The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-08-19
THE DEMAGOGUE'S INNING.

To say that we are reapihS TIC foiy
flower and fruitage of the demagogue
in politics is safe proposition. he
comes down to US through long an
cestry, dating back to the early Gays
of the republic The common law OF
consanguinity is hardly responsible Tor
his existence, though the heredltary
tendency to play the public Tor ONCE
has soruled the motive and conduct OIL
his life as to designate a species III
not a family, proud Of lineal descent
Perhaps the better definition would be
that he is sort of sporadic eyoiutlon
of times an dconditions, adjusting his
purpose to opportunities, and pushing
his claims where and when he finds
the gullibility Of voters most easily
wrought upon.
This year of grace 1896 seems to
favor the achievement of his highest
ambition. In the midst of uneXampied
prosperity four years ago, there was
sudden drop or flop which can only be
accounted for as an accident-a blum
der which the American people would
never have committed had they anucl-
pated even one Of the many calam1tieS
growing out of it, but, none the less,
it provides the means for the bowling
demagogue to get in his work, and,
true to his instincts, he bounds into
the ring, mouth and all, blowing his
baZoo where and whatsoever he finds an
audience. Aggrayating the situation
now, he has found his way into state
and national conventions, and walked
off with the prize of one nomination Tor
president and two for vice president.
Take the antecedentS and former party
affiliations of Bryan, Sewall and Wat
SON. The chief a mere stripping in
politics, barely eligible to the office, so
far as known without convictions on
the main issues dividing the parties
which have held the even balance of
this government, and under whose
reign it has grown to be the greatest
in history, having barely reached the
chrysalis stage of craftsmanship, yet
playing his iron jaw before vast
audiences who assemble TO hear the
fool platitudes of a much advertised
"boy orator" AS TO party affiliations,
he has none. As to principles, they
are of the kind which fits all parties,
and read plausibly in any convention.
He is Democratic ON the tariff, POpu-
list in his advocacy of any and every
form of fiat money, a Socialist in the
rights and privileges which he claims
for the public, an Anarchist in his de-
Tense of the Chicago platform, and
good citizen in his habit OF wearing
good clothes and speaking fair Eng
lish. He is all things TO all men who
are old enough to vote-a hail fellow
well met with the hobs and the nabobs,
a demagogue Of the purest type, can
didate with views and principles adj
Unstable to all individual conditions.
His running mate, New Engiander,
a plutocrat, a true representative or the
class who, according to Bryan. is
clutchipg at the throat Of industry and
labor, and grinding the face of the
poor. He is guilty OF the crime Of
dAinSS-A-- II iOi tuut-f C a-1-f1"- 80 N-'
vopes of the crowd who says he must
divide UP. And what of Watson: A
wild-eyed Populist from the south a
true representative of his party, with
out whose aid the Democratic candi-
date could have no hope OF succsss-
Standing in the breach. be threatens
and whines and pleads for place on
the platform, but the willy Bryan
pushes him aside and courts favor with
his followers The ticket single
headed and hydra-tailesi, fully repre-
sents the Popccratic eabal who have
fused for the spoils. and VINO would
sacrifice all that is worth having in
this government for their own advance
menL
Reform Is the war cry. just as IL was
four years ago. The people Needed
their demagogy then. and what have
they seen: 4 season OF failures and
bankruptcies such as the country had
never witnessed before IL was Dem
ocraTic reform OF Republican abuses
then II is the uninteiligiele jsrgcn
OF q Popocratic wall for reform OF
Democratic perisdy DOW The sole and
only purpose Is 10 catch a majority 81
votes in November. Thai accomplish
ed. God pity the country.