The Saint Paul globe., 1896-11-30

Populists are the Populists. They will
nave eighteen members of the Populist
party as representatives, exclusive Of
three others, who are likely to vote
With them in preference to voting with
the Democrats, and two besides from
South Dakota, a larger representation
than any outside or third party has had
In congress for great many years. It
is very much to be doubted whether
the P0puliStS represent a national vot-
ing strength Of more than 100000, or
whether, for a ticket Of their own at the
recent election, they could have polled
that number of votes. The Prohibition
party. at the election of 1892, polled
264, 900 votes, more than half as many,
and yet they were unable to elect sol
itary member in any district of the
Union. The POpulistS, with vote per-
haps twice as large this year. but most
certainly not in excess of 700, 900, secure
through their unequal partnership with
the Democrats a representation of
twenty-five members, and they will
have, some of them expect, considera-
Bile voice in the direction of the policy
Of the Democratic members.
In the year 1878 the Greenback party
in the United States obtained it's larg
est influence and following, and repre-
scented a larger proportion of the vote
than the Populists do now or than they
have done at any time past. Yet they
were unable, even as the result of this
vote, to get any considerable represen-
tation in congress. They never had
a United States senator, and in the
Forty-seventh congress. chosen in 1880,
they had eight members only, though
the vote for their presidential ticket
in that year was 307 900, which, on the
basis Of the larger number of states,
seven having been admitted into the
Union since then, and the increased
Of tho iS nn1IiUq lpT1f fO
more than 100000 at present. The
PopuliSts, with a slender following of
votes, have now six United States sem
atoTs and in facEqtwenty-ffve repre-
sentatives-elect, and. some of them are
figuring with great confidence on in
creased representation IN the senate,
more particularly gain in Washing
ton and Idaho, bringing up their total
to eight exclusive of Senator Teller
and his free-silverite associates, who
on the silver question, at least, are
now full-f1edged Populists.
The Populists have Jared very well
in their political alliance with the
Democrats. In New York, New Jer-
sey and Maryland, the three Eastern
states which have been sacrificed as
the price of Populist support, the Pop
ulists have brought no recruits. Their
following in each of these three states
is Insignificant. But wherever they
were numerous they have exacted in
rigorous fashion Democratic support
to help them to success, for there is
not. probably, in the whole Union, ex-
cept perhaps in Colorado and Nevada,
single state in which the Populists
are strong enough to elect a repre-
sentative without Democratic assist
ance. What the PopuliSts have gained
from the joint alliance their increased
membership in both branches of con-
gress shows; what the Democrats have
lost from the alliance, their decreased
representation in both branches of
congress shows too. The Populists
would sem to be pretty good politi-
clans despite their uncouth way of let
ting voters know who they are and
what they want.