The Crittenden record., 1905-05-19
BOgy of POpuliSm

many emlnentN rehpeclaoIe pu' e"N'
ly misinformed persons shy, Ike the
staid old farm horse when be first
encounters an automobile on the
road to town, writes Charles q
De France, Secretary Peoples Party
National Committee, in Tom Wat.
sons Magazine for May. They
regard it as synonymous with Social
ism, anarchy, bomb throwing, nihu-
ism and half dozen other real or
fancied evils. That it Is simply al
short expression for progressive
radical or Jetiersonian Democracy
has never occurred to them.
"Populism is term which well
illustrates the growth Of language
the evolution by which oircumIoeu'
tion is avoided and ciearness Of ey.
preston attained Yet, at the same
time, it is m apt illustration Of tue
power OF a subsidized press TO create
an erroneous public opinion.
Back in the early '90s, when the
Peoples Party was being organized
in a number OF Western States,
there was considerable discussion as
to whether it should be regarded as
political organization on the usual
lines, or whether it should be a sort
Of league Of independent voters, free
to choose and vote for such candi.
dates, on any ticket, as might seem
best fitted to represent the interests
Of the different organizations Of
farmers and wageworkers out Of
which the Peoples Party finally
evolved.
"The Omaha National Convention
in 1892 settled the question in favor
OF regular party organization. 1t is
true that there we're intended to be
points Of difference between the
Peoples Party machinery and that
OF either old party; but these points
were minor rather than fundamental
The delegate convention was re,
tsined-whicb, to my mind, was the
one mistake made at Omaha. Unit
some system OF direct nomination.
is adopted, whereby every electol
may have a vote direct-and not by
delegate, who may miSrepreseut hin
i fear that as our party grows II
strength we shall more aud more b.
called upon TO combat the same in
huenees which dominate both th
old parties. However, this is di
gression.
with the advent Of the People
Party difficulty was found in des
cribing a member Of that party.
member Of the Republican Party il
Of course, a Republican; and a men
Der Of the Democratic Party
called a Democrat how desig
nate one affiliated with the People
Partl7
"The omnipresent aud omniscieu
newspaper reporter, as usual, solve
the difficulty His aguosticism a.
plies to nothing except tue wor
fail Aud with him circumlocatio
aud criminslity are almost syuou,
nous. 1t would never DO to
ringing the changes on an adheret
to the Peoples Party, or one ,il
lated with the Peoples Party, heuc
It was not long before We began
see the word 'Populist used In wi
bal descriptions Of what the cartoo
ist invariably depicted t., 'ou
gallus man, armed With FORK
rake. aud blessed With a ht.l
adornment truly Samsoaiau.
Applied a, = term Of reproar
yet responding to the ineIorable !,
which compels men to follow alcI
the lines Of least resistancs. Z
word 'PopuIist came to stay
stuck, just as the term Method
did-or Christian. for ,ha, matt
From 'Populist, descriptive Of I
man, to 'ropulism, designating
political belief, was an easy s,er
and now, after fifteen years Of abu
ridieule, vituperation aud gross m
representation, the great mid,
class is just beginning to get
clearer view and to discover Il
populism is the only logical answ
a