The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1894-11-15
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POPULISTIC PROSPECTS.
Senator PETER Becomes Communicative
on the Subject

Washington, Nov. 11.-Senator PETER
has arrived from Kansas Discussing the
result of the recent election, he said the
the Populists had no reason to feel dis
couraged. "What we have lost in con-
gressmen, he said, 1--WE have more than
made up IN votes. The reports gener-
ally published would lead people to sup
pose that we had suffered material loss
in all respects in Kansas. Such is not the
case. In 1890 we had about 105 200
votes in that state; in 1892, about 49,
900; and in the late election from 120,0O
to 125,OOO, in the face of the fact that
about 10000 of our voters had left the
state on account of drought. We failed
in the election of officers because we were
not paired with the Democrats, but we
have every reason to be encouraged for
the future. In the country at large | feel
confident that when the returns are foot
ed up they will show our total vote to be n
little less than 100000, which is about
twice the Populist vote of two years ago"
Asked if he believed Governor Tillman
would cooperate with the POpulists if
he should be elected to the senate. Mr..
PETER replied that he could not say, as
Governor Tillman had never outlined his
intention in that respect. He called at
tention to the fact that Mr.. Irby, who
supposedly shares the political views of
Governor Tillman, had remained in the
Democratic ranks. "Still." he added,
'the time must come when all Democrats
believing as Tillman and lrby do, must
ally themselves openly with the POpulist
policy. The eastern Democrats are, to all
intents and purposes, Republicans, and
Democrats of the Tillman-Irby stripe
cannot long remain in the same party or
ganization with them"
The senator declined to discuss the
question of the probable organization of
the senate after the 4th of March by
the Republicans with the aid of such Pop
ulists as, like himself, had affiliated with
the Republican party before they became
Populists, further than to say that the
time was too far distant to speculate
upon and in general way to remark
that if the time should come when the
Populists should hold the balance of
power in the senate he had no doubt
''they would exercise that power con-
tinuOusly and wisely"
Senator Stewart of Nevada was less
guarded than Senator PETER in speaking
of the assumption that certain of the
Populist senators would aid the Republi-
cans in the organization of the senate
He says emphatically that so far as he
is concerned he will enter into coalition
with either of the old parties to secure
the organization. 81 do not care" he
said, (which of the old parties control
the machinery of the senate. There is
no advantage to us to be joined by a
combination with either the Republicans
or the Cleveland Democrats. We do
not care for the few paltry Offices there
are to be bestowed. We could not afford
to sacrifice our independence as a party
for them. SO far as | am personally
concerned, | do not care whether they
put me on any committee or what they
do with me as long as | am entitled to
my seat in the senate and get into the
chamber. In fact" he added, growing
emphatic, | can raise more hell when
entirely free from such obligations than
when bound by them.
The senator says that he thinks the
Populists will be able to exercise a
more potent influence by keeping en-
tirely aloof from entering into entang
ling alliances with either of the old par
ties, and it is his opinion that this is the
policy which will be pursued by the
Third party in the senate and that he
will advise that this policy be pursued.
He thinks there is no doubt that when
the test comes Senator Jones will be
found acting in full harmony with the
POpulSt senators. and that if Governor
Tillman should be chosen to succeed
Senator Butler, he will also be found in
the POpulist column as will also the two
senators to be chosen from North Caro-
lima This would give the Populists
eight senator's as against ~ Republic
ans and 3S Democrats after the 4th of
March.