The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-05-22
NORTH DAKOTA POLITICS
Preparing the Ground and Sowing
tho Seed for the Next
Harvest.
Animadversion Upon the Sources
Of the Strength of the
Democracy.
The Farmers Alliance GrowinG-AllMring
Promise ~ to Republican Intentions
Respecting That Class.

j. G. Warnock, editor of the Jamestown,
N. D., Capital, writes to the Minneapolis
journal: While there il at present a aearth
OF active and visible politics in North Da-
kota, it 10 not improbable that the politi-
clans are preparing the ground and sowing
the seed for a harvest next year. However
truly or falsely this country may be demon
mated an arid region, or within the arid
belt, agriculturally. it is not politically.
There is, however, an irregular seed time
and harvest politically, which, like death,
has all seasons for its own. as the poet ex-
presses it, and death politically as often as
rsmorselessly loves a shining mark rs the
grim monster. People of all parties, and
Of no party, look forward to the campaign
of '92 as tho crisis and climax of the polit-
ical shaking up and settling down in this
new state will give North Dakota more
party stability and party permanence than
it has ever known before, either as a terri
tory or state. The democrats build their
hopes upon the Justification the Farmers
alliance and prohibition organizations may
produce in the republican, party, for neither
OF these organizations detract from the
democratic party materially, rs the
adherents of both these organizations
are, for the most part in or from the
republican party. All the progress the
democratic party makes is by drifting in
tho wake of the republican party. and the
way being cleared of obstacles, it has
smooth sailing, while the republican party,
born in aggression and maintained by pro-
g~ression necessarily encounters the obsta-
Giles that have always been and always will
be found across the path of progress.
As a political party, the Farmers alliance
in the northwest cannot reasonably hope to
be more than a tail to the southern demo-
cratic kite, where alliance men boast that
they are democrats seven days in the
week. and everybody knows that the
''solid south" democrats dominate and
rule with a rod of iron the national demo
cratic party. This is not said in a spirit of
1idicule, but as a plain statement of fact,
which 1 think can be demonstrated. If
there ia any state in the union where the
leaders of the Farmers alliance have made
an effort to defeat and overthrow the DEM
ocratic party, as they have made effort to
defeat and overthrow the republican party
in several of the northwestern states, the
writer has been unable to discover it; and
that they have not succeeded in tie latter is
0AO W SAo AVyeAsy "a pAo al hAlA hAV oA toC
alliance to the republican party. With the
members Of the alliance in the southern
states, democrats seven days in the.week,"
what can the alliance as a political organi-
cation in a half-dozen northwestern states
accomplish. except to draw off from and
weaken the republican party and to that
extent aid in turning the control of the ma
tional government in its administration
functions over to the democratic party,
which is itself controlled by the solid south
democracy? That done, where and how
will the farmers alliance have gained any
thing3 Representatives OF southern demo-
cratic sentiment extend encouraging sym
patty to separate and independent political
action by the Farmers alliance in the north,
but characteriZes the proposition of such a
course by the alliance in the south as non
sens and declare that the alliance in the
south must and will fight in the democratic
ranks. With the farmers alliance in the
north with q third party candidate for pres /!
ident, they hope to defeat an election bv
the people, in which case the democratic
house of representatives would elect the
president, and in all probability a southern
democrat at that. This is what the repub-
lican members of the Farmers alliance in
North Dakota will aid in doing by going
into a third party or independent political
movement, and it is what the writer does
not believe the republican members of the
alliance will do with their eyes wide open.
The Farmers alliance is growing rapidly
in numbers i'll North Dakota, with a view
to mutual benefit md conservation of the
farmers interests, but not with a view
among it's masses to independent or third
party action. All PROPOSITIONS for reform
Of abuses and a more perfect system of gov
rnmen and equality of rights, which the
alliance may, in the multitude of its coun-
sci. present, should and will receive due
consideration at the hands of the republi-
can marty with "a viaw nf apchrtNjnInu On6
adopting what is just and right, not be-
cause it comes from this source aor that,
but because it is inherently right. Most of
the elements OF discord in tho republican
party i'll this state have disappeared under
the discreet, fair and intelligent admins
tration of Gov. Burke, and with future
clear sailing for the ship of state under his
guidance the future of the republican party
in this state looks brighter than it ever has
before. The republican party of this state
must make the campaign next year upon
its merits, aud it's merits will to more OIL
less extent be measured by its men, especi-
ally its recognized leaders, and it is import
ant that these leaders be- men who will at
tract rather than repel the masses.