The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-06-18
Col. Polk ia Willing.

An Atlanta dispatch in the MORNING
NEWS yesterday contained the information
that Col. Polk, president of the National
Farmers Alliance, in an interview in that
city announced his willingness to accept the
nomination of the Peoples party for Presi-
dent. Col. Polk said that he was not anx'
ious for the nomination. and would not put
himself in the position of seeking it, but
that he could not refuse to serve his people.
1t is not clear whether in speaking of his
people he meant the farmers alliance or the
other folks who were present at the Cincin-
natl conference which gave birth to the
Peoples party. He must have meant the
other folks, because the farmers alliance
has announced many times that it is not
political organization. and therefore has
nothing to do with the Peoples party.
But Col Polk is at the head OF the
farmers alliance, and is willing to be at the
head of the new partya Is it not probable
that his purpose is to do all he can to bring
the farmers alliance to the support of the
Peoples party with the hope that he will be
the chosen leader of that party. 1t GER
tainly looks that way. While other, but
less prominent, leaders of the farmers
alliance in the south are advising that the
alliance should take no step looking to the
support Of the Peoples party until it be-
comes evident whether the Democratic
party will concede the demands of the
farmers alliance Col. Polk is commend
ing the principles of the Peoples party, and
in that way doing all he can
to create a sentiment among allIancemen in
favor of that party. Indeed, he talks as if
he thought the Peoples party was the crea-
ton of the farmers alliance, and that the
farmers alliance ought to indorse and sup
port it without hesitation.
Is not Col. Folks ambition getting the
better of his judgment9 If he is not careful
he will find himself in the Peoples party
without the farmers alliance at his back.
He may have good deal of influence with
alliancemen, but it is doubtful if he is yet
big enough to draw the farmers alliance
into a new political organization. 1t would
be very gratifying to him, no doubt, to be
nominated for President by the Peoples
party, even though that party should not
have a ghost of chance to elect its ticket
But, evidently, he thinks that it would have
a very good prospect for success if it could
get the solid support of the farmers
alliance.
There is no evidence yet, however. that
southern alliancemen are going into the
new party movement. There are some who
will be found in the ranks of that party,
but the vast majority of them are still true
to the Democratic party, and are likely to
remain so.
And the alliaucemen of the west are not
SO much in favor of the new party as they
we're few weeks ago. In our dispatches
last Tuesday there was convincing evidence
that in Kansas, where the Peoples party is
strongest, the republican members of the
alliance are passing resolutions announcing
their purpose to return to the Republican
party. In the face of such resolutions it is
not at all probable that alliance democrats
in the south will abandon the Democratic
party at the bidding of Col. Polk or any
body else.