The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-08-04
WHAT IS THE ALLIANCE 1ssUE7

WHAT IS THE ALLIANCE ISSUE?
1t is growing more and more uncer-
tain what the real basis OF the third
party movement is to be by the time
the national campaign Of next year
opens. 1t has been supposed that such
a movement, if it Is to acquire any
considerable volume, would proceed
from the Farmers Alliance, but it is
difficult to say what the distinctive
issue of that organization is. 1t has
declared itself on a great variety OF
things, and has adopted two or three
platforms; but a new party, IN order
to gain vitality and strength, must be
devoted to some welldetined object
upon which q large unlbe of people
are agreed. The most distinctive
feature of what is known as the Ocala
platform stheS Sub Treasury scheme
but a scheme of that kind is not and
can not be made a political issue. The
Alliance is overloaded with schemes.
Besides the Sub-Treasury plan for
Government loans on security of non
perishable products and the plan for
loans on land, there IS / vague project
for a system Of c o operative stores and
exchanges for the benefit of the ALI
ances, and that is quite as mpractiC
able as the other as a basis for political
cohesion. Already the Alliance is
seriously divided on the Sub-TreasUry
question. In South Carolina Gov. Till
man is leading the opposition to that
scheme and seems to be carrying the
majority with him. and IL Texas last
week there was an anti Sub Treasury
State Alliance convention, which issued
Ill G., =, 1,a+L,Nll a,,l--y--4Tlr 10 L.
held at st. Louis in September. On
this issue, if it can be called an issue.
the Alliance seems to De going to
pieces.
In Virginia the Farmers Alliance
appears to be deVotiDg itself mainly to
the railroad question. 1t demands the
creation of a State Railroad Commits
sion, with power to regulate rates for
transportation, and proposes to pledge
candidates for the Legislature on that
question. But at best they can only
make it q State issue, and apparently
they have no intention of baSing q
third parry movement upon it. They
are mostly Democrats, and their pur-
pose seems to be to induce the Demo
cratic Party to support the plan for a
State Railroad Commission. We hear
from time to time that the Farmers
AIlltIiCCS OI lllC W GSJ anu ANOII1N GSU
are laying great stress upon the free
coinage of silver, but no national third
party can sustain itself as a separate
organization on that issue. It would
have less chance of surviving than the
old Greenback Party had. The silver
question will necessarily enter mOr or
less into the agitatiOns of the national
campaign, for it is an unsettled ma
tiOnal question; but it Will be a SubOr-
dinate issue upon which the regular
parties will be divided. Sentiment
varies upon it in different parts of the
country. There are many Democrats
in some States who are III favor of the
free coinage Of silver, but whether
they continue to hold to their present
views OF not, they are likely to remain
Democrats. There are also many Re
publicanS who believe in the free coin
age Of silver, but most Of them will
continue to be Republicans whatever
position their party takes on hat ques-
ton. The obvious fact Will be recOg-
nized that whatever solution the silver
problem is to have it must be reached
through the action of the regular par
ties, and an attempt to draw off q
third party upon this question viii not
greatly aid in its settlement and Will
not give that party any power as a
separate organization.
The one great national issue in which
the farmers Of the country have the
deepest interest in a reform Of the
tariff, but that certainly is not to be
the basis Of a third party, for it IS the
main issue between the regular political
organizations. The Farmers Alliance
has been strangely chary Of giving
prominence TO this great question in
It's platforms, and tbat may be due to
a consciousness that there is no posi-
bility Of a third party in it, And yet
it IS really the great issue for the
farmers, and If they realize that fact,
the most effective way for them to aid
in its settlement is to give their support
to the party which favorS the policy
thati is conducive to their best interests.
Some Of them are not willing to DO
that because they have heretofore
Deen Republicans and are averse to
Democrats or supporting
me Democratic ticket in q national
canvass. That goes far 20 explain the
enect TO create a third party as the
refuge or the Dissatisfied