The representative., 1901-05-02
CREDlTABLE RECORD


According to Bryan the Peoples par
ty has brought about more reforms than
both old parties since the abolition Of
slavery.
From Bryan's Commoner:
The PopuIist party, ridiculed by the
Republicans and denounced by the gold
Democrats, has really been great edu-
Gator. 1t is an historical fact that many
political organizations have been in
fluential in moulding public opinion,
even though they have never secured
control of the federal government.
The Populists have never had at any
time a score of members Of congress,
and yet they have given an impetus to
several reforms which must ultimately
be accomplished.
The first national platform written by
the Populists demanded the election OF
United States senators by direct vote
of the people.
That was before the matter received
serious attention in congress, but since
then the house of representatives has
three times adopted a resolution pro-
posing the necessary amendment In
1900 the Democratic platform indorsed
this reform and it is now receiving the
support of many prominent papers,
which until recently, have been silent
upon the subject or opposed to the
change.
The Populist party is an advocate OF
the system known as the initiative and
referendum, whereby the people can
compel the submission Of important
questions and pass upon the acts OF leg
islatures.
This reform has been indorsed by
many Democratic state legislatures and
was last year approved by the national
convention of the party. South Dakota
at the 1898 election. adopted an amend
ment providing for the initiative and
referendum, in spite of the fact that the
Republicans carried the state by con-
SlQcEdUlc MdJOlAIy. GSOA AAOAS AONOAA1
ly, Republican legislature in Oregon
has given Endorsement to direct legis-
latiOn.
Prior to the organization Of the Popu-
list party, comparatively few men advo-
Gated the municipal ownership OF public
utilities, and yet today business men in
every part of the United States are
openly defending this policy.
Whenever the question has been sub
mitted to the voters a large majority
has generally been polled in favor OF
this reform, once denounced as Popu-
listic, but not regarded as prudent busi-
ness policy for community.
The Populists favor postal tele-
graph system, operated in connection
with the postoflce department.; this re-
form has already been recommended by
one Republican postmaster general, Mr.
Wanamaker, and the matter Is now
being Investigated by an industrial COM
mission.
The Populists, while holding to their
belief In government ownership of rail-
roads, have given their influences to all
legislation tending toward the regula-
ton of railroads or the securing of rea-
sOnable rates.
On the money question the Populists
have done a great deal of educational
work. 1t has steadfastly defended the
greenback against the attacks of the
national banking interests, and has in
sisted that the right to issue money is a
sovereign function of government which
cannot safely be delegated to private
individuals or corporations. The DEM
ocratic party has in two conventions
supported this doctrine, although differ
ing from the Populists on the subject of
redeemability. The Democrats advocate
government, redeemable in coin. the
govrnment to exercise the option as to
which coin, while the Populists be-
lieve in an irredeemable greenback.
This difference, however, has not pre-
vented the Democrats and Populists
from acting together to save the green
back from annihilation.
The Populists believe in the Quanti-
tative theory of money and favor BIZ
metalism because it would give more
money than monometalism. While the
Democrats in the senate and house Of
representatives had for 20 years been
voting for free coinage at 16 to /, the
Populists were the first to name the