Southwest-sentinel. [volume] (Silver City, N.M.) 1883-189?, 1895-02-26

be, and in this case was, determin-
ed by the policy and conduct Of
the man who happened to be chief
executive, it is fair to inquire
whether any peculiar or radical
features should be attributed to
the party and It's principles, OF to
the idiosyncrosies Of the man.
After a gubernatorial career Of
nearly two years, Governor Waite
sought a denomination. The State
convention of his party gave It to
him with great unanimity and
boundless enthusiasm. At the en-
suing election he received more
than 40 per cent of the total vote
of the State. These facts can be
considered only as an approval and
ratification by his party Of his
public acts.
The dominant idea which per-
meatcs the Omaha populist plat
form and It's immediate predeces-
sors is a concentrated paternalism.
The government ownership Of
railroads, Of telegraph lines, Of
telephones; the reclamation by
the government of lands held by
corporations and by aliens; the
abolition of banks; the direct us
age of full legal tender money, not
supported by a coin reserve; the
lending of this money tothe peos.
pie on the security of "imperisha-
BILE farm products" stored in gov
eminent warehouses-these are
characteristic features of popu-
lism. The party also appeals to
and emphasizes class distinctions.
It calls for a ''union of the labor
forces of the United States; it
declares that if any will not work
neither shall he eat -; it sees moth
ing but ~wickedness in the two
great parties, and alleges that"cor-
ruption dominates the ballot box,
the legislatures, the congress, and
touches even the ermine of the
bench" Colorado in its state adj
ministration under Governor
Waite gave an illustration of the
practical operati IN of these popu-
list principles. Patsrnalism man
ifested itself in the assumption
that the governor is "the govern
ment." Glass distinctions were
emphasized and increased by the
announcement that the rich have
had their day and turn about is
fair play. The courts, if they diff
fered from the executive in the
construction of constitutions or
statutes, were corrupt usurpers.
Under such influences the spirit
of anarchy was fostered and grew
apace and the state was brought
to the very verge of civil war.
The eastern press makes an
egregious error in assuming, as
has frequently been done of late,
that the republican victory in Col
orado denotes defeat of the silver
cause. 1t does not imply the
slightest diminution of bimetallic
sentiment. Certainly, a party
which wins its victory under the
leadership of such men as Senator
Teller and Senator Wolcott can
hardly be SAID to have grown less
Jealous in the cause of bimetall-
ism. The republican party Of Col
orado believes in gold and silver
coin as the legal tender money OF
the country, and as the basis OF
currency issues. 1t looks with
some amusement at the present
proximity of extremes the bank
ers at Baltimore and the populists
of the farmers alliance-the one
advocating a paper currency based
on stockholders liability and banl
assets (for example, bank build
ings, furniture aud fixtures, anC
bills receivable); the other udvo-
eating a paper money issued Oh
the security of ''imperishable farm
products" such as wheat, corr
aud tobacco. 1t wonderingly in
quires whether we shall depend
in future for our money supplies
"upon the quartz mills or the pull
mills of the country" The com
bination of doctrines labeled "pop
ulism" furnishes, however, nopan.
acea for existing ills. Colorado
is not likely to repeat her expert
ence in populist government
Joel +. Vale, in the Forum.
Notice OF Forfeiture.
To REGARD l.. POWELL AND NnLLIE g Pow