The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-10-11
THE DEAD DUCKS OF PoPULIsM.
What Became of Them and--NVhat
Their Party Has Come To.

Their Party Has Come To.
Topeka Correspondence of st. Louis
Globe-Democrat.
When the farmers alliance of Kansas
in 1880 elected five congressman and won
a United States Senator a lawyer was
ineligible for membership in the party
organization, That tidal wave of reform
carried into judicial and clerical positions
more men who had never heard of Kents
commentaries. In 1898 there is one soil
tary farmer on the ticket, which appeals
to Populist votes on a platform of state
insurance and state stock-yards, and other
things. If it wasn't necessary to have
for state treasurer a solid farmer with
k400 acres of land who could give bond
1t is doubtful if the lawyers, who re
otherwise the whole thing in the peoples
party, so far as the Offices will go around
would have Uncle Dave Hefebower on
the state ticket.
The mortality of Populist leadership has
been very great 1t can be compared only
to the heeting character of issues Those
who imagine that Populism will stand the
same candidate and the same issue In 1900
as in 1896 fail TO comprehend the philos-
ophy of it. In Kansas this philosophy
finds Its most advanced development and
its most successful practice, Here eight
years of experience may be reviewed with
profit. Populism in practice is only a syno-
nym for a new deal. 1t was applied to the
dominant party in Kansas to turn out the
men who had been holding the offices and
running the party machinery too long
And having accomplished that it mas
turned upon and stung itself with biennial
regularity.
Only one survivor Of the pop leadership
of 1880 survives to-day. He lives because
natural wit has enabled him TO play the
part of Populism to perfection. He isn't
Populist at heart. He does not deceive him
self He is an actor of Popu,ism.
william A. PETER came upon the scene
as a successor to Ingalls,. His wonderful
whiskers made him of national fame. But
the Kansas Populist could scarcely wait
for the end of his six years to drop him
To-day ex-senator PETER is so far out of
line with his party that he is running as a
nominee for Governor against the PopuIst
ticket on a platform for strict enforcement
of The prohibition law. After he left the
Senate he bought a paper and attempted
to take his old place in The party, as the
recognized editorial exponent of Populist
principles. The Pops who had looked
upon him as their intellectual leader in
1890, and who had considered his work
1.-The Way Out" chief of their political
textbooks refused to take his paper to
the extent of making 1t self-supporting
PETER had simply gone the way of all
leaders of the party which distrusts every
body, including its own members.
Mary Elizabeth Lease has hardly been
seen in Kansas for two years Mr.. Lease
still runs the drug store in Wichita The
girl who was in short dresses at the Ona-
ha convention, and who recited reform"
poetry with dramatic effect, has graduated
at the Wichita school The subject of her
essay was Reform" From occasional
paragraphs which come West the Kansas
people understand that Mrs. Lease is leo
turing on ireland" MARY, Queen of
Scots" and other harmless themes. The
Joan of Arc of the great reform movement
in Kansas is no longer any part of It.
There was a time when John p st. John
filed a place of some magnitude ia the
public eye. He was once the national
candidate of the Prohibition party for
President though many people may have
forgotten the fact That was after he
had been Republican Governor of Kan
sas. He called himself a free silver Re-
publican rather than a Populist but in,
dorsed Populist demands The other day
there was a congressional nomination to
be made in his district. St John was
talked of as a candidate. His own county
sent TO the convention a delegation against
him. Now St. John is out in statement
declaring that he is going to support PET
fer for Governor because Leedy hasn't
enforced the licuor law. st. John occa-
sionally lectures on temperance outside OF
Kansas. He has ceased to have a politi-
cal following in Kansas.
Wrecks are numerous in the paths of all
political parties, but the iekleness of the
Populists is amazing Frank McGrath was
the organizing genius of the farmers alli-
ance in 1890. He was president of his
organization His farm now claims his
undivided attention. p. p Elder was nut
forward by the Kansas Populists as their
trusted representative at national confer
ences for campaign, and then dropped
out Of sight John Willis was the first
farmers candidate for Governor He is
raising corn and nothing else Rightmire.
whe was once a Peoples party nominee
for chief justice. is in Arkansas prospect
ing for mineral, or was at last accounts.
Perhaps the most notable illustrations OF