The cause of the rapid spread of
such ideas is found in the hardships the
people have had to suffer under the
mOnopOlies created during the last 80
years. People rebel against the exac-
tions of the Union Pacific Railway, the
tariff lords and other monOpolists who
fatten at the expense of the poor. In
the Dakotas, it is stated, passenger
rates are four cents a mile, and in no
place are they less than three cents.
In Nebraska freight rates are often
three to four times the rates in the
East for the same distance. People
pay $50 freight for a carload of crockery
shipped 1876 miles. Such extortionate
freight rates creates the basis for the
Peoples Party in Nebraska.
Will the widespread socialistic senti-
ment crystalline in 1896 into a perma-
nent party? Will o solid West be
arrayed against divided East on a
cry of "Down with monopolies ?'
Much may happen in three years. II
Mr.. Cleveland's administration is fairly
successful in correcting the more plain
abuses of the Republican regime, polit'
ical thought may by 1896, have
returned to its normal channels Bait
Sun.