New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-04-07
A TALK WITH MIR. EDMUNDS.
THE VERMONT SENATOR ON THE POLITICAL
SITUATION
THH WARMERS ALLIANCE AS A FACToR-THE
SILVER QUESTION.


Washington, April G-"The Star" prints this after
noon an interview with Senator Edmunds on the PRES
ent state O, political affairs. reporter found him In
the Judiciary Committee of the Senate, where he
occupied in disposng of various odds and ends Of
work before retiring to his home in Vermont for the
summer.
ais not the present political situation one Of ex
traordinary interest and Importance"
81 think it is in sense as applied to one aspect
Of affairs, namely The Farmers Alliance subject In
other respects do not see that it & essentially differ
ent from what IL has been for several years"
"what gives rise to the feeling OF unrest which ap-
pears to be abroad in the land1'
az think he replied a large part OF II arises from
Intrinsic qualities Of the human mind, which has It's
periods of rests then OF excitement, Just as nature
has in respect to storms and diseases and the time
happens to have come when Of these periods Of
fevers is at hand Some people trying to persuade
the farmers q, the country, who always have been
and always will be the most useful and Important
fraction Of the community, that laws have been mace
which operate unjustly upon Them and that laws have
not been made which would or should furnish them
more rapid and steady prosperity. In both cases
think they are IN large degree mistaken and In due
time they will discover it. Indeed. presume that the
largest mart OF the rejecting perfectly understand
that crops cannot be increased by legislation or debts
honestly paid by cheapenng the value OF what Is
called money
~What dangers TO both parties and to the country
are there in the sltuationP
al don't think there is any danger to the Democratic
party. he replied. with faint smile; "for in this
respect all Is fish that comes to its net indeed goes
into the net OF the Farmers Alliance for in the next
Presidential election II the Farmers Alliance should
carry many States without having majority OF tho
whole Electoral College, the simple result would be
that there would be election by the people, as IL Is
called and the present House Of Representatives. av-
Ing very large Democratic majority Of States rs well
as members would elect tho Democratic candidate in
constitutional and regular way. although he may have
carried the smallest number Of States AS to the danger
Of the Republican party, 1t is said that the Farmers
Alliance may carry in the next Presidential election
some States that would otherwise vote for the Rcpub
can candidate thus, IN effect, there should lie no
election by the people, give the election to the Demo
cratic candidate by the House Of Representatives.
Do you thank that silver VIII be an issue In tile
next election ~
81 don't think it will be an issue between the Re-
publican and Democratic parties, for think that the
Democratic party VIII hardly wish to make the silver
question issue TO the extent OF running any con-
siderable risk of separating silver and gold the coin
the Republican pary am sure viii not Gp to the
point OF safety, have doubt the Republican party
has been What the Farmers Alliance platform if it
should nominate candidate for President, Will be on
How is the evident feeling Of unrest among certain
classes to be metl'
society ought to be-by candid consideration, by
rect information just reasoning and the enactment Of
such laws as may fairly appear to be promotve OF the
general public good. 1t is upon such considerations
that every government Of the people must be carried
on"
ais third-party movement likely, and, II so, what
might it lead tot Is communism at the bottom Of 1t ?"
"A third party movement he replied, :" now exists
In the Farmers Alliance enterprise. If successful to
the extent of having the President and both houses Of
Congress- would doubtless lead to the enactment OF
the measures they hive already indicated and then.
in a very short tme whether these good
for the farmers or extremely bad for tem would mani
festly appear. do not think that communism is at
the bottom OF the Farmers Alliance movement"