The San Francisco call., 1896-05-14
THE P0PULIsT CONVENTION.

| The actions of the Populist Convention
which will have most effect upon practical
politics in this campaign, and therefore are
| of most interest TO the general public, are
| the Endorsement of T. V. Gator for United
States Senator and the adoption of plank
| i'll the platform favoring union OF reform
forces at ST. Louis, providing it can be
beneficially effected without the sacrifice
OF the Peoples party.
Their actions are of interest, because
they affect the question whether we are to
have what is called straight politics in this
campaign, or a contest in which Republi-
cans will be opposed by any kind and
every kind of combination which politi-
| cal bosses and tricksters can arrange to
deceive the unwary portion of the people.
What has been done at Sacramento has
been distinctly favorable to honest poll
tics. There has been an evident pur-
| pose in the convention to set the princi-
Piles of the party above the spoils of office.
and the two particular actions we have
noted seem to make it clear that no COM
bination will be made that involves any
compromise of the measures to which the
party has pledged itself and is so earn
estly devoted.
The clause in the platform relating to
the proposed union with reform forces at
st. Louis is subject, of course, to the re-
vision of the National Convention. The
party in no State can bind the action of
the party or the Nation. 1t will be for the
maj jority that assemblies at st. Louis to
decide how far a union with the silver
men and reform forces can be carried with
out sacrifice to Populism. Ii is clear, how
ever, from the passage of this plank that
the Populists of this State are opposed to
fusion on National issues and it is reason
| able to assume they will be equally op-
| posed to any kind of surrender of princi-
! pies for the sake of men in State affairs.
There can be no question that the stead
| fast loyalty of the Populists to their own
| party, their own principles and their own
men will be of advantage to them in a
partisan sense. 1t will keep their organ
ization intact, strengthen the discipline in
the ranks and enable them 10 poll the full
vote OF their earnest and stalwart men,
bers. In broader sense, however, it will
benefit the whole people. 1t will present
| the issues OF the day to the public in way
in which they can be dealt with intelli-
gently and decisively. The voter will
have the choice of three tickets to choose
from. He NAV, on the tariff, vote for Re-
publjcanism and protection, for Democracy
and free trade or for PopuIism and Gov
ernmental tariff commission. On the
money question he can vote with the Re-
publicans for bimetallism, with the Popu-
lists for an extreme free-silver and paper
money policy, or with the Democrats with
goldbug or straddle policy, according
as the Chicago convention may declare.
Taken altogether, what has been done at
Sacramento well deserves the commenda-
tion of good citizens whether they are Pop
ulists or not. 1t has not been dominated or
even influenced by cranks. Much that is
demanded in the platform is out of the
reach OF practical politics in this campaign,
but all vital issues have been dealt with
conservativeiy and we'll. The Populists
are IN error in our judgment in separating
at this time from the great party of protec-
ton and prosperity, but having done so
they are certainly to be congratulated on
their sagacity in avoiding the party OF
free trade, Clevelandism and Wall street