The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1891-11-14


ranks which would ultimately shape
its course for good or evil Scheming
politicians and would be leaders that
had labored unsuccessfully in other
parties bobbed up in every school
house meeting and sought the forma-
ton Of a new political party. Wesaw
this struggle extend over the space Of
a year or more, we saw large numbers
ofrepresentative men withdraw from
the order and We finally saw the vam-
pires conquer and force the institution
into the arena of partizan politics.
This is why the election just passed
was looked forward TO with more than
the usual amount Of interest for upon
the result depended to large extent
whether the delusion would extend
over another year or the people come
to their senses and see whittier they
we're drifting. The result is as much
a matter Of congratulation as was the
growth OF the alliance at the outset.
In Ohio where Simpson, PETER, Polk.
Weaver and hundred speakers had
thoroughly canvassed the state, and
where Everts assured US the people
were surely going to lay John Sherman
out we find the Peoples party an IN
significant factor, running even behind
the defunct prohibition party and fail
ing to elect single member of the
legislature. In Iowa where they failed
to capture the National Alliance but
ran one horse concern and joined IN
with the Democratic party to defeat
prohibition as championed by the Re-
pubiicans, we find them with vote
that cuts but sorry figure, electing
but one member of the legislature and
he Republican with Democratic
symptoms. In Nebraska they are de-
feated and in Kansas where they
turned things over last year, the re-
turns bring them but little consolation.
In our own state, flushed with the
recent election Of a United States
Senator and in campaign prosecuted
with more viger than that of either Of
the other parties, with their full vote
polled we find them beaten in nearly
every county.
The lessons that we should learn we
need not go beyond the returns Of the
last election to obtain. The Peoples
party no longer pretends to he the es-
peclal champion of the farming inter.
ests. 1t has merged itself with every
other organization IN the country thst
could deliver it few votes; it has
prostltuted itself to the vilest schemes
of designing politicians; it has followed
in the wake of would be statesmen
who have no aims in life outside the
pale of selfish ambitions. In South
Dakota, where prohibition was not an
issue, it put prohibition plank in its
platform; in Iowa, where prohibition
was paramount issue and has been
since the Republican party made 1T
law in 1884, it joined hands with the
Democratic party and helped to re-elect
Boies who thinks that to sell liquor is
a divine right. In Ohio it advocated
the sub-treasury scheme, in Kansas
the farm loan and in Sully county 1t
abandoned both. From the giant
farmers alliance capable of accom-
plishing much good it has dwarfed in-
to a partizan pigmy, the tool of a few
small fry that have hardly csliber
enough 10 teach common sense
class in an insane asvlum. We con-
fess to have some feeling in this mat
ter and we think it is justified Only
two or three short years ago the alli,
ance was in fourishing condition in
Sslly county. Instructive and enter
tanning meetings were held IN every
school district. Neighbor and neigh
Dor stood shoulder TO shoulder
working for the common good and
you we're saving many a dime that
otherwise would have gone into the
middleman's pocket. You were join.
ing together for cheap and safe insur-
ance and you were bettering your con-
dition day by day. Where are those
meetings now? Where are those
commissions that you formerly saved
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