The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-01

came - re fFvnt with u. least : qperter;s sub
guription IN advance for their chsfished organ.
managed 20 ipst1 local int. rest into tho paper
some Of the coancffnssn for afIeSsS so eaiS sI n
connection with 2 city wafer works contract,
S sSs S.S q our urd Po ovId supporter Pattsd me on
The paper came out full Of dark hints about a
lobby at the City Hall and about the chief
majority Of the Aldermanic Board were tho
pstd hirclings of the monopolistic corporation
G THi' bee. a'P psr%iiaed Pf tS build ,GE foe fp t Iet CITY, work. about 4
that time I learned that tho Mayor OF tho little
city had considerable backbone, and that no
have always felt that l escaped an encounter
with him by a lucky chance. 1t happened that
order Of ParEhurst, made a series OF unealied,
for attacks upon the Mayor and his Cabinet.
l was sufficiently familiar with the situation to
Mayor was right, and I took that stand in the
paper much to the surprise, as Iafterward
fight was soon over and the parson was downed,
as ne should have been, The Mayor walked
thanked It's editor for tho course pursued dur,
Ing the controversy. and although he was abso-
lntely opposed to Populism in all It's phases, he
mainder Of its chequered caree-.
There was plenty Of work and more or less
run, but absolutely no money In running n Pop
nlistic paper, even in such q hotbed Of Popn-
lism us Texas was a few years ago. I got out
Of i with simply the e1Ierienos, considersbls
times were hard u Peoples Party organ in
Texas had about. as much show Of life as a
Coney Island bathing pavilion would in the
Arctic regions.
II was glad to learn the other day through
the columns OF THE sur that the sturdy Texas
Democrat who lent his printing plant to the
coterie, OF impecunious priuters and thus
made u possible for me to DO a .Populist for at
least six months was getting his share in the
return of prosperity. A SCS despatch frou
Dallas hrought the news that the Fort Worth
man, had made n large and profitable deal in
cattle and ranch land. If prosperity has
struck Texas there wi, 10 less need than ever
for Q Populistic' organ, either of the MiGdle-of-
the-Road stripe or otherwise.
shortly before the little Pop daily stopped
breathing l was summoned 70 appear before
lack OF other means of support, had fastened
himself TO our stAff, demanded that I should be
catechfs ed as to my POLITICAL Views. He con.
tended that |. ] could not show positively that
no faint Of sympathy with plutocrats remained
on my garments l should surrender to him tho
reins OF editorial power. He was n Simon-pure
Mtddle-of.tht- Reader for revenue only. I de-
clined to be subjected to the proposed cxamina
ton. l was not hired, 50 I exclaimed. Tor my
ence as a newspaper man all that could DO de-
named even by T. solvent employer.
Aside from the venerated Judge Nugcnt,
whose sacrifice of personal interests was as
rare as it was inspiring, mono OF the active
leaders Of the Peoples Party was worthy Of
the name. Judge Nugent gave freely OF his
time, means, and brains to the venture, but in
the dark days Of ,'s3 the sadly handicapped
little newspaper shrank out OF sight. That
ended Drifter's six month"; career as a Popc-
listic editor. II Is unnecessary 70 say Drifer
was broke"