The Campaign of 1896 171 



ticket, with Mr. Bryan second; for he is much the 

 superior in boldness, in thorough-going acceptance 

 of his principles according to their logical conclu- 

 sions, and in sincerity of faith. It is impossible not 

 to regret that the Democrats and Populists should 

 not have put forward in the first place the man 

 who genuinely represents their ideas. 



However, it is even doubtful whether Mr. Wat- 

 son will receive the support to which he is entitled 

 as a Vice-Presidential candidate. In the South the 

 Populists have been so crushed under the heel of the 

 Democrats, and have bitten that heel with such 

 eager venom, that they dislike entering into a coali- 

 tion with them ; but in the South the Democrats will 

 generally control the election machinery. In the far 

 West, and generally in those States where the 

 Populist wing of the new alliance is ascendant, the 

 Populists have no especial hatred of the Democrats. 

 They know that their principles are substantially 

 identical, and they think it best to support the man 

 who seems to represent the majority faction among 

 the various factions that stand behind Bryan. 



As a consequence of this curious condition of 

 affairs there are several interesting possibilities open. 

 The electoral college consists of the men elected at 

 the polls in the various States to record the decrees 

 of the majorities in those States, and it has grown 

 to be an axiom of politics that they must merely 

 register the will of the men who elected them. But 

 it does seem possible that in the present election some 

 of the electors may return to the old principles of 



