The San Francisco call., 1904-07-12
DECLINE OF POPULISM.

L OF lively interest to politicians. IL grew out OF the
Farmers Alliance. organized by that remarkable
Polk OF North Carolina. He made every member
oath hear speeches and read papers only of
their side. Though this seems preposterous now. it
succeeded in establishing that class feeling which Mr.
Bryan used adroitly his campaigns The Popuist
party continued the exclusive class policy instituted by
Polk and embody all OF the political fanacism
of the country It's Ocala and Omaha platforms were
the study OF and pubcist for they mapped
what would have been entirely novel system of
government.
The Populsts absorbed the Greenback party. and as
Simulated considerable number of Socialists OF
such added the original stock of vagares
The Socialists brought in government ownership and d
legislation. and the Ggeenbackers their airy fairy
theories OF money Any who had half-baked idea
that did deserve baking all found place for
the Populist party The queer combination soon
increased by the accession of demagogues from both
parties. 1t is conceivable that "Whirlwnd Davis" of
Texas could honestly believe that proper financial sys
required that every mans note OF hand be made a
legal tender and that the volume of that kind OF
rency should be limited only by the capacity OF
emit Of hand but is conceivable that Mr..
Bryan and Senator Patterson of Colorado believed that
though they advocated it.
The party was propagated and grew in some direc-
tons for various Five years drought in Ne
braska and Kansas made of the people poor, and
poverty condition which vagaries flourish Sena-
tor lngaiS Sald people OF
cars because they expression Of luxury which
only few could indulge. Wherever drought laid its
dry hand hard times pinched there Popuism -four
as protest against conditions that the people
taught could be exercised by artce properly directed
in politics.
In the South the rise OF Populism due another
cause entirely The race kept from following
their convictions into the Republican party. while the
political tyranny OF the Democratic organization reused
genuine American protest against its intolerabe
actions, of which Populism the expression. Isham
c. Harris in Tennessee Morgan in Alabama. Butler and
Wade Hampton South Carolina had held the reins so
tight that ambitions permitted in politics except
by their The of Tillman South Carolina
was on lines of Popuism and his declaration that
he would give the gallus chance appealed
to the same sentiment that made Tom Watson possible
in Georgia
So. it came to be the opinion OF wise that
Populsm had the elements of permanency and must be
reckoned with While nothing is than that
the party was the abnormal product OF ephemera
dtions and was bound to evaporate with its unsub-
cause, there doubt that its decay has
tened by the fusions which it wooed by Mr..
Bryan. When it sought and besought by the
Democracy the upstart party assumed airs, and
finding could dictate proceeded = do In this
State it dictated the Democracy the nomination OF
Judge Mcguire for Governor and that OF Marion Can
for Congress- and in issuing commands here
and elsewhere made it arrogant and pufed up with
that pride that goeth before fall
Mr.. Bryan was benefited by fusion. The Popu-
lists that to Congress amusing cranks
capacity for the hard work that in that
body They were the sort of who whtte sticks
and talk and talk and chew tobacco and spit and spit
and have but opinion in economies which is to the
effect that any who has gathered gear than
they stole it from the people Wherever the party got
power showed incapacity for its responsibilities
It's destructive ideas definite 1t hated all existing
institutions But when it removed them what pro-
posed substitute that had existed only
in hasheesh dream 1t is wonder, then, that the Ma
tonal Convention of the party, just held in Springfield
! H. had only two hundred delegates, representing a
minority Of the States, and seemed have only
sing the song of a party that filled vast
space the political horizon. What is left Of it is
mostly in the South where merely gives opportunity
to fight the regnant and reckless Democracy If il
ever revive the germ will spread from that section