The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1894-09-13

4
Not 60 the 'sGranger" party, how
ever. The movement had attracted the
demagogues and shysters then. They
insis ed that it must be perpetuated in
. Political organization. As its native
issues disappeared they found new ones
for it. These were, Of course, first, cur
rency imitation, and second, the cause
Of ''labor." The lack Of originality in
these fellows who act as wet nurses for
new political parties was never 1nore
strikingly shown than in the absolute
correspondence Of their programme be-
tween about 1870 and 1882, and between
about 1882 and 1894. There was, in that
earlier period the same demand for
''fiat' money; reaching, indeed, far
more alarming proportions than that OF
late times. It would have condemned
Us to repudiation but for the presidents
veto. It carried away great and
prosperous states like Ohio. Aud when
the disease grew slowly less violent. it
left upon the body of our financial pol
icy the malignant ulcer known as the
Bland bill, to sap our strength and en-
danger our life.
I.4e labor" complication, too, was
present in full force. Those were the
years when the Knights of Labor grew
strong in the land. There was the great
strike and the riots Of 1877. Labor, de-
feated and rebellious, would, it was
thought, make common cause with the
remnant Of the Changers aud the still
surviving Greenback party. Any one
who took an interest in politics then
cannot have forgotten the secret alarm
with which the old parties questioned
whether this new combination might
not temporarily swamp the country. 1t
was mere flash in the pan. The sober,
intelligent voters were disguised equally
by the unprincipled leaders whom it
brought to the front and by the crazy
quilt platform which it became neces-
sary to adopt in order to take in the
manned, the halt and the blind. The
new movement that promised so much
fell to pieces as if it had been one Of
Coxey's armies. There were still few
fanatics or Predetermined who voted it's
ticket; but it ceased to be serious and
became distinctly ludicrous with the
campaign of Ben Butler for the presi-
dency.
The sequence Of these events has been
noted with some care, because again we
have history repeating itself with al
most the accuracy of copy from the
printed page. We have had farmers
Alliances" formed, just as the old
Oranges were, to promote mutual inter-
ests and to check the aggressiveness Of
corporations. At in about the time
when their practical york was mostly
accomplished, the battered hulks Of
politicians discarded by both the great
parties got control of their machinery.
Then they were united with. the still
surviving demand for currency infla-
ton. This led.to the craze Of the sub
treasury scheme. Then the owners Of
silver mines saw their opportunity to
foist their product on the people at
double its actual value. So we go ON to
the Peoples" party with its double APP
peal to agricultural discomfort and to
prevailing ignorance on the money
question. And now we have again the
great strike and the proposed union of
labor with the new organisation. BY
exactly the same steps have the 'two-ex-
perimente proceeded to the same fate.
The second saw its prime two years ago,
will get it's death blow this fall, and
will disappear in 1899, after an imita-
ton Of the Butler campaign.
There is another element that makes
this conclusion more than ever sure.
This is the alliance of Populism with
anarchy, and the fear and hatred which
the latter has inspired In the earlier
period referred to the apeople of the
United States knew Of this horrid faith
only as they knew Of the tortures of
Siberia; - something alien, afar,
impossible 70 connect with our
system Of government or our common
life. Now they have gazed ct it within
striking distance. The worst that would
have happened in the 7Os and earlier
COS IL the party Of fierce and iconoclastic
discomfort had come into power would
have been legislation destructive of
railroad properties and injurious to our
finances. Now they know better. A
Lewelling, Waite, an Altgeld have
taught them that the later movement
differs from the former by adding to
equal or greater ignorance an implacable
hatred Of liberty. These men have been
tested, and have shown that they regard
neither law nor public opinion, and that
they would not hesitate to invite civil
war in order to fasten their despotic
wills upon the people. These are the
disciples of the new anarchy; to vote
for whom is not merely to vote for de.
based currency and the legislation OF
demagogues, but is to vote, as senator
of Minnesota expressed it, 'sfor the sub.
mission Of the United States govern.
ment." He who fears for the result of
such an appeal in this state or in the
nation has too little faith in the virtues
and patriotism Of the American people.