The Washington herald., 1918-02-06


publicans in Congress are ready to
admit that while the populist party
name no longer lives it's soul Is
immortal.
The subject is brought up by this
rather inaccurate statement In one
of our contemporaries:
when the populist movement
was getting well under way. some
of the middle Western members of
the Republican committee were in
favor of temporizing with the
populists. Chairman Babcock urged
the opposite policy. Wherever you
see a populist head hit it,, was his
slogan. He lived to see his policy
indicated, POPULISM DISAP-
PEAR and the Republican party
thrive for years afterward."
The statement Is true, save that
populism never disappeared. 1t
lives today. and will live forever
in this nation.
Witness these governmental poll
cies as proof of its very apparent
Immortality:
The Initiative
The Referendum.
Woman Suffrage.
Anti-Corruption election statutes.
Direct election of United States
Senators.
Non -partisanship of our courts.
Publicity of official acts
Income tax Legislation.
Regulation OF railroads. and other
corporations.
Insurance company accounting 20
the people.
Public ownership OF municipal
utilities.
Primary selection of party candi-
dates.
Twelve very able achievements
here, to be sure. And despite the
fact that none of them was actually
put into operation by the populist
party the two major parties had to
indorse all of these principles In
order to keep from losing their
party strength.
The very aggressive espousal OF
these principles by the populists,
long before the major parties
thought of becoming quite SO
radical" made it impossible for the
Democratic and Republican parties
to stay out of the fold. They had tC
put through laws covering these
points. or succumb to the popuIistic
wave.
Most OF the men who ran things
in the days of popuIism are gone
Some of them are still alive. how
ever-a very few-and though they
have no teeth to chew with, and
little hair to keep their heads
warm. most of them have coal and
as they sit around their stoves
these winter days can lord it over
some of the men who are mighty
in politics. nowadays. and say:
I'VE have hung up a record-see
IL you can beat it."
No. populism has not disappear
ed. Populists may be gone, or those
that are left may be absorbed In
other parties. but as for the doc
trine they brought forth it goes on
living triumphantly and eternally.
John Skelton williams presents
US with something Of decided in.
terest in his annual report to Con-
gress.
The aggregate resources Of all
national and State and other re-
porting banks in June, 1917, was
sS7, ,127, 100000.
This Is an increase OF over $1,000
100000 over the year before-ol
about $50 for every man. woman
and child in the United States.
Astounding figures these. 'Tis nc
wonder Europe gasps. and wonders
IL we really have an adequate idea
of our wealth.
The banks reporting for this
total numbered 27.s23. as against
@7,513 the year previous.
Going back to 1912. however. we
find the resources of the 25,I9s
banks in operation at that time "a
be $24. 900, 900.
Thus in the five year period ouI
advance has been $12,5o0, ,000, 900, in
round numbers.
Interesting figures are shown In
the liabilities column. Individual
deposits totaled $1,000, ,000, 900 in
June 1912, whereas five years later
we find them scaling above the
s26. 600. .oO0.O 600 mark.
This increase of $4,000, ,00O, ,0O0 o;
she total increase of $4,000, ,000, ,o0G
IN the total liabilities is most
Atriking. We can best realize IL BY
Recalling that it represents s90 for
Fvery, man. woman and child in the
patton. or $3.50 for the average
merican family.
United States deposits five years
<go amounted to s5s. 900. 900. while