The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1894-08-10
THE POPULIST PIRTY.

Ell A-R, ND
FRIDAY MORNING, AUGUST 10, 1894.
THE POPULIST PiRTY.
The unknown strength of the popu-
list party and its future prospects
are questions of much Importance at
the present time. There is undoubt-
eddy, an intense feeling of political
unrest all through the country and
changes are gradually taking place in
both the old parties, the result of
which it is impossible to foretell.
Every student of natural philosophy
knows that there are many substances
without definite form, which, when dis
solved in hot water, and allowed to
cool off slowly, take shape in crystals
of beautiful patterns, and mathemati-
cal exactness of proportion. Some
times crystals of one form will, when
treated in this manner, take on another
form, and crystals which have been
damaged and polluted with other sub
ton, and arrange themselves in all
their pristine brilliancy and beauty.
Something akin to these changes is
now going on in the political thought
of the country, and thoughtful men
cannot avoid wondering what will be
the outcome. Had the Democratic
Congress early in the present session
passed reform tariff bill, constructed
on the lines laid down by the repre-
sentatives of the party at Chicago,
the situation would have been much
less complex, but their failure to do
so has greatly aggravated the already
depressed condition of trade and
unprecedentedly hard times have
swamped the country. Commerce is
crippled, the farmer gets but little
more than half price for many of his
products, workingmen's wages have
been reduced and the people have in
a great measure lost heart and nerve.
1t is not necessary at present to enter
into the cause of all this. The Re
publicans say it is for fear of what the
Democratic administration will do,
and the great mass of the Democratic
party claims that it is caused by what
the Democratic Congress has, SO far,
failed to remedy. Be this as it may,
the dissatisfaction is real and wide
spread
The Populists, in national power, are
as yet untried. They make glowing
promises of what fine times we would
have if they should be placed at the
helm of State. Some of their
principles are undeniably good, being
borrowed from the Democratic party,
and many of their ideas are very po-
pular with large portion of our
citizens, particularly with those who
are sorely pressed by the hard
times. Rather than bear their pre-
sent ills they would fly to those they
know not of. The Democrats, being in
power, though not in reality response
BILE for the present bad state of affairs
but only for its continuation, are held
answerable for it. When they look to
to the Republican party they find its
Bourbon leaders still crying high tar
lff as cure for all our ills, notwith-
standing we have been desed with
that medicine al nauseam Then
the Populist party claims their atten-
ton. Several Western States, which
have heretofore been safely Republi-
can, have been captured by this new
party, and it has badly demoralized
the Republicans in many others. In
the South they have about absorbed
the small Republican vote of that
section and have also made consider
able inroads on the great Democratic
majorities. Now they are invading
the Northern and Eastern States and
they have already made nominations
for Congress in many districts there.
In 1856 the Republicans polled but
few more votes than the Populists did
at the last Presidential election, vet
Lincoln was elected in 1860. In the
present Congress it would be difficult
to say how many Populists there are,
as some of the Senators who were
elected by the other parties have
shown a strong leaning to the "Peo-
Piles party but it is certain they
have as many as five Senators and
eight Congressman. Wherever they
have held the balance of power they
have manipulated it most skillfully
by deals with the old parties, and it
is not improbable they may in this
way hold the balance of power in the
next Congress. In 1896 there may beno
election by the people, thus throwing
it into the House of Representatives
and, if the Populists hold the balance
of power then, they can at least secure
Vice President
These ideas are only advanced to
show what is possible, not to advocate
or condemn the doctrines of the Popu-
list party. The moral to be deduced
is for Democratic representatives to
stand by their pledges to the people
and for Democratic voters to stand by
their party. The Republican party
would like to profit by the universal
discomfort, but the disaffected will
say mo, thank you; we know you of
old" Some of them may, however.
be tempted for the sake of change, if
nothing else, to fly to part5 which
makes so many glowing, though i'm
practicable promises, but the doctrines
of the Democratic party as expounded
by Jefferson are immortal, and if our
leaders stick to them the party will
emergefrom this re-crystalization with
all the dross thrown off, pure, perfect,
triumphant and beautiful.
AT the State elections held in Ten
nessee ON Saturday and Alabama on
Monday the Democrats won by hand
some majorities. The result was not
altogether free from doubt on account
of the unknown strength of the Popu-
lists, especially in Alabama, where the
straight Democratic ticket, headed
by Congressman William Oates for
Governor, was arrayed against the
combined Republican and Populist
tickets headed by Reuben F. Kolb,