The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-11-13
The End of Pop,llism.
[St. Paul Pioneer-Press.


The best work accomplished on Tues
day was the final overthrow and destruc-
ton of the Peoples party. 1t was thor
oughly accomplished. The vain hopes
and representations of that cheerful
aggregation have gone glimmering. They
were going to retain control of Colorado,
Kansas and North Dakota; and capture
South Dakota, Nebraska and Minnesota.
They have lost every State where they
had footing and have gained nothing.
They were going to hold the balance OF
power in the next Congress. The latest
estimate of the next house gives six
Populist members; though where even
those six are to come from is mystery.
The Peoples party is routed, horse, foot
and Dragons 1t will not henceforth
play any more important part IN the
politics of this country than the old
Green hackers or the Nothings.
1t is dead, though it's hopeful leaders
will not find out the factEfor some time
yet.
This is no surprise to US. The Pioneer
Press pointed out months ago the fact
that the Peoples party had undoubted-
ly reached it's high water mark in the
campaign of 1892. 1t was plainly trace
able in the history of the party up to and
since that date. Its rise, decline and
fall were written IN characters that any
one who has watched the course OF poll
tical events could not fail to un derstand.
It was bound to go the way of the Pro-
hibition party, the Granger party, the
Greenhack party. of all the parties that
form themselves about a single issue,
and that false one. From the moment
that it became the prey OF the discarded
and stranded relics whom both the
other parties had cas- out, it's decadence
was only a question of time.
Nevertheless, we ave abundant reason
to be glad that this is the time. 1t has
seemed strange TO many people that the
moment when the Peoples party was
being rejected everywhere else should be
the moment of danger for Minnesota.
But it is to the credit of this community
that it did not succumb as they did, and
have to learn it's lesson through humilia-
ton and loss. AS Republicans and
Democrats com bined elsewhere to put
the Popuiists out of power, so they COM
bined here to keep them out. That is
Ills b16utcE way Auo IL ACNifOo ldlUu III
the American people confidence in the
stability of our institutions, TO witness
slch n :sprilg on the part of ose who
had been addressed with every unworthy
appeal, whose passions had been worked
upon and whose worse nature enlisted in
the Populisrs' campaign OF hate and ig-
norance. 1t is not possible for lot of
demagogues to get together and, by call
ing in greed and envy and class interest
and the hope Of selfish advantage, secure
the surrender to them of the citadel of
government. 1t is worth a great deal to
nave that assurance.
The Peoples parry. will now die quick
and painless death. AS it's leaders are
nearly all men W no are animated solely
by the hope of personal advancement,
they will have little use for it now that
it is obviously on the wane. What they
want is Office, and not defeat. When the
new organization was growing daily and
promised to come into power in several
States, they hurried TO its side. They
will be among the missing, now that
bard work and little pelf is the POpu-
lists need. So perishes the most dis
creditable, evil and malignant political
organizs ton that ever sought to work
up tine material of anarchy into revo-
lutionarY army, and to overthrow rights,
parties, governments, for the esta blish-
ment of new despotism, based on the
advancement of the unfittest and I'M
worthiest. Democrats united with Re-
pu blicans to compass this desired result.
Now let US take fresh start, with
American parties founded on American
principles, and no more Populist imita-
tions of the Socialist circles in European
despotisms. If Tuesday had done moth
ing else than to bury the Peoples party,
all the rejoicing over the result would be
justified.