Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1894-10-05
A Farcical Convention,

A Farcical Convention.
Those who have never visited an
ideal Populist convention have missed
An excellent opportunity for studying
human nature from an unusual stand
point, position where the motives and
promptings OF small class OF citizens
can be observed who seem to think. in
this county. that responsibility of free
government rests directly upon their
individual shoulders. No principle of
statecraft, no problem OF finance, no
question OF intricate domestic or in
ternational law, comes up, but what
they Immediately straddle it and are
ready to give their opinion with all
the pomposity of Bombastes Furi.
oso. Their efforts at reform, here as
in other countries, is directed against
the powers that be-" They are
"ferninst the government" whether it
be a despotism or the freest of all
free governments like our own. In
Russia it eliminates in the deadly
bomb, in this county in strikes which
end in riots that have been no less
productive Of bloodshed.
Their ideas evolve schemes that are
untried, visionary and utopian. Their
spirit is iconoclastic. They would
INTERESTINGLY tear down the forms
that time has demonstrated to be safe,
to try those based upon vague theor-
les.
The disorder and confusion in the
Convention Saturday is fair indi-
cation Of what the state of public az
fairs would be, should the ballot, by
some unaccountable fatality, decree
that they should rule. 1t was contu-
sion worse coniounded, from beginning
to end, and while the rules laid down
by Jefferson and Cushing for the
government OF deliberative assemblies
were ruthlessly ignored, poor old Lind
ley Murray and his colleagues, who
have presumed to formulate certain
forms for speaking the English Ian.
guase, were slain in cold blood. The
chairman Of the convention seemed tO
be as oblivious as the delegates on the
floor Of the exactions of prosody and
syntax. They made up. however, in
esrnestness, what they lacked in these
minor details; and each act was i'm.
pressed with the evident belief that
they were making history, and that
their nominees stood some chance oil
election.
The treatment accorded DIR. Newell
il an indication OF the rule-or.luin pol
icy, which the middle-of- the-road'
slogan involves. There has been ne
attempt to disguise the fact that the
Democrats nominated the doctor quite
rs much for his availability as the
Peoples candidate as they did for hi
wide experience in public affairs ant
marked ability as public man. Hi
nomination was made by the spontan
eous voice of the party, and contrary
to the ordinary usage, he was named
without asking of him any pledges
further than his public life afforded
1t WAS thought that this magnanimit.
would meet with an equal spirit o
concession and ensure beyond perad
venture his election over one Of the Re
publican nominees for the same posi-
ton. But the charge often made tina
"Thomas J. Miller carries the Popu
list party in his vest pocket" foun(
ample veri6cation. Soon as it wal
made known that the brains" of tn,
Populist party favored the DOCTOR
nomination, Miller began q crusad,
against him. He could not find it il
his narrow brain and little heart t
allow anybody to be named for an OF
flee which would result in walkovel
as certain as his own defeat was sure
In his efforts, he was ably seconded by
the Republican leaders. who not only
patted his organ of vanity, but 10y
rolled with the delegates to prevent ar
endorsement which would encompass.
defeat at least OF one of their nomi
ness for the Legislature. The result
is, that while victim was found fol
running-mate with Miller, many O
the Populists will vote for DIR. Newell
and his election is by no means ren
dered uncertain by the illiberal anG
ungracious act of his party associates.
Among the amusing scenes enact
ed, was the requirement of the con.
vention that candidates should stanG
up, and allow the convention to see
what manner of men they were voting
for. When it came to School Super.
intendent, something more was re.
quired. The candidates were two la.
dies, and they were asked to define
their positions. Mrs. Austin was the
first to respond, and she swallowed
the Populist prescription, although
she knew very little Of the ingredients
of which it was composed. Then fol-
lowed Miss Case, who was elected to
that position two years ago on the