THE LEAVEN OF RADICALISM 199 



amendment. Anti-trust legislation has been en- 

 acted to meet the demand for the curbing of mo- 

 nopolies ; and the Federal land bank system which 

 has recently gone into operation is practically the 

 proposal of the Northwestern Alliance for govern- 

 ment loans to farmers, with the greenback feature 

 eliminated. Even the demand for greater volume 

 and flexibility of currency has been met, though in 

 ways quite different from those proposed by the 

 farmers. I 



In general it may be said that the farmers' or- 

 ganizations and parties stood for increased govern- 

 mental activity; they scorned the economic and 

 political doctrine of laissezfaire; they believed that 

 the people's governments could and should be used 

 in many ways for promoting the welfare of the 

 people, for assuring social justice, and for restoring 



1 In July, 1894, when the People's Party was growing rapidly, the 

 editor of the Review of Reviews declared: "Whether the Populist 

 party is to prove itself capable of amalgamating a great national 

 political organization or whether its work is to be done through a 

 leavening of the old parties to a more or less extent with its doctrines 

 and ideas, remains to be seen. At present its influence evidently is 

 that of a leavening ingredient." The inclusion of the income tax in 

 the revenue bill put through by the Democratic majority in Congress 

 was described as " a mighty manifestation of the working of the Popu- 

 list leaven"; and it was pointed out that "the Populist leaven in the 

 direction of free silver at the ratio of 16 to 1 is working yet more deeply 

 and ominously." The truth of the last assertion was demonstrated 

 two years later. 



