Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1900-05-10
THE POPUL1sT PARTY.


into existence in 1892, in opposi-
ton to the democratic party, as
led by Cleveland and the repub.
lican party. It had its genesis in
the Farmers Alliance, numbering
at the time several million men,
bers, together with the labor
organizations of the country who
felt that their interests were
neglected by the political parties
then in existence and who honest
ly believed that relief could come
to them only through such reforms
in the government as neither of
the parties we're then willing to
concede, That the grievances
complained of by the founders of
this party had foundation in
fact and that their demands we're
approved by a large portion Of our
people was demonstrated by the
fact that after four months propa-
ganda the new party received in
1892 a popular vote exceeding two
millions and we're successful in the
elections in several states, choosing
twenty-five members Of the cleo
toral college.
In 1896: after the masses of the
democrats had arisen in open re-
volt against the party leaders,
turned down Cleveland and adopt
ed the Chicago platform, and
nominated a genuine democrat for
the presidency, the populist con-
vention Endorsed their action and
its committees and voters gave
loyal support to the regular Demo-
cratic nominee. It is true that
the Populist party did not escape
the attention of the opportunist,
place hunter and professional
politician, and that a new party
furnished an inviting field for the
advocates of many impracticable
theories. But, nevertheless, the
facts in the case prove beyond
dispute the lofty motives, good
intentions and good faith of the
masses of the party. The leaders,
however, felt that at the close of
the campaign in 1896 it was of the
utmost Importance to them to
maintain their organization intact.
In the meantime, the course adj
opted by the party was distasteful
to the mere place hunters in the
ranks, and equally SO to the theor-
lists whose sole interests in the
party was to secure an opportunity
to exploit revolutionary and i'm.
practicable theories. The discon.
tent of this class furnished an op
portunity for the Hannaites tc
encourage them in their opposition
of and divide the forces that sup
| ported Bryan in 1896. But the
result has proven that when these
classes asserted themselves in Cd.
position to the desires Of the grea,
mass OF the party voters, they
found themselves with little OF nc
following. The result has been
that two national conventions have
been called, one that met yester.
day at Sioux Falls, S. Oak.
and another to meet at different
date in Cincinnati. The conven.
ton that gathers at Sioux Falls
is being attended by delegates re
presenting the highest integrity Of
purpose and determination to dc
what is right. The convention
that will meet at Cincinnati on the
other hand will represent the pro
fessional place hunter, the theorist
and the boodler. Thus the goats
will be separated from the sheer
and the party will henceforth have
an opportunity to appeal to the
people free from the stigma tina
attached to the party name on &C
count Of the visonaries, dreamers
and corrupt politicians who were
SO conspicuous and noisy Il part o.
their former gatherings and who
handicapped the party in the pas
by weakening it's claims to the
support of sober minded and prac