Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-04-07
SENATOR BDIUNDS
falls on The Oltlask d ths
Present Political Stlltisn.
Funsn' Miilos Ittitlds Towards
Dunoe1ite lld Rspllleal Patias.


WARRINGTON, April 6.-Tha Star this
afternoon prints N interesting interview
With Senator Edmuuds on she present suse
Of political skails.
SIS not the present political situaaion
one Of extraordinary Interest and import
sncef" the reporter asked.
"Yes," replied the senatof after .
moments thought. 81 think il 10 in one
sense ~ applied to one aspect Of Affairs
namely, the Farmers Alliance subject The
attitude Of the two great parties in respect to
each o,her and public Al airs 10 apparently
the same. In respect to the Farmers
Alliance matter, il 10 in its present form .
new experiment in this country, but rot an
unnatural one. There have been analogous
foments in former times, but the present
condition makes the political situation in
this n spect interesting and important, for
what it, effect will be upon the next
national election, take ii, no one can fore
rec with precision. think large part of
this feeling arises from the intrinsic quail
ities Of the human mind, which has ito
periods Of rest and then Of excitement
Some people are trying to pefsuade the
farmers Of the country that laws have
been made which operated uDjustly upon
them, and that laws have not been
made which would or should furnish
them more rapid and steady prosperity.
In both these cases, think, they are in
large degree mistaken and in due time they
will discover It. Indeed, the largest part
OF the rejecting ones perfectly understand
that crops cannot be increased by lesisla-
ticn or debts honestly paid by chsapeuirg
the value of what 10 called money and
most of them understand that money, to be
Of value and serve its only true purpose,
must be stable, and that IL farmer agrees
to sell his next years crop for 90 many
dollars, he must be able to know what that
number Of dollars will be good for when he
gets it."
"What dar gers to both parties and to the
country are there in the situstiop?"
II don't think there 10 any danger to the
Democratic party. for in the next presiden-
tial election, il the Farmers Alliance
should carry many states without having
majority Of the whole electoral college,
simply the result would be that there would
be no election by the people, and the
present House Of Representatives, having
very 'arge Democratic majority Of states
as well as members, would elect
. Democratic candidate in Q constitu-
tional and regular way, although he may
have carried the smallest number Of states
As to the danger of the Republican party.
1t is that the farmers alliance may carry in
the next presidential election some states
that would otherwise vote for the Republi-
can candidate and thus, in effect, il there
should be no election BY the people. give
the election to the Democratic candidate
by the House Of Representatives"
la regard to silver being An issue in the
next elections, Mr.. Edmunds did not be-
lieve it would be an issue between the two
parties, ~ the Democrats would hardly
wish to make the silver question an issue
to the extent of running any considerable
risk Of separating gold and silver as the
coin money Of the country. and certainly
q great body Of the Republican party would
not. What the Farmers Alliance platform
would be on that topic, il they nominated
a candidate for President, he was unable
TO say. lie believed that the way to
meet this feeling Of unrest was by
candid consideration. correct information,
just reasoning and fhs enactment of such
laws as would fairly appear te be promctve
OF general public good. When asked II a
third party movement was likely, and il
communism would be at the bottom of IL,
he replied that third party does not exist
in the Farmers Alliance enterprise and
that communism is is not at the bottom,of the
Farmers Alliance movement. The great
body of laborers are too intelligent and too
honest to think communism would benefit
them and their families. A. to the finances
Of the country being affected, be said they
always depend very largely upon the con-
Hdence that the people engaged in business
and the people having capital have in the
administration of its government.