The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1891-11-14
THE ALLIANCE.

One of the surprises of the recent
election was the evident decline in
the political power OF the Farmers
Alliance, particularly in the Western
States. Commenting on this result
the Philadelphia Ledger very per-
tinently says that only year ago its
probable influence upon the political
contests of 1891, and more par
ticularly upon the great national one
of 1892, was regarded with uncon-
cealed alarm by the party leaders,
and especially bv thn~c ot IL Re
puDncan party. In the West the
Alliance seemed so strong, and to be
growing in numbers so rapidly, as to
give good reason for the fear that it
might hold the balance of power in
the Presidential year in several OF
the States OF that section, and that it
would possibly, or probably, even,
transfer their electoral votes to the
Democratic national ticket by the
assertions which it would induce
from the Republican ranks.
The Alliance leaders boosted that,
great as the strength of the new
party then was, possibly in 1891,
certainly in 1892, it would be
doubled, and that its votes would
determine the election of this or
next year. These boasts were evil
IDENTIFY vain ones, as none of the
Western State elections show that
the Alliance was really a serious fact
tor in any OF them except Kansas.
As for its votes in New York, W here
it was said to have an actual men,
bership OF 1000, in Massachusetts,
and in Pennsylvania they were
made conspicuous only by their APP
parent absence, and even in Kansas,
Iowa, Colorado, Nebraska and South
Dakota, where they were declared
to be so numerous, they seem to
have scarcely affected the results.
Instead of so increasing in voting
force in a single year as to be able to
hold and sway the balance of power,
as between the two great regular
parties, the strength OF the Alliance
has visibly decreased. 1t was strong
est in Kansas, where in 1890 it was
said to have a membership of 49,
900. Mr.. McGrath, President of the
organization in that State, himself
says that it is now but 60, 900 strong,
and in the election there on the sd
instant the Associated Press cores
pondent stated that the Sub-Alli-
ances failed to vote as they did in
THE previous year-when they swept
the Commonwealth in blocks-but
went to the polls individually, and,
no doubt voted largely independently
of the Alliance.
The proofs of the disintegration
Of the Alliance in Kansas are posi-
tive, and it is manifest that it is going
to pieces elsewhere. That it should
be but temporary force in politics
was to be perceived from the char
acter Of the foundations upon which
it was built, which were much like
those of the Greenback party, only
rendered not stronger but weaker by
the Alliances insistance upon the
supremacy of even more pernlclous
economic and financial principles or
decisions. The very corner stone OF
the Alliance platform was debased
currency and an unlimited amount
of it, and the keystone OF its arch
was the proposition to make the
National Treasury Granger pawn
shop on the basis of the issue of un-
limited silver certificates in exchange
for produce of unstable and undeter-
inmate value.
The permanent success of a politi-
cal party founded upon such a
policy implied lack of both popu-
lar intelligence and honesty. 1t was
a policy which could not survive the
application to it of the second, sober
thought OF the people, and there is
nothing surprising in its falling to
pieces and disappearing from poll
tics as a dangerous opponent OF
parties which are founded upon
principles OF integrity and wisdom,
and which are not. as the Alliance
is, supported by class, instead of
by the mass. The waning numbers
and power of the Alliance is but an
other proof Of the sterling intelli-
gence and problty OF the American
people, who may fooled for