The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1891-06-26
TT HAS COME TO STAY.
WHAT PRESIDENT POLK SAYS OF
THE NEW PARTY.

THE NEW PARTY.
He Wrote No Letter to the Cincinnati
Conference Reasons Why tho
Movement Will Commend Itself to tho
People,
Copyright. 1891. by the Reform Press News
Association
Colonel L. L. Polk, president of the
National Farmers Alliance and Indus
trial Union, was interviewed by the Re
form Press Bureau this week on the
peoples party. When asked for his
opinion of the movement he remarked:
"Of course l, in common with every
intelligent citizen of this country, have
my views as to that conference and its
action; but if l give any expression to
them at all it must be understood that
speak in my capacity as an individual,
and that l do not speak for the Alliance
or any member Of it."
"But it was published and it is now
reported in the partisan press that you
did write a letter to the Cincinnati con-
ference in your official capacity in which
you express strong opposition to the
third party movement"
eyes," said the colonel, Il am aware
that such a statement is being industri-
ously circulated by interested parties,
but the truth is wrote no letter to the
Cincinnati conference. Several prom
inent members of our order throughout
the country very naturally addressed to
me letters of inquiry as to my views as
to what would be a proper course of ac-
ton by the conference. Replying to
these, always in my individual capacity,
| neither advocated nor opposed third
party movement. One of these letters,
I learn, was read before the conference.
Of this l make no complaint whatever,
and would not have objected if all my
responses had been read there, for I en-
terrain no views on great public ques-
lions affecting the people that l am
ashamed or afraid for the world to
know"
"Then, since you cannot speak for the
Alliance, and will not assume to do so
as its president, will you, as citizen,
give your views in brief as to the con-
ference and its action?'
eyes. l will say that the friends of
reform throughout the country can have
no quarrel with the Cincinnati confer
ence. Its action was surprise to the
public generally. There was general
apprehension in the public mind that a
body so heterogeneous in it's character
and representing so many phases of po-
itical thought could not be harmonious
or homogeneous in it's action. The par
tisan press especially was profuse in dire
prediction in this direction; but the re-
suit was a disappointment and, as
said, a surprise to the public, for never
in deliberative body of its magnitude
in this country did more thorough har-
mony and accord prevail"
''What in your judgment are some of
the most prominent considerations that
will commend the conference to the
friends of reform?"
''First, the frank, manly and une-
quivocal expression Of its principles and
purposes. There is no lodging or eva
sion in its platform. There is no politi-
cal twaddle, sentimentalism or section
alism. It is pointed, clear and unmis-
taxable. It does not mean one thing for
the south and another for the north. It
deals only with great, vital issues-is-
sues evolved by systematic injustice and
oppression-not such as are manufact-
ured by expert politicians for the tenn
porary purposes of a political campaign,
but issues which involve equality of
rights, and those great principles of JUS
tice on which our government is found
ed. These issues thus formulated and
promulgated are near and dear to the
hearts of the great masses of the Ameri-
can people, and they will regard with
fraternal feeling any man or men who
stands by these questions as their friends
and allies"
do you think this movement EN-.
braces the essential elements of perma-
nency?"
ENTHUSIASTICALLY it does. It is based
on deep seated conviction in the public
mind of the absolute necessity for great
and important reforms, especially as af-
fecting our industrial and economic de-
velopment, and which are imperatively
demanded by our advancing civilization.
There are strong indications that per-
manent political party is to be estab-
lished by the great masses Of the people
which, while preserving the funda-
mental principles of free government,
will be marked by a policy sufficiently
progressive and aggressive to meet the
constantly charging demands of the
country's rapid growth, and that will
strive to restore and preserve those con-
ditions and relations between the great
interests of the country which are posi-
lively essential to our progress if not to
our existence as nation"
''To what extent will the farmers of
the south support this movement"
"The farmers of the south, in common
with the farmers Of the north, east and
west, are common sufferers from com.
mon evil-to wit: vicious, partial and
discriminating legislation, which robs
the many to enrich the few, and which
has dwarfed unjustly the rights of the