Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-04-07
0RACULAR ORATOR.
SENATOR EDAUNDS T2LLS NEARLY ALL HR
KNOWS
About the Politesl Si,uaiiun-Hs Was Very Ten,
dsF On the Farnsrs Alliance, Which, Be
Thinks, Will Be a Promissni Factor
ID the Next Campaign.

WASHINGTON, April 6. - The Star
this afternoon printed an interesting
interview with Senator EdmundS upon
the present state Of political affairs.
is not the present political situation
one OF extraordinary interest and i'm
portance?" the reporter asked by way
OF an Introduction TO broad and gen
eral discussion.
Yes" replied the Senator. Think
it is in one sense as applied TO one as
pect OF affairs, namely, the Farmers Al
lance subject. In other respects |
don't see that 1t Is essentially different
from what ii has been for several years.
The attitude Of the two great parties in
respect to each other and public affairs
is apparently the same. In respect To
the Farmers Alliance matter, IL is in its
present form new experiment in this
country, but not an unnatural one.
There have been analogous fOments in
former times; but the present condition
makes the political situation in this re-
Spect interesting and important for
what its effect will be upon the next
National election, | take IL, no ONE can
foresee with precision"
What gives rise to the feeling Of un-
rest which appears to be abroad in the
land?" the reporter asked.
81 think" Mr.. Edmunds replied, "a
large part OF ii arises from intrinsic
qualities OF the human mind, which has
its periods OF rest and then OF excite
ment, just as nature has in respect to
storms and diseases, and the time hap
pens TO come when one of these periods
OF fever is at hand. Some people are
trying To persuade the farmers of the
country, who have always been and al
ways will be the most useful and i'm
portant faction OF the community, that
laws have been made which operate un-
Justly upon them, and that laws have
not been made, which would or should
furnish them more rapid and steady
prosperity. la both these cases think
they are in large degree mistaken, and
in due time they will discover IL. In
deed, | presume that the largest part OF
rejecting ones perfectly understand
that crops cannot be increased by legiS-
lation, or debts honestly paid by cheap
ing the value Of what is called money.
The most OF them, think, understand
that money to be OF value and serve its
only true purpose may be staple just as
every other measure must be-as Of
weight and quantity-in dealing with
commodities or lands. and that II a
farmer agrees to sell his next years
crop for so many dollars, he must be
able to know what that number OF dol
lars will be good for when he gets It,"
What dangers TO both parties and to
the country are there in the situatou?"
IL don't think there is any danger to
the Democratic party" the Senator re-
piled, with faint smile. 'For in the
next Presidential election, II the Farm
er'S Alliance should carry many States
without having a majority OF the whole
electoral college, the simple result
would be that there would be no elec-
tion by the people, and the present
House OF representatives, having a
very large majority OF States, as well
as members, would elect the Demo
cratic candidate In constitutional and
regular way, although he may have
carried the smallest number Of States.
As TO the danger OF the Republican
party, IL is that the Farmers Alliance
may carry in the next Presidential cleo
tlon some States that would otherwise
vote for the Republican candidate, and
thus, in effect, IL there should be no
election by the people, give the election
the Democratic candidate by the House
of Representatives,
"Do you think that the silver bill will
be an issue In the next election?"
81 do not think that il will be an is
sue between the Republicans and Dem
ocratic parties, for think that the
Democratic party will 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 the
great body Of the Republican party, |
am sure, will not"
"'How is the feeling OF unrest among
certain classes to be metz"
II think il IL best 10 be met as every
other disturbance in society ought TO
be, by candid consideration, by correct
information, just reasoning and the en-
actment OF such laws as may fairly APP
pear to be promotive OF the general
public good. 1t is upon such consider
ations that every government OF the
people must he carried on"
"Is third party movement likely,
and il so, what might it lead to9 Is
communism at the bottom OF itp'
Il do not think that communism Is at
the bottom Of the Farmers Alliance
movement. The percentage OF
the communists In this coun-
try, believe, at present
almost infntesimaly small The
great body of laboring people OF the
country, which taking all the depth OF
human activity, embraces probably
ninety-five eOne-hundredths OF the whole
number Qf grown up people who are
altogether too intelligent and too hon
est to think that communism will be
OF any benefit to them or their families,
but they believe 1t Is destructive OF
private rights, Of personal prosperity
and personal happiness, and il carried
into practice, would effect the mainte-
nance OF the vicious and the lazy and
Ihe lghOTaht OUT Vi thc Voll VI .uc i"'O'
ligent and industrious people"
How might the finances OF the coun-
try be affected by this movement
"The finances OF the country always
depend very largely upon the confidence
that people engaged in business and
people having capital have IN the ad-
ministrati9n of its government. II any
Of the movements OF which we have
been speaking should appear so iormd-
able as to make unSound legislation
at all probable, the finances Of the coun-
try would be very greatly disturbed,
and that OF course would disturb every
branch OF labor and business. This.
everybody perfectly understands.
Denied by Secretary Tracy