Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-05-21
THURSDAY. MAY 81. 1891.
Stirring Times.

various organizations named by as yester-
day has succeeded in waking up the peo-
pie not only Of Cincinnati, but. 1t would
seem. of the whole country. To our re-
porter here in Richmond Colonel BEyEB-
LEY, 1.-THE grandfather of the Farmers
Alliance" said on Tuesday that the Ali
ance Convention In Cincinnati did not
seem to him 10 be success, but as at
present advised we are inclined TO the
opinion that Colonel BEVERLEY has under
rated its importance. However, IL will re-
auire the events of only few days TO de-
eide whether Cincinnati has witnessed the
birth Of third party or the death OF the
organizations which attempted to form
third party. We repeat that these are
stirring times. The political atmosphere
IS oyercharged with electricity and there
will be thunder oil around before the sky
clears up.
"And not from ono lone cloud;
For every mountain now hath found n tongue"
Read once more the list Of organizations
represented at Cincinnati, and say if we
are not right IN pronouncing these to be
truly stirring times. We feel so much in
terest in these matters that we cannot re-
fran from making etTreHte oaiaHo a few
comments upon the same.
What means Colonel BEyERLEY's candid
declaration, in speaking OF the Cincinnati
Conference, that the third-narty movement
would find but little favor in the South un-
less the Democrats nominated for Presi-
dent sore "Wall-street representative y?
Colonel BEVERLEY, after saying what We
have just repeated, added that there are
one thousand alliances in Virginia and
nearly eighty thousand members! Here is
a formidable army indeed. 1t must cause
us of the old Democratic party, though we
do not intend TO yield TO threats, TO think
twice before we commit ourselves TO
policy which will ALLEVIATE from US half of
the white voters in Virginia. Shall we fol-
low the lead of Kentucky and declare for
fight solely upon the tariff question, to be
carried on by party pledged TO free com
age and TO the support of a candidate for
President who is hostile to free coinage?
In word, shall we construct a platform
and select a candidate who stands upon it,
or shall We select a candidate and then
make the platform conform to his notions
rather than TO the principles of the ma
tional Democratic party? These questions
will all come up in due time.
Colonel BEyERLEY's declaration that the
tariff question is no longer in politics
rather surprises us. He thinks there is
not much chance for tariff reform so long
as the Government needs revenue as
large as that which it now enjoys. We
would say let us reduce the expenditures
as well as the revenues.
Now, let ms say word as 10 the Cincin-
natl developments. Fiat greenbackism-
one Of the greatest of financial heresies-
was well represented there by the voluble
speaker who declared that the people were
going TO make their money and use it too.
His notion is that the Government can
issue thousand millions of so-called dol
lars and keep the same at par with gold.
This would be 10 lift ones self by the seat
of ones pantaloons. IL would be to per-
form a miracle. The Confederate Govern
,nent tried this experiment. 1t passed
Jaw after its Treasury notes had depre-
ciated to less than one fifth of their face
value intending to compel the notes TO re-
tain or regain their purchasing power, but
,of course the scheme failed ingloriously.
IA hundred millions of the new notes
would buy no more -four or coal than
eixty-six millions of the old notes. So it
would be with the United States Govern
anent should it engage in such "a scheme as
that Of issuing fat gpeenbacks.
The proposition TO require the Federal
Government to print Treasury notes and
aend them 10 the people at per cent. in
terest per annum would result just as
would any other scheme for putting out
frredeemable Treasury notes That is to
say, the whole scheme is visionary and i'm
practicable. II would pauperize the Gov
eminent as well as the people. No high
sounding phrases about National
sarty" could cover up such blunder.
The delegate at Cincinnati who said that
the men of the East would join the SOUTH
ern delegates for reform as soon as the lat
Ger recognized the negro as aman deserves
a medal for his impudence. Such impu-
dent utterancos are calculated to make the
southern people rejoice that Virginia,
North Carolina. South Carolina, and Ala
bama had no delegates at Cincinnati.
Here let us stop for the present. Our
telegraphic columns will give all the new
phases Of the third-party movement as
these manifested themselves yesterday in
Cincinnati. When we have read and
studied the new creed, We shall be pre-
pared 10 comment upon the same at
greater length.