Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1913-07-03
The History Of Ameri-
Can Parties.
Selected by R. l.. Tallman. }
Continued from last issue.

NAAcfCA oN(hA N0AlA2bAC POI NhN~to
will inevitably divide up and new
factions or parties will branch off.
In 1874 the independence Nation
al party was formed, but that was
too long name and popularity it
was called the Greenbrck party.
The "Greenbackers" believed
that there was not enough money
in circulation and that this made
prices high, They advocated the
issuance of large quantities of
paper money with the idea that
the larger volume of currency
would help business and especially
ease up on the poor and the deb
tor classes. This party as such
was short-lived. It's germs lived
however and developed later into
the Labor party, which in turn
was the foundation on which the
Socialist party was partly start
ed. The Laborites urged such
things as public ownership, the
income tax, repression of mon
opolies, etc.
The Prohibition party as ma
tional party dates from 1872. 1t
has had a presidential ticket up
in every campaign since then.
Though it has never drawn a
large number of votes as such, it
has exercised large influence in
forcing the liquor issue to the
front and bringing about soluA
ton of the problem.
The Peoples party was also
destined to play a very vital part
in American politics though as a
party it enjoyed but small and
ephemeral success. 1t was found
ed in 1891 and was based on the
Farmers Alliance organization.
Popularity its members became
known as Populists, because a
single name was needed to dis
cribe them and Peoples party
man" was too hard. They stood
for many things which at that
time were universally denounced
as wild and woolly" but which
you will today find embodied in
the platforms of the leading
parties or enacted into honored
laws. Among these are such
things as the rural free delivery,
income tax. popular election of
senators, etc.. The Populists cut
considerably into the older parties
and for dozen years from 1891
they had several members in the
federal house and senate. But
gradually they were reahsorbed
and during the last compaign
they had no ticket in the field.
The Socialists drew to them
selves part of the old Greenback
element, which in 1883 developed
into the United Labor party and
in 1891 and 1896 appeared as the
Socialist Labor party. By 1900
there was a split and from that
time on there were too Socialist
parties = the Socialist Labor, and
Social Democratic parties. In the
campaign of 1904 the latter dropp-
ed the Democratic part of their
title and became plain Socialists.
This party has grown until in the
last election it polled ever 900, 600
votes. The Socialist Labor party
has no real significance as it has
never mustered more than few
thousand scattering votes.
The birth of the Progressive
party is still fresh in the minds
of all. For years there had been
a growing faction within the Re-
publican party who were opposed
to the conservative or "standpat"
policies of the dominant leaders
of that party and who especially
favored a lower tariff. The re-
volt started with the Iowa idea"
of revision downward" and
axa.ond anx,oaiau.r L., tho I1Loa4