Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1894-06-15
THE CAMPAIGN OPENED,


The campaign of the populist party in
North Dakota was given it's first impetus
at Jamestown yesterday, and ticket
was placed in the field for the con slider
of the voters of the state at the coming
election. It is significant fact that the
democrats received an even greater
snub than the one to which they bowed
in meek forgiveness at Valley City two
years ago. Governor Shortridge did not
seem to be IN the combination. Prob
ably he was suspected of too strong dem
ocratic leanings. Nelson Williams, one
of the warmest friends of the governor,
was also put out of the way. General
Standish, probably the deepest-dyed
populist in the state, one who had the
most earnest of desires to proclaim his
beliefs in the halls of congress, was
turned down in favor of Walter Muir,
the Cass county populist, whose middle
of-the-road populism is notorious-who
has all along proclaimed his intense op-
position to fusion. Lieutenant Gov
ernor Wallace, another Of the Muir
stripe, has captured the gubernatorial
nomination, and the balance of the
ticket was renominated, with the ex-
ception Of Rasmussen, whose place on
the railroad commission was coveted by
Connolly Of Morton county.
It is noticeable that there we're new
converts 6? to populism, at the conven-
tion. But it is evident that the great
majority of these are converts principally
for official purposes. The sole difference
between their attitudes now, and in
former years, is that this year they see
an opportunity to gain something in the
way of nominations for office from the
populists, by profession of populism,
where in former years, they contented
themselves with knifng the republican
or democratic candidates in an unosten-
tatious way. There are, with the posi-
bic exception of a few enthusiasts who
have been led astray by the sophistries
and glittering promises and prophecies
of populistic agitators, no new con-
verts to the doctrines of populism.
There have been no happenings since
the election two years ago, which tend to
prove any wisdom in populism, or which
prove the merits of any Of the proposed
legislation of the populists. In national
councils, the same populists who have
cried so loudly for the amelioration Of
wrongs, in the manner set forth by
their platform, have been guilty oi
direct disregard of the ante-election pro.
fessions made by them. The converts tc
populism, who have so announced them.
selves at this time are not, it is safe to
say, believers in the doctrines laid dowr
by the populist platform. But they are
converts to the belief that they may
secure something in the way of Office.
Another significant fact is that the
populists themselves have practically
refused to endorse the actions of the
first reform" administration. If this
was matter of personality, it looks as
though the pops had lost sight of their
oft boasted professions of principles
not men or Offices. If the convention
was sincere in it's action, it is not much
of recommendation for the re election
Of the populists- administration
which cannot be endorsed by the party
which gave it,
The. people of the nation have experl
mented with populism and democracy
for some time. They have seen the
country blighted, in it's hour of greatest
prosperity. They can see now, practica
results of demagogy and idle promises
in the hordes Of Coxeyites who are
swarming from all parts of the nation
men whose occupations have been taker
away by the combination legislation O
the two parties, one of whom is so earn
est in it's professions Of regard for tn,
workingmen. farmers products ar
cheap, because these same workingmel