The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-08-21
THE ALLIANCE IN roLrTrcs.

| According 10 the admissions OF some Oh i's
| trusted leaders, the Farmers Alliance does not
| consider that 1t Is simply union whose OBJECT
| il the advancement of the interests OF aeri-
| culture. but that IL is political organization
ns well. True. il claims that it is not third
party and that 1t proposes to act politically IN
side the two parties with which its members
have been accustomed 70 affiliate; stu that II
does indulge the idea Of controlling these
parties and subordinatng them to its own
ends is shown by tho constant utterances Oh
its leaders and also by the frequent mention
that is made Of the names of the leaders in
connection with political Offices. President
Polk, of the National Alliance, has. Tor III
stance. moro than once been spoken OF az a
candidate for the presidency Of the United
States on q farmers ticket. and If this does
not mean that the leaders Of the National Al
lance are contemplating at least the possibll-
ity Of an Independent political organization
it means simply nothing.
Now. if the Alliance will take the advice OF
the busiest paper in Virginia, which Is known
to be Democratic TO the back bone, and there
fore the truest and safest advocate of the Just
rights of tho farmers, as Of every other class
of citizens. it will have nothing to do with
politics. OF course its members should do
their duty rs citizens. intelligently study po-
litical issues and vote as men and not rs ma
Chimes but il the Alliance, as an Alliance. re-
solves itself into political party, and secret
political party at that after the manner OF
the old Know-Nothings, it will most assurediy
make fatal error for the following reasons:
In the first place it will, sooner or later.
fall into the hands Of political schemers and
demagogues, who will not care in reality one
iota for the welfare Of the farmers, but will
only seek TO use them for the advancement OF
their political ACKNOWLEDGEMENT and the ac-
complishment of their individual political
schemes. Just exactly as the Republican party
uses the negro in the South. This will come
to pass as sure as two and two make four
Inthenext place. the farmers of the country,
whose tastes, education and calling are for
tunately as diverse from political wirepull-
ing and manruyering as it is possible to con-
ceive Of, will find themselves completely at
sea when they attempt 20 manage a political
party in rivalry with the experienced polu-
clans and managers of the two old and re-
oognized parties of the Union. They may
therefore Joy an ephemeral existence, but III
the end arc certain to fail just as the Know
Nothings, the Temperance party, The Green
back party and all other attempts at new par
ties have failed.
In the third place, the Alliance party Will
L 1T - ~
for fractional discussions innumerabe will
arise in its ranks, and clouds at first no
bigger than mans hand will appear, which
will steadily grow larger and larger until they
burst, overwhelm and sweep away everything
by their force. This is already being fore
Swallowed here in the Virginia Alliance. On
the first day of their session they adopt
ed resolutions requesting the Alliance
of Hanover to reconsider its action in
indorsng speaker Cardwel for the
House, yet following right on the heels
OF that action comes the news that Mr..
Cardwell has been unanimously nominated
by the Democracy of his county. Does any
intelligent Alliance man suppose that the
Hanover farmers, who have the utmost con-
fidence in Mr. Cardwell and who have again
and again entrusted to his care their interests
and are fully satisfied with his stewardship.
will now refuse to vote for him simply because
the State Alliance objects to him? They
would not yield up their manhood to this
extent even if the Hanover Alliance should
put a farmers candidate in the field, and the
only effect of such q movement would be
fatal disoord and dissension.
The TINES wishes all manner of success and
prosperity to the Alliance as friends Of the
farmers. for If it can promote agricultural
prosperity it will promote the prosperity Of
the whole State in general. 1t, therefore,
hopes 10 see the Alliance act with an eye sin
gle to tho interests of the farmers. and is con-
WINGED that to do that properly it must avoid
political entanglements on one side and the
Vaccinations Of demagogic schemers on the
other If it will do this and determine to de-
vote itself heartily to It's Legitimate field of
operations. it will accomplish wonderful
and invaluable work if otherwise it will in
evitably fail completely Of accomplishing any
thing This is plain and it may be distaste-
full truth. but 1t is none the less true notwith-
standing.