Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-02-21
THE POPULiST cONvEK7N N.

II UFVkSo
In calling their national convention lor
May 9th, the populists have executed d
no,itical coup of the most interesting
character. The leaders OF tn at party
have not been slow to recognize mat the
life of their organization is in issue ana
that by strategy alone can 1t hope to pre-
serve itself from destruction. Were the
! peoples party to continue the tactics OF
1896, and, in the %parlance of polAtl cs' play
second fiddle to the democracy, its dlsln-
tegration would be assured.
In the last presidential campaign the
democrats stole a march on the populists
by appropriating their platform, ana
placing upon it their own candidate for
the presidency. The populists bowed to
the inevitable and endorsed Mr.. Bryan,
with the result that a considerable num-
Der of them became full-fedged demo-
Gratis. AS a new presidential campaign
approaches, with the same prospective
candidate in opposition to the republican
nominee, standing on a platform which
will be shaped to the purposes Of a reunit-
ed democracy, the leaders of the populists
realize thai a most serious question con-
fronts them. Were they to quietly pursue
the course Of 1896 and '"trail up after
the democracy, a large proportion OF their
party would join hands with the repub.i-
cans on the new issues. and by reason OF
the obsucration of the old ones, while the
remainder would be absorbed by their
bourbon affiliations. The peoples party
as a distinct political organization would
not survive the campaign of the present
year.
But one course was left open to the
populists, and that was to hold their con-
vention in advance of the democrats, and
take the initiative in the impending fusion
by nominating Bryan on a pla torn that
would pledge him to the issues of 1896. In
this way, it would fall upon the demo-
cracy to endorse the nominee of the
populists, together with the platform
upon which he stood. If Bryan accepts
the nomination from the populists, in ad.
vance of the democratic national conven-
ton, the latter body will be compelled-il
it endorses hinl-to insert no plank in it:
platform of principles hat conflict in any
essential feature with those upon which
he is already standing. If these plans ar,
consummated, the populists will hav'
had not only the credit and prestige o
naming the fusion candidate for the presi
dency, thus perpetuating their organiza
ton indefinitely, but they will lave pro
tected their members from the insidiou
processes of ABSORPTION which any othe
course of procedure would have implied
-
Two other ideas enter into the wise &C
tion taken by the populists in designatin
an early date for their national conven
ton, one of which implies the n~ecessit
of forcing both Bryan and his party, a
the price of fusion, into an endorsemen
of the issues of 1896. 1t is somewhat com
ical to recognize in an official way tn
necessity {. looking after the democrac
to see that it's principles are on straigt
before the campaign opens! Evidentl.
the compromise deal, looking to tn
complete reunion of the silver and gol
wings of the democratic party. so adroi
ly engineered by Bryan and his friend
does not strike the leaders OF the people
party as "a consummation devoutly to
wished for"
The additional idea which it is assume
that the populists may have had in mir
in providing for an early convention f
the nomination Of Bryan, before Il
democrats can get together. is of a mo
sordid and practical character, ev
though entertained by the divinities
populism. 1t has doubtless occurred
the populists that in the event that tn
are first in the field with the boy orat
of the Platte, and that by some unfol
seen dispensation Of Providence he ha
pens to be victorious at the pol
the leaders Of the peoples party v
enjoy better facilities for pulling ii
gentkmen's leg. As Flanagan of Tel
0ight say, it is an idea that sis not to