The herald., 1896-07-22
THE POPULISTS AT ST. LOUIS

THE POPULISTS AT ST. LOUIS
The Populst situation at st. Louis is
certainly complicated and the outcome
is not easily predicted The major por-
ton of the indications seem favorable
to the endorsement Of Bryan's candi-
dacy, but whether that endorsement
will be unqualified and unconditional
or depends on the arrangements that can
be made for combinations on electors or
the substitution of e-presidential
candidate other than Sewall, is the ques-
ton.
1t is safe to say that neither Mr.. Bryan
nor any considerable proportion of the
national Democracy are favorable to the
substitution of a Populist for Mr.. Sewall,
the regular nominee for vice president,
and there is no power to compel his re-
tirement from the ticket if it were de-
sirable that he retire. The national COM
mittee has authority only to select an
other vice presidential candidate in the
event of his death or voluntary retire
ment. The scheme of compromising on
electors might be carried out, although
it's execution would be attended by diff
ficulty, and it would certainly be un-
satisfactory to an immense number
of Democrats.
The opposition to simple, unqualified
endorsement of the Democratic ticket
has a triple spiration-loyaltyi to a
Populistic ideal, hatred of the Demo-
cratic party engendered by bitter con-
tests waged with it in some parts of the
nd Joro "a fo nat
ronage, spoils of office. Some of the
Populists opposed to endorsement and
favoring only the nomination of a
straight-out Populistic ticket, like most
of those who stickle for the vice-pres-
idential nomination or compromise on
electors, must be credited with good mo-
tives even if their judgment is amiss.
To these people the Populist party is an
ideal instrumentality through which
they hope to educate the people
in favor of many reforms. of which the
free coinage of silver is but one, and in
the minds of large number not by any
means the most important. They are
fearful lest the elimination of the Popu-
list party from this campaign should
imperil that partys existence and thus
menace the prospects of the remainder
of their category of reforms They re-
alize that their party is composed of
heterogeneous elements drawn and held
together by the comradery of discomfort
rather than by common convictions.
The binding power of a creed by which
all political propositions may be tested,
such as the Democratic party possesses,
is absent in a political mosaic like the
Peoples organization, and they feel that
the integrity of the latter can only be
preserv ID by keeping aloof from other
parties and manifesting individuality
in the nomination of candidates who
would owe primary allegiance to it.
These people mean well. but it is safe
to say that if their advice is needed
right along the men who compose the
Populist party will not be of much prac
teal use in the accomplishment of any
reform that has to be worked out along
political lines. According to such
theory they can only affect reforms
through the machinery of their own
party, and it must be apparent to every
practical and observant mind that no
party that undertakes so many tasks at
one time and favors in it's platform so
many propositions essentially irrecon-
cilable, as the Populist party does, can
ever attain control of the federal govern
ment
The Populists who are opposed to an
endorsement of the Democratic ticket
simply because they hate Democrats are
mostly from the south, where the con-
f1ict between Populism and Democracy
has been more bitter than the war be-
tween Republicanism and Democracy
in other parts OF the country, and it hap
pens that some of the Democratic leaders
who are active in the promotion of Mr..
Bryan's cause have been among the
chief opponents of Populism in Dixie.
But such Populists are more loyal to
their prejudices than to their principles
if they stand out against endorsing the
Democratic ticket because of the antip.
athies of the past.
To the men in the convention who
make an agreement for the division of
offices the price of their support the best
answer is the charac teristically brave
and independent one nrade by Mr.
Bryan:
IF l trust you, you must trust me,
/ was nominated at Chicago without n
compromise or a promise. If am elect
ed, it must be without promise or COM
promise"