The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-09-24
PoPULISM SOFTLY PETERING.
NOT ENOUGH LIFE IN THE ABAND-
oNED PARTY TO MAKE a STIR.

man story Has Melted Into Moth
fng-CoI Gambler to Resume His
Speech Making. and Put n Little
life Into the Campaign-Mr. Wat
son Refuses TO Talk About the De-
cadence of His Political Offspring.
BrantIey Holds the Key TO the
EIeVenth's Situation.
Atlanta. Ca. Sept 23.-Word was re-
eeiyed at Democratic headquarters to-day
mat Col. Allen Gamblers son, who has
been III with typhoid fever for several
weeks. is now convalescent, and that Col.
Gambler will, in all probability, be able
70 fill his appointments for speaking, be-
ginning next week
All this week he has been watching at
the bedside of his sick boy and appoint
rnents made for him We're declared off.
Col. Gambler has not formally notified
Chairman duBignon that he will be ready
to take the stump next week. but the in
formation comes through a friend of his.
Chairman duBignon has been absent
from Democratic headquarters in New
York this week, but is expected to re-
turn and take up the strings of the cam
paign again next Monday. Tomorrow he
is booked for a speech at Dublin. Dur
ing the absence of Mr.. duBignon Col. Ed
ward Brown of Athens, chairman of the
campaign committee, has been in charge
of Democratic headquarters. The work
has not been very onerous, owing to the
fact that little or no interest is being
manifested IN the campaign. About an
the speaking that has been done has been
by Chairman duBignon. Gov. Atkinson
has been too unwell to take any part in
the campaign except to make one speech
at the beginning of the campaign, and
with Col. Gambler also kept at home by
the illness of his boy, things have drag
ged along very slowly.
Some literature is being sent out from
headquarters, but even this is tame in con-
sequence of the confidence that exists
throughout the state in the result of the
election.
Mr.. Hogan, the Populst candidate has
completely subsided since the reaction of
the Hardeman iasco. So far as attracting
Democratic fire is concerned he might as
we'll have crawled into hole and pulled it
in after himself. The Democratic managers
pay no attention 10 him and his colleagues
at all. He does not even cause a ripple on
the surface of the political seas
Without doubt this is the last gasp of
be a quiet and peaceable one, too. There
is nothing tragic or exciting about the
passing away, as there might have been
had Mr.. Watson stood by the ship. Popu-
lism without Watson In it is like Hamlet
without the Ghost. Ii is not even pictur-
esque. There are some who think that Mr..
Watson was wise enough to see the hand
writing on the wall, as the shadows began
to fall upon the last national contest. He
had a vision of the approaching end, and
foreseeing that the last act would be very
duh and common place, he chose to make
his exit while there was yet sufficient at
Effectiveness about 1t TO furnish dramatic
background
Mr.. Watson has been in Atlanta several
innes of iate, but the most determined ef-
forts have failed to get him to open his
lips upon the subjects of politics. He is as
silent as a mourner at the grave of his
dead.
After the election next month he may
put crepe band upon his hat in mem
CRY of his dead political offspring
Popuiist headquarters, which, by cour-
tesy, are located 10 this city, are if pos
sible, more deserted looking than Demo-
cratic headquarters, where the usual
crowd consists of. Chairman duBignon,
his secretary and lonesome porter.
Along with Mr. Watson, another pic
turesque figure in Populist ranks has
also gone into political obscurity This is
as chairman of the state campaign COM
mittee in three of the most conspicuous
campaigns he has ever took part in in thas
slate Cunningham halls from the neigh
borhood of Rev Sam Jones, and like that
famous evangelist, he hates dull times,
\ and there was never time when ne was
on deck that there wasn't a live wire
some where to be tapped with but little
effort Now Cunningham is as much of
a stranger to Populist councils as Watson
and Chairman Carter. The solitary figure
head of Populist headquarters cuts about
as lively caper on the political seas as
a caterpillar in a molasses barrel
.rsFThere is but a single enlivening feature
III the whole state campaign. This is the
contest between Brantey and Wilkin-
son in the Eleventh district and in the
absence of everything else resembling a
fight this has been exaggerated. Reports
have been set afloat that there was bar
rel of money being turned loose there by
the P0puhst-Republican combination to
defeat Brantley, but if Congressman
Brantley is himself not badly fooled the
most of this alleged campaign fund is a
myth. In a letter written to a friend in
Atlanta few days ago. he said as much
lie confesses that they are making a fight
on him, but he is not at all scared over
the corruption fund; first because il
could not buy the voters of his district,
he says. and again. because knowing
this he does not think his enemies would
try Il; and, in fact. have not as yet spent
much in that effort The quietness of the
campaign, in all probability, forebodes
fail reconciliation between Popllist and
Democrats. The Democratic leaders are
more than willing to let things go along
smoothly, being confident of an old-time
majority for the state ticket With all
Signs and conditions pointing toward the
return OF the prodigals to the old roof
tree, they think the less said to agitate.
the better At will be in the end, and this
Ieehng' as much as anything else, is re-
sponsible for the somnambulistic state of
the campaign