Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1899-11-29
the FOUNDATION or popullsM.

Prior to the election the Chicago
Record, which justly lays claim to be-
ing one of the most independent news
papers in the country, had the follow
ing to say regarding the populists:
Generally the populistic feeling in
Nebraska has been ascribed to the in
dividual misfortunes of the large agri-
prevented the lifting of mortgages, in
terest was defaulted and foreclosure
came or was threatened. This condi-
ton obtained up to about the time of
the last presidential election. Since
1896 conditions have changed; crops
have been good, mortgages have been
paid off and Nebraska has been re-
leased from bondage. Hitherto the be-
lief has been widespread that in favor
ing free coinage of silver at the ratio
of Is to the Nebraska populist was
looking for relief from his own over
grown debts. Now that Nebraska
debtors have been freed by other ia
voring agencies it remains to be seen
whether Nebraska still adheres to the
free silver doctrine.
There seems to be general impress
sion in eastern newspapers Offices and
eastern political headquarters that the
westers populist is long-whiskered,
ignorant, fanatical and impractical
man, who is q populist because he
wants to remedy social conditions, but
does not know how to go about the
task. The Record seems to think that
the western populist was popu1ist
simply because times we're hard, and
that he is not now populist because
times are better. These mistaken esti-
mates of the populist would be speed.
~ removed if some of the editors and
politicians from the east would come
west and undertake to hold joint de-
bates with the populists of Nebraska,
whose hands are calloused and whose
skins are tanned by Nebraska sun
and wind. 1t is not hard to find proof
that short crops and hard times had
little or nothing to do with the growth
Of populism in the west. The popu-
list party made it's first great showing
In 1890, and the year before the west
had good crops and fair prices. The
populist party won in the Nebraska
elections of 1884,, 1895 and 1898, and
crops were good in those years and
the prices up to the average of SER
les of years. What, then, caused the
growth of populism?
BY their firesides during the long
winter evenings the farmers of the west
read and studied political history.
They noted the steady and constant
drift away from the old landmarks;
they noted the steady drifting OF power
naturally belonging to the people in
to the hands of money gamblers.
They read history and compared the
principles laid down by the founders
with the principles being acted upon
by the men who has assumed control
OF the government, and by the COM
parison they saw the dangers ahead.
Like patriots they protested, and when
no heed was given to their protests
they organized and sought to secure
at the ballot box the return to first
principles. True it is that many men
looked upon as fanatics Joined the
ranks of populism, but time was when
men regarded William Lloyd Garri-
son, Wendell Phillips and John Brown
as fanatics. The ''fanatics' of the
populist party were only fanatics"
because they were living few years
ahead Of their time. Every day brings
its vindication of their course. The
Chicago Record is. today q staunch
advocate Of q postal savings system,
something that the populist party de.
manded from the start, and something
that was denounced as fanaticism by
q majority Of those who opposed it
then, but who now favor the system.
Populists are not:populists because
their fathers were populists. They are
p0pulists because they have read and
studied and thought. Ten years ago
the founders of the populist party
pointed out the advantages of NUM-
icpal control Of public utilities. They
were laughed st BY men who are today
the staunchest advocates Of municipal
control It iss time th atnen should