| Show POPULISM the death 0 ex congressman jerry sampson recalls aa episode in american political life now happily past but which Is likely to recur periodically as long as government by the people exists there come inevitably in every society periods of commercial reaction when the conditions which make tor individual prosperity decline and when hardship and even distress become widespread then it Is that the people or some of them under the pressure of evils keenly felt turn away from the sound instruction of a sound philosophy and seek special remedies tor the ills which beset them precisely as a man long sick Is likely to turn away from the counsels of science and experience to seek the aid of any quack who approaches him with a persuasive theory jerry sampson may very be called a quack doc tor of statecraft while not a bad man on the other hand indeed a very good man as that term is commonly employed air simpson was a natural born charlatan in the sphere of poil he had no knowledge of history no acquaintance with the principles of finance no experience with respect to public affairs H bad the gift of gab he saw the distresses of his neighbors and he was more than ready to adopt and to exploit any theory that chimed in with the popular mood no theory was too harebrained hare brained for his acceptance because be was under none of the restraints which attach to knowledge and a scrupulous common sense and out of the popular discontent this utterly incompetent and inconsequent man along with some others of ha type was sent to congress there to exhibit before the country and be tore the horld the shallowness and inadequacy of his unfurnished mind himself and others alke him made for a time one of th distinct problems of this country misleading multitudes of well meaning voter by the false lights of a spurious political philosophy mul and emphasizing the perplex li ties of government increasing abc many points the real hardships of the situation and postponing the day of deliverance of mr simpson who in bis personal character was an amiable creature was without evil intent he floated along on tho tide of th populist movement as long as it bad strength to carry him as did jack cade long before and then he sank back into his natural and proper place since the death ol 01 jerry serves to recall the ghost of the populist political movement it Is to dwell a moment upon the lesson velch tha movement both n its successes and its failures has taught us it was a movement founded primarily upon a negative principles plea principle out of nothing permanent or helpful ever comes it was too a movement based upon the class idea put of which let us pray nothing may ever come permanently in this country and po idea any political movement any political organization organisation not large enough to include all the people and all their interests is of necessity un american a its character and essentially vicious whenever our politics whatever its immediate and incidental aults may be shall sink 0 o the low basis of mere interest then wll come end ot the system populism was the first serious appeal in this country to abo ruinous principle ot class interest and it was because ot this tact that populism in which were embodied some excellent sentiments and precepts came to its natural and proper end let us hope that every political movement which forgets the universal obligations ot citizenship which founds its projects and its hopes upon special interest arr art frt h fata wp ran suffer even though impatience iho mistakes 0 ignorance 0 stupid theor lesi and false philosophy Q may even suffer without dl sast as history demonstrates tbt of internal tr teason these evils may bo overborne over borne outlived or beaten off but the ou political character ot the spoilt 0 class interest and class arrogance 13 a thing which if it shall be allowed to develop n and possess the country wll bring us inevitably to disaster |
