The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-11-24

tive convictions of his national party,
which demonstrated itself plainly in his
fidelity to the tenets of Jefferson, Jack
son, and later Cleveland whose early
utterances for the great common peo-
pie" pourished an idea among Kansas
Democrats that the Buffalo child of des-
tiny was without a living peer upon the
globe. Naturally, the Republicans sup
posed that this conservative and tradi-
ton. loving fibre in the Democrats ma
tire would not respond to the daring
and tradition-demolishing
characteristics Of the PopHlists. And
the cioseness of the last election in Kan
sas shows plainly that this supposition
was well founded as to part of the
Democratic voters. They could not be
won over to the Populist party. But
what of the man who has quit the
Democratic party forever and become a
Populist?
This man in Kansas originally went
into the Populist party in order to use
the Pepulist votes to elevate other
Democrats into Office. His own party
organization disappea red and he follow
ed after Populist ideas and methods of
campaigning. Frequently having Sc
cured in a fusion arrangement nomina-
tons for Democrats he voted for the
Democrats and scratched the Populist
nominees But as he became more and
more intimate with the Populists he be-
came like them. He surrendered the
fond traditions of Jefferson and Jack
son; their tenets were forgotten and
only their names awoke a fancied and
imaginative devotion in his heart. These
Democrats surrendered, at first, from
discretion, their bitterness engendered
by the civil war against the Republi-
cans and later forgot it entirely, and by
SO much looseped the ties that bound
them to the Democratic party. Still, the
Populist party was only state affair
and the Democratic party national and
the greater minds among the Democrats
with naturally greater ambitions re-
fused 10 live at peace with the Populists
entirely and held out for Democratic
autonomy. But working with the Popu-
lists, suppressing local platforms and
dividing the offices were all. as the
Democrats supposed, concessions TO the
PopulistS
In the meanwhile the Populists were
slyiy capturing their Democratic auxili
aries and making them part of the main
PopuHsiic army. Sacrifices Were made
for this but no: 0f the radical order
made by the Democrats. At best the
sub treasury warehouse was only a
fantastic dream and In concession to the
Democrats the Populists dropped 1t; the
paper money scheme was found not to
be a popular tenet and il, too, was drop
PED more for that reason than for any
concession to the Democrats. StiIl, the
Democratic allies of the PopuliStS were
made 20 believe ii was 3 concession.
The Democrats were sin faithful to a
tariff for revenue only and for free
trade. The Populists did not believe
the tariff question vital Still they were
unwilling to take up the Democratic
side of II for that would Immediately
throw out of their organizations hum
dreds Of former Republicans. They
could not concede tariff for revenue only
or free trade to the Democrats. The
Democrats would not join in complete
union with them until they did. Then
came Cleveland and the attempt at
tariff legislation. The misesa bic failure
made the Democrats only too glad TO
drop IL The Populists 10 longer had
to ask the Democrats to concede any
thing. But here q wonderful change
had taken place. In response to the
Democratic element Of love OF tradition
the Populist began the old cry Of "a
true Jeffersonian theory"-the free coin
age of silver. Their own party Was
clearly for paper money because it
meant imitation But this paper money
scheme was the doctrine of John Law.
whom the Democrats never knew, and
not the doctrine Of jefferson or Jack
son. The Populists surrendered paper
money and imitation for free silver and
imitation. They added to this. this
sweet morsel to the Democrats that free
silver was traditional and Jeffersonian.
Now but one thing remains 10 held the
less conservative Democrats TO their
party-the national character Of their
own party in contrast with the petty
state Dimensions of the Populist party
which they Were asked TO join. The
nomination Of Bryan swept that objec-
ton away. Bryan was neither POpu-
list nor a Democrat. he was neither
and both, Just as the Kansas fusionist
had been for 50 many years The IA
tional Democratic party sanctioned him
and thar was sufticient-the Kansas
Democrat went over TO the Populists.
Those who did not, ceased TO be Demo
Gratis and are now Republicans
The Populists are certainly in the
Union in the aseendency today. They
have granted the Democrats nothing.
They have the state government COM
plete and no Democrat viii be given
ANYTHING as a Democrat. Ii they are