The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1891-04-15
EDMUNOS EXPLAINS.
The Farmers Alliance Makes the Situa-
tion Interesting.

The Farm erS' Alliance makes lne Sltua'
tion Interesting.
WASHINGTON, April 12.-The Star re-
Gently published a two columninte
with Senator Edmunds upon the present
political situation and outlook. AS be.
tween the two great parties the Senator
does not see any great difference be.
tween the situation now and what it has
been for several years, but as to the
Farmers Alliance the situation is one OF
extraordinary interest and Importance
because of its possible effect upon the
next national election. The reporter
asked: "What dangers to both parties
and to the country are there in the
situation9"
II do not think there is any danger
to the Democratic party" the Senator
replied with faint smile. "For in this
respect all is fish that comes to its net
or indeed goes into the net of the
Farmers Alliance, for the next Presi
dental election if the Farmers Alliance
should carry many States without hav.
ing a majority of the whole electoral
college the simple result would be
that there would be no election by the
people, as it is called, and the present
House OF Representatives, having
very large Democratic majority OF States
as well as members, would elect Dem.
ocratic candidete in a Constitutions
and regular way, although he may have
carried the smallest number of States
AS to the danger of the Republican
party, it is that the Farmers Alliance
may carry in the next Presidential cleo
ton some States that would otherwise
vote for a Republican candidate, and
thus in effect, if there should be no elec
tion by the people, give the election tc
the Democratic candidate by the House
of Representatives"
"What do you think will be the issue
of the Presidential campaign parties ?"
"The Republicans will doubtless stand
by the same ground for justice and
equality of rights among the citizens OF
the United States and fair elections ano
for the protection of American la bor and
industries that it has maintained hith
erto."
'Do you think silver will be an issue
in the next election?'
II don't think it will be an issue be-
tween the Republicans and Democrats
for l think that the Democratic party
will hardly wish to make the silver ques
ton an issue to the extent of running
any considerable risk of ofseparating silver
and gold as coin money for the country
and certainly the great body of the
Republican party am sure will not uE
to the point Of safety. l have no doubt
but that the Republicans will be in favor
of using silver as money as it always has
done. What the Farmers Alliance plat
form, if it should nominate candidate
for President, will be am quite unable
to say
How is the feeling of the union
among certain classes to be met"
81 think it is to be met as every other
disturbance in society ought to be, by
candid consideration, by correct lnfor'
nation, just reasoning and the enact
ment of such laws as may fairly appear
to be for the promotion Of the general
public good. Its upon such consldera
tions that every government OF the
people must be carried on"
'Is the third party movement likely
and if so, what might it lead to? I:
communism at the bottom of it,"
"a third party movement" replied
the Senator, "does not exist in the Farm
ers' Alliance enterprise. If successful
to the extent of having a President ano
both houses of Congress, itwould doubt
less lead to the enactment OF the mea
sures they have already indicated, ano
then in very short time whether those
measures were good for the farmers OF
extremely bad for them would mani
festly appear. / do not think that
communism is at the bottom of the
Farmers Alliance movement. The per
centage of communism in this country
| is, I believe, almost infnitesimaly
small. The great body of the labor
ing people of the country, which taking
all the departments of human activity
embraces probably ninety-fve one hun
dredths of the whole number OF groWr
up people who are altogether too lntelIl
gent and honest to think that commun
ism will be of any benefit tothem or thell
families, but they believe that it is des
tructive of private rights, of persona
prosperity and personal happiness, ano
if carried into practice would effect the
maintenance of the vicious and lazy
and ignorant out of the toll OF lntelll
gent and industrious people"
"How might the finances Of the coun
| try be affected by this moyement?
sThe finances of the country always
depend very largely upon the confidence
that people engaged in business anc
people having capital have in the ad
ministration of its government. II any
of the movements of which we have
been speaking should appear so forml
dable as to make unsound legislation al
all probable, the finances of the country
would be very greatly disturbed, ano
that, of course, would disturb every
branch of labor and business. Ihls
everybody perfectly understands"
Fifty Lives Lost.
ST. LOUIS, April 6.-Mr. John I
Parish, {: well known mining expert
who has returned to this city from Col
orado, says that never in all his exper;
iencein the mountains has ne witnessed
,nvthino like the snow storms of the