New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-08-04
pOpULIsM on A DOWy GRADE.

Populsm appears TO some new outbreak or
the neither forces, unmeaSured and therefore
to be feared But glance at It's history re-
moves much uncertainty about Its strength.
1t IS rehash of the Greenback party, which
picked up after the panic Of 1878 the Anti-Mo-
nopolists and Farmers, and various odds ana
ends Of old parties which had been dropped
off during fifteen years, and cast IN 1915 TOT
Peter Cooper for President S1,I3l votes, or
which 50 900 were il Indiana. Michigan, Illinois,
Iowa and Kansas. Iii 1850, with Mr.. Weaver,
OF Iowa, for candidate, 1t cast 30S5IS votes, OF
which about half were In the States just named
and Missouri Then 1t faded out, casting only
1880 for Butler in 1884, and after more or
less fusion with Cleveland men In 1883 and
consolidation with labor men under the name
Union Labor party, polled only 1929 votes.
Then succeeded the Farmers Alliance, polling
n considerable vote in few States, and next
the Peoples party gathered up the same poiti-
cal drftwood with large number of dissatis-
fed farmers The Omaha Convention in July,
1892, nominated Weaver who had been the
Greenback candidate In 1850, and proposed a
National currency of $50 per capita distributed
directly to the people under a SubTreasury or
some other plan. Government control of rail-
roads and telegraphs. and Government posses
sion of land now held by corporations Through
all the changes for twenty years the same Idea
has prevailed unlimited paper imitation. But
in 1892 by means Of various bargains with the
Democrats, the vote was raised to 1042 631, or
SO per cent of the total.
This party carried just enough States to show
what 1t would do if it could, and to make itself
utterly detestcd by a large share OF It's own
supporters In Kansas 1t elected. by the aid OF
Democrats, Lewelng Governor with 163,oW
votes In 1892, but could muster only 11S,329
votes for him in 1894 and made no attempt to
run a candidate in 1895. The disgraceful con-
duct Of Lewellng Is we'll known. In Colorado
1t elected Bloody Brides" Waite Governor by
Democratic aid in 1892 with 5,400 plurality bu.
was defeated with him as candidate In 1881 by
Is Cos plurality. In Illinois Altgeld was elected
as a Democrat by 1000 plurality in 1892, but
the State gave 1892 Republican plurality in
1894, the Republican vote being $4,000 more
than was cast for Harrison in 1S92. SO expert
ence in other States has taught thousands or
voters the lesson that loss Of confidence, pros
tration Of business, disgrace and misrule tend
ing toward Anarchy. surely follow wherever
the Populists get power, and 1t would be
marvel II great proportion OF the KepuD
leans and Of the Democrats also, who once
acted with this party had not turned against
II with intense feeling.
The uprising Of farmers originated in blind
reliance upon demagOgues of their own, and
the WORKOUT and discarded dcmagogues Of
other parties TO cure evils which were sorely
felt but which no Government could cure, and
which were largely caused by the unwisdOm
Of farmers themselves 1t came in just the
States where the frantic land speculation had
caused few years before the craZiest advances
In land. so that great proportion Of the prop
erty changed hands at prices which made profits
in ordinary agriculture impossible. The coun
try was plastered over with mortgages given
when II was believed could double his
money by buying q farm The farmers then
proceeded to attack creditors by most unjust
laws and decisions regarding collections and
to destroy the confidence and assail the credit
OF corporations preventing extension of rail
ways, and yet they were foolish enough TO
imagine that increasing development OF their
States and larger prosperity would follow. When
inevitable reaction came 1t not only Frustrated
multitudes who had taken too large ventures
but thousands who had been guilty Of no i'm
prudence, merely because they lived in State
cursed by Populism.
Senator Cameron, when asked whether he
would support Bryan. curly answered: Il am
a silver man, but not fool" 1t would indct
the common-sense Of Western farmers to sup
pose that after their experience Of Populism
and free silver Democracy they would try it
again. That Is one Of the epidemics which
men never take twice. The election results
prove that many thousands who had the disease
have recovered completely, and the wild per-
formances and utterances Of Democratic and
Populist conventions this year have been emil
nently calculated to cure many more.