Evening star., 1923-08-05
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.


The agrarian revolt in the north
west. sweeping into Office Senator
Magnus johnson and Senator Hendrix
Shipstead of Minnesota of the farmer
labor party and radicals from other
states under other party designations.
parallels the populist movement of
thirty years ago. Back of the pres
ent movement. just as it was when
the peoples party became the third
party in numbers and power in the
early nineties, is the distress Of the
farmer. When times grew better for
the farmer the populist party dis
appeared to very large extent. If
times grow better for the farmer to-
day or tomorrow the farmerla Dor
party also may fade into political
history. One factor in the situation
today. however. makes the farmer
Dor party more likely to endure.
The farmers of the country are or
ganized more fully than ever before.
There is the farm bloc in Congress,
too, which has to large extent domi
mated Legislative affairs and promises
to continue to do so.
The peoples party. usually known
as the populist party. grew into ma
tional existence and prominence
through the coordination of a num-
ber of smaller organizations. Promi-
nent among these smaller organiza-
tions was the National Farmers ALI
ance. The Grangerd, the greenback
party and other organizations of
workingmen and farmers also had
their part in the formation of the
national peoples party. It's first ma
tional convention was held in Cincin-
natl, Ohio. May 10. 1891.
Important Factor for Decade.
The populists became the third po-
litical party in size. next to the re-
publicans and democrats. just as the
farmer-l labor party is now doing. For
a decade it remained an important
factor which had to be reckoned with
by the major party leaders.
The original platform of the popu-
list party contained many of the de-
mands now made by the farmer
laborites and others who are support
ing them. For example. the populists
demanded the issue of fiat money in
sufficient quantity to transact the
business of the country on a cash
basis and the loan of such currency
to the people, particularly the farm
ers. at not more than per cent per
annum on non-perishable agricultural
products. In other words. the gov
crnment was to finance the farmers,
lending sufficient money to enable
them to hold their crops to such time
as they could market them to the
greatest advantage. This differs lit
tie materially from the plan ad
vanced today by Senator Brookhart
of Iowa, progressive republican. who
is cooperating with the farmer
laborites. which calls for govern
ment guarantee ofa minimum price
for farm products.
Only One PInnk Differs.
The populists did have one plank,
however, which is not yet advanced
by the mer-laborites-the free
coinage of silver. This plank later
was adopted by the democratic party
in 1896. when. in a measure. the
! democrats swallowed, hook, line and
sinker. many OF the planks of the
populist platform. and when the
democratic standardbearer, William
Jennings Bryan. was also the nomi-
/ nee of the populist party.
! The populistS also demanded the
: public ownership of all public means
+, of transportation and communication,
(, which has strangely familiar ring
of the initiative and referendum in
J legislation and the prohibition of
alien ownership of land.
Two of the populist planks which
have become the law of the land
! through constitutional amendment
called for a graduated income tax and
| for the popular election of United
States senators. 1t is not unreason-
able to believe that history will re-
; peat itself and that some of the
measures now urged by the farmer
laborites will become law in the next
! decade or two. Times change and
| laws change with them.
| Named 1892 Candidates.
The second national convention of
the populiSt party was held in 1892
| at Omaha, Neb. There the delegates
named James B. Weaver of Iowa for
President and James B. Field of Eir-
i, ginia for Vice President. The popu-
| list party had considerable strength
! in the southern states as well as in
! the west in those days. The cotton
l farmers had suffered very greatly
! from existing conditions and the peo-
! pie were ripe for break with the So
! called bourbon democrats. Tom
Watson. Georgia frebrand was a
leader of the movement in his state
and was hailed by the people in the
! agricultural districts almost AS d
| Moses to lead them out of bondage.
! In the national election in 1892 the