The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-09-06
PopuIista Losing Ground.

The election returns in Arkansas are of
a character to dishearten the populists.
They expected TO make big showing in
that state. Indeed, they talked during
the campaign as if they expected to elect
their ticket.
When they nominated their ticket the
delegates refused to avail themselves of
the railroads in going to their convention
at Little Rock. They walked, or went in
wagons That was an idiotic perform
ance, but they thought it was a wise
thing to do and they were very enthusi-
astic. They wanted to show their hos
tility to the railroads, forgetting that if
it were not for the railroads they could
not get their crops to market, and that
their farms would not be worth half
what they are.
Two years ago the populists and repub-
licans joined their forces in opposition to
the democracy, and the democratic ma
jority was q, 900. This year the repubH-
cans and populists ran separate tickets,
and the democratic majority, over the
combined republican and populist vote, is
$4,000. The Iopulists did not poll as
many votes as the republicans.
Several months ago the MORNING News
said that the populist party was steadily
growing weaker, and Che Arkansas cleo
ton sustains that prediction. When the
elections are held in other states it will
be found that the populist movement is
on the wane in all parts of the country.
It could hardly be otherwise The popu-
list demands are not reasonable and are
not being accepted by the people 1t will
be a matter of a comparatiy ely short time
when the populist party will disappear
But the popullst stump speakers are
still making noise. They are very dem
onstrative. They seem to think that noise
is more effective in making populist CON
verts than argument. The elections
will cause them TO hold a different opin-
ion. In Arkansas they are not so firmly
| convinced as they were that the people
are with them. There are already devel-
| opments enough to Justify them in reach
| ing the conclusion that the people are
against them.
1t is doubtful if the populists Of Arkan-
sas will regard it as advisable totake part
in another campaign in that state.
1t is only short step from republican
! ism TO pOpulism, as was demonstrated by
! Senator Jones Of Nevada when he left the
republican ranks and joined the popu-
lists. He was able to make the change
1 without changing single one of his
! political opinions. He still believes in
| protection, in federal interference with
elections, in government favor to trusts
| and corporations, in centraliling the gov
ernment in a few hands at WASHINGTON.
| in paying pensions to everybody that
wore blue clothes from 1851 to 1868 in
! elusive, and in taxing the people to the
! last possible cent in order thar the con
! gress may have money TO spend for all
| kinds of iimcracks. He is able to hold all
Of these republican notions, and still be a
consistent populist because he believes in
the free coinage Of silver at a ratio of Is
to l. And one does not have to go far to
/ find the reason for his silver opinions
He is interested in silver mines and rep
reseuts silver state. If silver coinage
were made free and unlimited Senator
Jones and his friends, the silver mine
owners, would be benefited
The little difficulty between the state Of
Mississippi and the federal treasury de
partment growing out Of the issuing by
Mississippi of state treasury warrants
that closely resemble federal treasury
notes, or money has not yet been settled
The state declines 20 call in the warrants
and they are 5Jill being circulated as cur
rency Meantime the treasury depart
ment has destroyed the plates from
/ which the warrants were printed, and is
/ prosecuting individuals who oder TO pass
] The wJrISu.s as money.