The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-10-02
AGAINST DOMINATION
OFFICE-HOLDEIsS.

AGAINST DOMINATION BY
OFFICE-HOLDERS.
lin 1892. when the first POpulist Ma
tional convention was held, President
Harrison's office holders had been so ac-
tive in manipulating conventions, that
the Populists took strong grounds
against the domination of politics by Of
fice-holders and made this declaration:
'',rhe Peoples Party desiring ut
the outset to secure permanent con
troll Of the party organization to the
people unaffected by the interests Of
those in the public service, does here
aby establish this ordinance as
FUNDAMENTAL LAW OF PAR
.TY ORGANIZATIONS: : No PER
son HOLDING ANY OFFICE OR
POSITION OF PROFIT, TRUST
OR ENJOYMENT under Federal
or any State or municipal government
tinclnding Senator's, congressman.
and members Of the Legislature.
State and NationaD SHALL BE
ELIGIBLE TO SIT OR VOTE IN
ANY CONVENTION OF THIS
PARTY, and copy of this ordin-
ance SHALL BE ANNEXED TO
EVERY CALL of any future con-
ventiOn of the party"
: The best illustration of the wisdom OF
this declaration is to- be found by n
glance at the so-called Populist Congress
sional Convention in the Fourth district
that defea ted Congressman Strowd and
obeyed the orders of the Republican Of
fice-holders. The chairman of that con-
vention, forgetting his non-partisan du-
f;oo &c tho c,,parviSor nf prhiic cnhnolc
i'm Wake county; one secretary is Public
Printer and the other school supervisor
az Chatham county and member OF the
State Board of Agriculture: the nominee
is THE sheriff of Chatham county, ard
nearly all the participants hold office cat
the 'sufferance of the Republican party"
df the declaration against office-hOlders
heing eligible to seats in conventions had
been lived mp to, the Populists and not
the Republicans would have dictated the
nomination for Congress in their own
convention. The Fopuiist party has not
been in power in the nation. and could
not therefore eslact any of ifs PLATFORM
into statutes. but this declaration ITO Sc
cure permanent eentrol Of the party Dr.
TO the people. unaffected hy
the interests Of fhnse In the public SER
VICE. did. not need legisla tinn.F It's en-
forcement rested with the party itself,
REPUBLICANS CONTROL POPU-
LIST CONVENTIONS.
A, glance Mt the conventions here this
wear shows that WHEREyER FUSION
HAS BEEN ARRANGED VITA
GOI4D-BUGS the conventions Were
dominated by office-hplders. There is
not an exception. The first national
convention wanted to keep the party free
from its own office-hOlders Here an
North Carolina this year, the fusing con
yentions have, not only been controlled
by .office-hOlders, but by Republican Of
ficeholders who openly preach the gold
standard and favor negro supremacy
How does such action compare with the
early party declaration? No party domi-
mated by its offiee-hoiders will ever be
a safe party to trust with the govern
nent of the coupiry for the peoples
good
STRICTEST ECONOMY PROMISED
Let MS come now to the promises made
by the Peoples party in its State plat
forms. In 1892, at the first Populist
convention that ever assembled in the
State. the idea of retrenchment was up-
permost in the minds of the delega ties.
and the FIRST plank in the platform read:
we favor the strictest economy
IN the administration of the State
government
No charge or intimation, mind you. OF
extravaganza or wrdng,doing upon the
part of the DemOcfats--only a pledge for
the strictest economy"
low has that pledge been kept? Ry
increasing the expenses of State govern
,ment more than $125.O00 per year. null
iiplying offices, and raising salaries If
public officials. But OF that more later
gu. 81
!, In 1894, the populist platform said:
I'VE condemn the last General
Assembly for its lavish and reckless
waste of the peoples money"
COST OF FUSION LEGISLATURES
Here IN the first suggestion by any
Populist convention that 1.-THE peoples
money" had been wasted, and here there
is no charge Of dishonesty. Bear that
in mind. Let us pause n moment 10
see whether the Fusion Legislature i'm
proved on the reckless waste OF the
peoples money" The last two General
Assemblies controlled by the Demo-
Gratis cost:
1901 .......-. $b3, O1S6l
1888 -. ......... ..... 6o,9761S
Total .-.,.........- .Sl2S. 994. 70