Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-12-18
The New Third Party.


vention of all reform organizations
to meet in Cincinnati on February rs,
1891, for the purpose of organizing
new national political party. Tue call
purports to be signed by representatives
of II different states. Kansas leads
with fifteen signatures, and the num-
bers grade downward to one each from
California and Tennessee. Ohio, Hi
nois, Iowa and Nebraska, all agricul-
tlral states, are not represented IN the
call. This movement originated at the
Ocala convention. 1t was strongly
urged at that meeting by the delegates
from the republican states, while the
delegates from the democratic states
of the south were very Indifferent to or
openly opposed the movement in their
own section. Southern democrats are
with the alliance as long as the ALI
ance helps to elect democrats. The
only states where third party will be
encouraged by the southern alliance
men are the states which have hereto
fore cast republican majorlties. The
southern alliance men proclaim them
selves democrats seven days in the
week" Mr.. Tillman, elected governor
by the farmers alliance in South Caro-
lima, now declares that he is no third
party man, but democratic governor
of democratic state, and the alliance
legislature of South Carolina has just
elected to the United States senate,
one Irby, bitter democrat of the Till
man wing of the party, while the ALI
ance legislatures of Georgia elected the
two bourbOns, Gordon and Pugh re-
spectively, to similar positions. The
votes of these alliance legislators show
that in the south there is still nothing
but democracy of the old fashioned
before-the-war sort.
With hardly an exception the entire
alliance and democratic press of the
south while favoring and encouraging
the formation of third party in repub-
lican states, are unqualifedly opposed
to third party. in the south.
The n. o. Daily States starts its
leader with words like these:
1.-THE demagogues in the lead of the alli-
ance shall succeed in toleing the farmers CT
the country into a third party movement
the monopolistic classes will have real cause
for rejoicing.
The scheme which has been for months d. is
cussed by the most blatant nd brainless or
INSCRIPTIONS leaders OF the alliance. and
which threatens to take shape and consis-
tency through the Ocala convention is quite
practicable. There is no doubt that third
party can be organized.
The farmers constitute large element of
the American population and it the leaders
of the labor organization join in such a
movement powerful party can be brought
into being, but it will b9 a party powerful
for evil.
This is plain talk. Farmers who
advocate a third party in the south
are 'demagOgues'' and if they succeed
in organizing a party in the south it
will be a party powerful for evil"
More could not be said in opposition.
But in the same article the Daily
States advocates third party in the
north. 1t says:
If the farmers of the west, who have for
years seen themselves oppressed and pl n
dered, while they held up and strengthened
the hands OF the plunderers because of a
ranking hatred of the south, prefer to form
a third party rather than join the demo-
| cratic ranks, well and good; in heavens
| name let them do so. But we warn the
| farmers and other industrial classes of the
| south to touch not, handle not this unclean
| thing.
That which is an "unclean thing
which southern alliance man must
touch not" and ''handle not' is just
the thing for the republican farmers of
Kansas!
Exactly the same view is urged by
the New Orleans Picayune, which says:
There is really no necessity for the far
| mers to go further than the democratic
| party for political aid and assistance, but,
| nevertheless, we see no radical objection to
| a farmers party in the north and west. 1t
must necessarily be wholly hostile to the
old sectional, centralizing war party that
necessarily takes possession of much of the
following of the old republican party. and it
| would practically work the destruc ton OF
| that party.
There is somewhat of insolence in
the demand of these bourbons that the
alliance shall create a third party in
the north while their brethren shall be
permitted to indulge in the luxuries of
voting for such moSsbacks as Gordon,
Pugh and Irby in the south.
And yet there are republican farmers
of Kansas who are lending encourage
ment to just such insolence. While it
is true that the list of Kansas names
attached to this Cincinnati call contain
none that have ever added either dig
nifty or lustre to Kansas republication,
yet without the encouragement Of re-
publicans these political acrobats would
not venture into the national political
field.
In the south the alliance will touch
not, handle not the unclean thing"
called a third party. Will the republi-
can farmers of Kansas be led into such
movement solely in the interest of
defeating the republican party, and
elevating to Office such class of bour-