The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1891-06-03
THE PEOPLES PARTY.

IHE PEOPLES PARII.
DIFFERENT VIEWS OF THE THIRD
PARTY CONVENTION.
lance and tho mocratic Party Should
Eejoice--Livinsston's Fine Work--Iyhy
Cleveland was Made Target or.
WASHINGTON, D. c.. May 24.-Viewed
from a strictly political standpoint, the
interesting Cincinnati conference
stamped upon the minds Of various
party leaders and individuals impress
sionS quite as distinct as the hetero-
geneous elements which composed the
gathering itself. When the conven-
tion finally adjourned, a full day at least
sooner than was anticipated, those most
deeply concerned hal reason to feel
about as follows:
1. The Farmers Alliance-relief.
2. The Democratic party-Satisfac-
ton.
g. The Republican party-alarm.
t. Mr. Harrison, Mr. Blaine OF who
ever may be the Republican candidate
nisgiving.
5. Mr.. Cleveland -solicitude.
These results are due, not so much to
what the convention really did as to
the temper of the more conservative
men present, indicated by their speeches
and acts.
The leaders of the Farmers Alliance
may well haeve a sigh of relief at the
passing of the most serious danger
which has menaced their organization.
While. from their point OF view, the
conference did little or no good, it GER
tainly resulted in less harm than was
anticipated Instead of forcing the
Alliance to inGorSe or reject certain
veXatious principles the convention
practically referred the whole MATTER
to ghe regular Alliance convention next
February with a recommendation in
favor of naming its own candidate fer
president. Colonel Livingston, who
represented the officials of the Alliance
outside of the convention itself, shrewd-
ly focused the inevitable dispute upon
this point and secured the adoption OF
policy which the Alliance leaders have
no disposition to antagonize at the
proper time. By making show of re-
sissance, moreover, the Colonel diverted
attention from matters which might
have seriously embarrassed himself and
his colleagues. He must have returned
home in a happy frame of mind.
The politicians who have been in
clined to consider all Alliance men Gun
practical will do well to study Colonel
Livingston's successful manipulation
of the most intractable body of men
ever got together. 1t would nave re.
fected credit upon tactician as clever
as Manning was or German is.
''The ideas of the old mossback lead
ers in the Democratic party said Col
onel Polk, "lf not suppressed by the
younger element, will certainly lead to
its destruction sooner or later, and it
may come as early as 1892 if they are
not careful.
las for the Republican party, it is
corrupt from core to circumference,
while its opponent is not controlled by
the main body of the people, who vote
the ticket, but 10y the insidious intlu-
ence of capitalists. The only wonder
w ulC ID ll.ctG I1C 1ttl LII ia . IOG4OdS
ago arisen in their might and swept
both parties from the field. Cleveland
will be the nominee of the Democrats
and his nomination will be dictated by
Wall street. Yes, and Wall street will
nominote an anti-silver Republican.
"The objects of the Democrats will
be to force us to place third party IN
the field, with the hope that it will
throw the eletcion into the house of
representatives, and then Cleveland
would be declared elected. But / am
not so sure that such would be the case,
as the Alliance may sweep the coun-
try"
Only bald statement of fact could
be more definite than this. The Alli-
ance intends to name its own candi-
dates, but not until the time is ripe.
The premature action, which, III Colo
mel Polk's opinion, referred to in this
column last week, would be fatal, is
one of the things that Colonel Living
ston went to Cincinnati to prevent.
He succeeded so well that the Alliance
will have only national committee"
of about fifty members instead of a
horde of cranks TO deal with in Februa-
ry. It is not expected or even asked to
endorse the Cincinnati platform, and it
can yield to the vociferous demand for
third party with perfect complacence.
If anything the conference was benz
tit to the Alliance. 1t enabled a large
number OF troublesome reformers to
let off steam without scalding anybody.
The strategists of the house may well
keep their eyes OF Colonel Livingston
when he enters upon his congressional
career in December.
The facts so gratifying to the alli-
ance leaders are no less satisfactory to
Democrats. Nothing could be more
advantageous to the Democratic party
at this time than a steady growth in |
Alliance membership. Consequently,
Democratic politicians will llrejolce with
their friends, the farmers, that the most
serious danger has been averted by
clever management. Moreover. it is
pleasing to note that the very fear of
being committed against their old party
kept the alliance men in the South at
home
Reasons why the Republican party
leaders must feel uneasy are SO numer
Gus and so patent that they need hard
ly be noted. Last falls election furn-
ished conclusive proof that they can
not hope to fight on equal terms, but
to achieve success must make great in
roads upon the opposition. 1t was ar
gued speciously by Republican optl-
mists last fall that the election was on
ly IAN off-year revolt" and that when
the time came to make decisive choice
of Republican or a Den ocTat for
president the farmers OF the West and
Northwest would be found under their
old banner. The Cincinnati conference
may open their eyes to the truth. Nine
tenths of the delegates came from the
formerly Republican States of Kansas,
Nebraska, \. lnnesota, Ohio and Illinois,