People's Pilot, Volume 6, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 July 1896 — STAMPEDE TO POPULISM. [ARTICLE]

STAMPEDE TO POPULISM.

By Silver Republicans of Washington and the Northwest Ex-Governor Waite for Bryan—Many Congressional Nominations—Coxey on the Situation. Watterson a Bolter. People’s Party News Bureau—Headquarters National Executive Committee St. Louis, Missouri.

It can safely be asserted that the result of the democratic national convention is a surprise to the country. The leaven that the populists have injected into thq democracy seems to have leavened the greater portion of the lump and the party has revolutionized itself completely. The platform and the nominee are almost populistic enough to suit the most extreme “middle of the road” advocates. The conversion of the democratic "party at this time is as truly miraculous as the conversion of Paul and it is very much in evidence that providence and the populists should be given the praise. Henry Watterson editor of the Louisville Courier-Journal, wires from his summer retreat in Switzerland that the gold democrats must hold another national convention and repudiate Bryan and the silver democracy. Suprising as it may seem to many, Ex-Governor Waite of Colorado, came out last week, in the Denver Road, in favor of the nomination of W. J. Bryan by the peoples party national convention and a union of the reform forces on one set of electors, as the only means of rescuing the country from the ruinous rule of the money power. . There is a perfect stampede of the free silver republicans to the peoples party in Washington and the populists clubs have received more accessions during the two last weeks than for two years previous. The free silver sentiment is growing very rapidly in New York, Pennsylvania and other eastern states, and it is not improbable that the so-called “craze” will sweep every state in the union. The populists of California are swelling their ranks daily with deserters from both the old party ranks. The prospects for a victory in that state is very flattering Notwithstanding the action of the democratic national convention, the populists of Mississippi and the entire south are maintaining a bold front and declare they will not return to either of their old parties. J. H. Randall, of “Commonweal” fame, is •ampaigning in Illinois and doing valient service for the cause of humanity. JohnO. Jokel, of Petersburg has been nominated for Congress by the populists of the 2nd Michigan district and will make a* hot fight. C.T. Greer, register of deeds at Enid, Oklahoma, publicly renounces his allegiance to the republican party and gives incontrovertible reasons for joining the peoples party. The populists of the third Mis souri district have nominated Hardin Steele as their candidate for Congress. He is a strong campaigner and has a fighting show for election. West Virginia populists are preparing for a rousing state convention at Parkersburg,' on August sth. Missouri populists are inaugurating excursions, both by wagon and rail, to their state convention. to be held at Sedalia, July 30th. Gen. Coxey, who has been campaigning in the west and witnessed the rise of the free silver tide, announces in his newspaper, “Sound Money,” that the tide is irresistible and while op posed to combinations that will weaken the peoples party, yet recognizing that free coinage is

a step in the right direction, he desires to see all the opponents of the gold standard get together if they can do so on satisfactory terms to the populists. Texas populists have established a Literary and Lecture Bureau at Ft. Worth, with L Calhoun as manager. • J. M. Smith, of San Patricio county, Texas, has been nominated for congress by the populists of the eleventh district. The nomination of S. M. Owens for congress, by the populists of the fifth Minnesota district, meets with the most general approval all over that state. Hon. J. C. Sibley of Pennsylvania, the much talked of Presidential candidate, is being petitioned by the populists, democrats and independent voters of his district, to accept a congress ional nomination. The state nominating convention of the people’s party of Georgia, has been called to meet at Atlanta, on August 6. The state convention of the people’s party of Tennessee will convene at Nashville, July 28. The free silver republicans in several lowa counties have called conventions and will nominate candidates of their own, thus bolting the regular nominees. Gold-bugism is below par in the Hawk eye state. J. Hugh McDowell of Tenues see, Sergeant-at-Arms of the populist national , convention, and one of the strongest men in the party in the United States, was recently nominated for Congress in his district. He has an excellent prospect of election and when elected will be heard from. The latest notable convert to populism is Senator Pettigrew, of South Dakota, who bolted the republican national convention with Teller. He made a formal announcement of his conversion before the populist state convention at Huron, J uly 14, and was warmly welcomed. Many of the goldbug democrats are advocating the nomination of Henry Watterson, late editor of the Louisville Courier-Journal for president in opposition to Bryan on the theory that he can carry several southern states.

A. R.