The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-05-21

now IN SESSION III ,lhCihihb S'NN
very greatly exercised over the formation OF
new party. Under the influence OF the
eruberant Senator PETER, whose recent eie-
vation to the United States senatorship
seems 10 have completely turned his head
the members of the convention are being
carried away by ideas OF political millennium
when farmers will control all the money III
the land. so that they can defy the money
power" build their own railroads, own
fee simple 10 the whole country and the
Government, and WELD an overwhelming IN
fuence, the power of which all classes all
industries and all communities must sub
missively acknowledge. And all this, ac-
cording to PETER, is 10 be accomplished by
means of a third party to be known as the
National party" which he prophesies is about
to be brought into the world.
Mr.. PETER and his latest ally, Mr.. L. V. Pow
Derby of Pennsylvania-whose chief desire,
according 10 his own admission, is to see the
niger" recognized as "a man in the South
may succeed in imposing upon the thought
less and inconsiderate element of the Cincin-
natl Convention. but he will find in the end
lndJ Ills luciy-ldlu htueluco. llho eAiO@S ~ %@-~
and many men, Will gang aglee."
In the first place, thinking and conserva-
tive farmers know that his ideas are, under
any circumstances, wholly Utopian. Inc
time never will and never can come IN this or
any other country wheH any class OF cltzehs
can be Independent of or control all other
classes. 1t is right for the farmers TO band
IL. 1 Al, md a6VQnrpment
of their interests. and every one IS ready 10
confess that our agriculturists are among the
bone and sinew of the land, and that upon
their prosperity the welfare OF the whole
country is largely dependent. But no intel
lgent man, and certainly no thinking farmer
expects or even desires the farming element
to be all-powerful and possess all things. He,
like the capitalist. the investor and the wage
worker must recognize the principle Of COM
rnunity of interest and the mutual depend
ence Of men upon each other Mr.. PETERS
foundation being therefore false all his ideal
political structures must fall.
In the next place the thoughtful element Of
the Cincinnati Farmers Conventlonrecognlze
that there is no necessity for any such third
party as Mr. PETER proposes. The Democratic
party has always been the firm friend Of the
people. and the uncompromising antagonist
Of monopoly and privileged classes III any
and every form. 1t has, in a record of nearly
n century, shown equal solictude for the well
fare of the agricultural classes as of the wage
workers and the capitalists, and that its con-
slant aim has been the protection Of all without
the oppression of any. 1t, therefore, has
done can do and will do more for the. farmers
than any third party they can possibly form.
particularly when that party has in view only
the advancement of certain selfish and indivi-
dual ends The thoughtful and intelligent
farmer must see this, and if he has heretofore
been a Republican and now feels that it is
necessary for him to cast loose from his Old
moorings and form new political affiliations
he must naturally ally himself with the party
of the people-the old-line Democratic.
But one Of the greatest obstacles with which
Mr.. PETER will have to contend in carrying
out his cherished scheme of third party will
be that large numbers Of his farmer friends
will refuse to give up old ideas and adopt
new ones. In the North and West sectional
prejudice is unfortunately still too strong for
the farmers in mass to desert the Republican
party, for they fear that by so doing they
will assist in placing the South once more in
the saddle. On the other hand, so long as
the Republican party persists III making So
cial equality between whites and negroes its
chief cornerstone, 50 long must Southern
farmers remain loyal to the Democracy, for
the purpose of-what is more vital to them
than any other consideration-the protection
of their civilization.
So it is evident that all Mr.. PETER can hope
for as the following of his proposed Ma
tional" party are few malcontents from the
ranks of the two established political or
CARNATIONS in the United States. And the
end of such a party can be plainly seen from
the beginning 1t will share the fate of the
thousand and one similar attempts which
have been made since the formation Of the re-
public. 1t will have an ephemeral, soap bub-
bling existence for period, and then will
speedily fall into innocuous desuetude and,be
forgotten.