The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-08-12
EVOLUTION OF PopuL1sr POLITICS

ture after all. The growth of dot
trines has been by a process of elimina
ton largely and the leadership Of tn
cessity for organization The none.
and transportation questions were tw
matters Of serious consideration wit
the Farmers Alliance and along wit
these were protests against the mid
die man. who absorbed so large a por
ton Of the price the consumer pait
for the product and against the politi
cal methods Of existing parties, in tina
| practical politics had fallen into The
| hands of professional politicians ant
some of the complaints against thf
| professional pOliticiaS were well found
ed and if the officer were allowed q
little more privilege to seek the man
the public might be better served ever
though the professional might shed
a few briney tears.
On the money question they expous-
ed the discarded greenback idea that
| money is a creature of law thai
"the intrinsic value of the material OF
which it is made does not add TO its
value" While they found no objec-
ton to the free coinage Of gold, or the
free coinage of silver, or Of both, they
did find objection to the demonetiZa-
ton of paper. They wanted paper
coined" into money mot less than $40
per capita" With an ingenuity not
to be disposed, they said. Money man.
ufacteured by the government is of no
use TO the people unless it is put into
circulation. Since money, whatever
it's value. come into the hands of the
people unless they give something Of
value for it, they concluded that the
'most feasible" way of putting money
into circulation was by leaning to the
people without interest, or at cost, upon
security according TO the Subtreas-
uary or other like scheme. Where
fore the free coinage of paper put
into circulation by gratitOuS loans
to the people constituted the essential
monetary reforms of the Alliance, the
basis of the Populist party.
While the subtreasury plan was the
subject of great amusement il was not
so ridiculous as that ''money is the crea
ture of law" and that measure of
values" can be created by q statute.
The latter is absurd. the former pos
sibility If the first theory Of money
were correct the subtreaSury method
would be philosophical though cum
bersome method of putting it into cir
culation. But the subtreasury plan
has been laughed out of existence
along with the protests against politi-
clans and professional politics. And
here may be noted a step in the evolu
ton Of a party. A party must have
organization, leading minds, practical
discretion, men who devote time in
planning campaigns, in word, must
have professional politicians. When
victory comes the hOnors and rewards
must fall where due to the effective
workers" to the politicians. Sc the
evolution of the Populist party has
gone on till the farmers have not
whit more part in it than they had be-
fore, when they began their protest.
Many issues have been differentiated.
The money question has been so emas-
culated as not to be recognized. While
a fat money party pure and simple, the
politicians know the fate of the green
back party. so the politicians mas
querading under the pretense of free
silver The politicians know that the
Populist party is a paper money party
but practical politics" has an eye TO
success. Men have been eliminated
as well as issues. Willis, Glover. FL
der and Otis have disappeared. Lew
cling has made his exit The farmer
is in it only to vote for a new order of
professional politicians. Simpson re-
mains, but he is the oldest politician
among them. A shrewd, selfish, cum
ming, plausible demagogue he may be
counted on TO persist longer than most !
Of them. Predictions are only guesses.
but if Simpson is the character his |
Populist enemies say his fall will be /
complete when it comes
Why should Lewelling have been de-
feated? For political reasons, He /
was the only reform" governor Kan !
sas ever had and one would naturally |
suppose there would he practical rea- !
sons" for endorsing his administration. /
His enemies said the gang" he had (
around him was disgrace that the PEG 4
pie would never endorse. While il is 4
true his administration was in no sense
q model, it was just as good as Leedy'S 1
Will be. If he is elected. Lewelling 4
in private life WIS the peer of any man /
who sought the nomination. 1t was /
not so much the protest against Lew /
elling's gang" as the selfiShness of 1
somebody else's gang" that wanted in 1
1t was no contest of principle, but n
contest among spoil hunters, profess
sional politicians.
When THE Office showed a prefer
ence for Mr.. Harris. Mr. Lewelling
and others Joined in a combination 10
defeat him and nominate Leedy. thus
openly violating the idea that the Office
should be allowed to seek the man.
Another instance OF a warfare among
partisans professional politicians One
set Of politicians heat Lewelling and
followers beat the choice
Of his enemies for governor. That is
al the principle there j 10 il.
If the Republican who left his party
as a protest against the domination of