The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-06-02
rHr mrcnonr or MANIA.

times. The tulip mania almost set all Europe crazy, and the silk worm and mulberry craze upset most of the hare excitement cut wide swath a few years ago, but all of these have gone their way and left only surprise that sensible people should lose their | heads so completely.
 It is the same in politics. Many of us remember how the Know Nothing Party sprang into existence and at one time threatened to drive the Whig and Democratic parties into retirement It lasted only a few years. but 1t afford ed plenty of fun while it was on. Only few years ago the Populists made things decidedly lively in some States. and in Alabama for time 1t was hard to tell where Democrats were at, or if they were likely to be left on earth. But Populism went like Know Moth ingism and is little but a memory. But resliy the most unaccountable and unreasonable craze that ever start ed up in this country was the Hearst bubble. The Know Nothing movement was founded on the idea that our coun- try and our institutions were in immi- nent danger from foreign influence and from Roman Catholicism. The preju- dices of the people were worked on till thousands of them firmly believed that foreign immigrants would subvert the government and that the Catholic Church would drive out all other relig- | ious denominations and dominate this country as completely as it ever con trolled Spain. Thoughtless people fail ed to see that foreigners are assimilat- ed as fast as they reach our shores and that they form a desirable part of our citizenship. And they were also blind most remote probability that any one religion will obtain control of our gov ernment
 So, too, the leaders in the Populist movement played on the fears and the prejudices of the people. Tho alleged domination of the money power. and the real peril from trusts and combines were fruitful subjects for skilled de- baters and they made the most of them. The people were taught that the octopus had them in its tentacles. and nothing but the success of the new political movement could save even a fragment of liberty and other things too numerous to mention. If all who really believed in Populism had voted that way in 1898 it would have made a showing really surprising. It all seems ridiculous now, but 1t was real while it lasted. It also, is now little but a memory.
 But for the Hearst mania there was really no excuse or foundation. Sensi- ble people should have been able to see that his gasconade about reform was all hot air, and that the nauseat- ing rantings of his newspapers about "the common people" was all the most patent hypocrisy. When millionaires of his stripe try to stir up prejudict among the people they do 1t for what there is In 1t for themselves. He dote. on the common people
 As the sea.dog dotes
 On the small. sweet fry that around him floats
 because the common people patronizt his newspapers and add to his wealtf and notoriety.
 That such a man should aspire to the highest office in the land is one of the unexplainable mysteries of the human mind. That he should actually think that the Presidency can be purchased shows the sordid leanings of his mind That he should have secured even the sympathy and following that he did 1. as surprising as it Is discouraging. Il is surprising that people should be SC deceived and discouraging that they will assist such a man in such an un. dertaking. That he has had support. CTS who were honest in their course is beyond question. That others have been deceived and misled is just A, true, but truer than either is it thai some of his most untiring boosters are such for the money there is in 1t fol them.
 This craze, also, has about run its course and will soon be remembered as a delirious dream, and people will won der what brand of microbe 1t was that so added their brains. What will be the next form of mania?
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