The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-11-16
THE POpULlST COLLAPSE.

The landslide of the election has been
as disastrous, relatively, to the Popullsts
as TO the Democrats, and In the case of
the former the prospects OF resurrection
are faint. at the present time four States
have Populist Governors, there are three
Populst Sen ators and the Indications be-
fore the lae election were th at five States
were likely to be carried for a Populist Pres
dential candidate in 1896. Only one Popu-
list Governor survives. the three Populist
Senators will be retired as fast as their
terms expire, and of the thirty.six Con-
gressmen elected in the so-called Populist
States only three are Populists. Waite,
Lewellyn, Pennoyer. Stone and Tillman,
with 'Sockless Jerry" and the Rev.
Jimmy Kyle, have been or are being con-
signed to private life; their political
career will presently seem like a dream
begOtten Of political indigestion People
will thank God that it was only a night
mare.
At the time of the Ocala convention
leVel-headed men felt apprehensions lest
the conduct of affairs should fall into the
hands of faction which. in the language
OF the Tribune, was 'bedlam let loose"
Most OF the planks In the Populist plat
forms were midsummer madness of the
Jack Cade type. But tongued and
grooVed with these were planks which
were sound and upon which level
headed man did not fear to tread. The
Fepullst arraignment of the old parties for
the corruption with which they had be-
come hoEeycombed struck a respou sive
chord in the minds of good citizens. and
the danger was that in their desire to
aSsall this voters might be entrapped into
lndorslng a creed which was mostly
made of Illusions. 1t was lucky for the
country shat the Industrial Army crusade
happened when it did. for it awoke the
victims of Populist delusions to the ten
dency OF the philosophy which they were
about to embrace. When a farmer who
was inclined to Populist leanings saw his
orchard robbed by Industrial Army
tramps he was cured of his tolerance for
new-fangled experiments in political sci
ence.
1t has been found in the past as it will
be found in the future that novelties in
legislation and administration will be ac-
cepted by one or the other of the existing
parties as fast as they seem to commend
themselves TO the approval Of thinking
men. When they are not a new party will
arise which will supsrsede and absorb one
of the old parties. When new doctrines
are rejected by Republicans and Demo-
Gratis alike it may safely be inferred that
they are unworthy of acceptance. There
has been oae exception to the rule. When
men of conscience av0wed the principle
that the institution OF slavery should not
extend beyond its then limits both of the
\, 4
took ground against il in their platforms.
The consequence was the organization of a
new party, which drew from Democrats
and Wings alike their best men. But this
was obviously an exceptional case. and the
new party was based on a clear principe
which commanded the approval of con-
scientiOus and intelligent men, We have
no such principle in the political atmos-
phere to-day, although there is plenty of
opportunity for reform and realignment
on certain issues.
Third parties have frequently sprung
into life in this country on local or ephem-
eral or incidental issues But they have
generally fallen under the control of
cranks and demagogues who had panace
Of their own for the cure of existing evils
and patent devices for promoting universal
prosperity; hence after a brief and me-
teOric existence they have generally given
up the ghost under an avalanche OF public
contempt. The Populists, like the Green
hackers, had not even the excuse for exist
ence that they proposed something new.
Their creed was patchwork of exploded
fallacies which were invented. tried and
discarded long before the time of their
present expouuders. The temporary sue
cess which they achieved is costing the So
cieties which took them to their bosom a
serious loss in credit and standing.
nr