The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1895-08-01
POPULIST SAINTS.
There is a Very Great Differ
ence Between the
Brethren.
DIR. BARNES AND Mr.. COOK

Succeeded in Giving the Recent Popu-
list Gathering in Stark County a
Publicity That Coxey or Carl Browne
Might Envy-The N. Y. Tribune Has
a Few Words TO Say on Populistic
Saints.
The populist gathering in Canton on
Saturday, July 20, small as 1t was, has
attracted quite good deal of attention.
The New York Tribune of the 22d con-
tanned the following editorial under the
head line of Difference Among Saints: I:
"We regret to learn that all of the pop
ulist brethren do not dwell together in
unity. In a party composed of mere poll
ticians, bloodsuckers, goldbugs, minions,
creatures of capital and such like beings,
faction fight is nothing to be wondered
at. 1t is the most natural thing in the
world that men who play politics for what
there is in it should now and then have
bitter strife with other men who want the
same thing out of it that they do. Cleve
land won the presidency. Hill wanted 1t.
No need to seek further for cause of
trouble. Platt wanted patronage Brook
field was not subservient. Anybody
could have guessed what would happen.
Nobody expects anything different from
the old parties. A quarrl now and then
keeps things lively among them without
doing any harm But it is different with
prophets engaged in an unselflsh mission
for the people oppressed by the tyrannical
rule of politicians who are found squad
bling over presidencies and commission
erships instead of engaging in crusade
of principle for booming the price of sill
Il IA, s-r b,,o
law.
"The populist Is apart by himself He
has mission. He Is not dominated by
ignoble passions like other people who EN-
gage in public affairs. We have not al
was been able to rise to his heights or in
our blindness to understand the economic
miracles which he announced were to be
performed, but we have always accepted
him as holy man, fiery, perhaps, in the
enthusiasm of a great cause, but withal
a man who loved peace and had warfare
only with the powers of evil. Therefore
we regret to learn of the happenings at
the populist convention in session at Can
ton, Ohio, the accouts of which read more
like the story of Troy election or Bos-
ton Fourth of July parade than a confer
ence of political saints. 1t seems that in
selected to arathematize all heretics in
comprehensive populist creed. Now,
whether Barnes was not thought strong
enough in the faith or his goodness was
of that aggressive kind that made him
thorn in the flesh to his less sanctifled
brethen, the telegraph does not tell but,
at any rate, another saint named Cook
succeeded in having him displaced from
office, though not without some of the
bitter feelings and bad words which may
sometimes be noticed in the gatherings Of
unregenreate minions of monopolsts
The convention adiournd. Then says
the dispatch, Barnes grabbed his heavy
cane and made for Cook The latter
evaded u blow, and the two populist lead
ers were soon rolling over the floor
Others Joined in the fight, and skinned
faces and torn whiskers were in evi-
dence." When pace was restored it was
found that Barnes had contributed black
eye to the cause of free silver and peoples
rights.
We regret all this, as before stated
Such incidents tend to make cynics of
us all, and that is state of mind we
would gladly avoid If we could. We do
not want to think of the populists, as
loud-mouthed agitators itching for petty
committee places and engaging in vulgar
broils We like to think of them as He
brew prophets, as they proclaim in strid-
ent voice the wickedness of all men but
themselves. But If the saints themselves
distrust one another, the wanderer in the
field of selfish policies cannot but be dis
traught."