The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-05-09
SEATTLE. "WEDNESDAY, MAY D.
The Popuiist Conventions.

The Popuiist Conventions.
Two Populist conventions meet to-
day. one at Sioux Falls and the other
at Cincinnati. One will nominate Mr..
Bryan for the presidency; the other
will probably name Wharton Barker.
Neither Of these gentlemen will be
elected. and for this reason the ac-
tions Of the two conventions are OF
little consequences as far as the next
president In concerned. Both gather
tngs can be relied upon to denouncs
the existing order OF things and to
ind fault with everything that has
been said or done by the present ad-
ministration during the last four years
Of prosperity. There II not much EVIL
dence uof want misery or oppression
In the country today. but the Populists
will Insist that these evils are ever
threatening. and will demand relief
from imaginary woes Just as they al
ways have done. And IL condit ions In
the United States are not sufficiently
deplorabie TO meet their political needs.
they Will 80 beyond the sea for them.
The convention at Sioux Falls is lit
tie better than an assembly OF political
dereiicts. The majority OF the dele
gates 10 made up of men who went into
Populism for reasons OF political ex-
pediency rather than through devotion
20 principles. These are men who fig
ure now. and always will figure, as
cheap politicians, ofiiceseekers. sore
heads. boters. chronic complainers
and individuals without visible means
Of support These are the people who
Joined the Populist party because they
believed there was something in II, and
n they have not yet been rewarded It
has not been because the rewards have
not been demanded. The Sioux Falls
delegates are the men who have d.
rected and ruined the Peoples party
sonai gain or preferment. and who have
used the party as means To an end.
They have secured whatever gifts the
party has had 10 bestow and as party
leaders. or from official position. have
run the organization to suit them
selves generally. unmindful OF the
wishes. wants or preferences OF the
rank and ile.
The hes, evidence that the Sioux
Falls Populists have been allied with
the Pcpulist party merely to get what
they could not get in any OF the other
political organizations, is their present
attitude as to candidates. They viii
meet as Populists and nominate a
Democrat for president and probably
indorse a Free silver Republican for
vice president This represents the
sincerity OF their belief IN the princi.
pies set forth in the Omaha platform
OF 1892 and shows how honest they
were in their former avowsls that the
Peoples party had a mission 10 per
form. Approaching the fact that Pop
ullsm. according to the Omaha idea, Is
dead. they desert the old party as
rats leave a sinking ship, But 1t Is
only to make combinations with more
neurlshlng organizations, and that
these combinations may be effected
they are willing TO sacrifice principles
platforms party name and abou, ev'
erything else, provided some recogni'
ton is accorded them and hope Of
eventual reward held out.
The middle of-the- readers who arr
represented by delegates sent to Gin
cinnati are now but mere fragment
OF the organization which took shap'
after the Omaha convention. but in re
spectability and decent devotion to 1
cause they occupy a far higher plan'
than the trafilckers who have assem-
bied In South Dakota. Their idea
may be visionary and their remedie
Tor existing troubles may be imprac