Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-05-22
NOT YET A NATIONAL PARTY.
Reviewing the Work OF the Cincinnati Con-
veutiou.

Reviewing the Work OF the Cincinnati Com
vention.
Special Corespondsnce Of The Evening Star
CINCINNATI, ONO, May q, 1ssl.-The action Of
the independent party convention il not 40
important as it is significant. Those directly
interested in the convention attribute
to it much more that Is of conse-
quence than the facts warrant while
those whose interests are antagonized by any
third party movement may not be disposed to
regard 1t seriously enough. To those who
took part in the convention the action
tory already won. They are talking
about the way they are to elect the President
az II his election were Q foregone conclusion.
The bee is abroad singing in the ears Of some
and they regard II as unfortunate that the Con-
In the executive at once without waiting for "a
IL IL In fact, however, overdrawing it q little
to say that the action of this convention has
put new party in the field. Il makes 1t
almost certain that there will be new
lions provide that II the national convention
TO be held in February next does not
provide for presidential ticket upon the al
lance platform. the national committee ap-
pointed by this conference shall call . nomin-
sting convention.
THE FEBRUARY CONVENTION.
The importance of the movement, however,
depends entirely upon what is done at the fu-
ture convention. II the convention Of Feb
ruary should decide not to start new party in
s tine held for 20 the action Of , this
consequence, and the party growing out Of
1t would cut but . small figure in national
politics. II, on the other hand, it is decided
at the February convention that third ma
nonal party shall be organised they will do
and rhav.~ 40 u1,.<
has been done here.
Then will come the question Of whether or
not the two conferences will harmonic. II
they do not there will be two new parties,
neither OF which, being 90 divided, could ex-
pect to be as formidable as the promoters Of
the movement have been anticipating it TO be.
DEFEAT OF THE CONSERVATIVES.
The conservatives, who did not want this con-
vention to do anything, were pretty well whip
none Of the risks Of delay, but they have pre-
vented the accomplishment Of the purposes Of
the prime movers Of the May convention.
SENATOR STANFORD THE CHOICE.
1t IL well understood within the radius Of the
inner circle that the thing contemplated was
either to nominate or take such action as would
lead to the nomination of Senator
Stanford as the peoples candidate for the presi-
dency, with Stanford farm mortgage scheme as
part Of the platform. This thing was not
accomplished, and the recognition Of the
alliance movement by making the action of
this national" committee dependent upon
the course of the February convention leaves
the old alliance organization still in control,
with q reservation.
Though the matter was not talked Of much
openly, the ticket that will have the backing of
this conference in the third-party national con-
yention will be Stanford of California and Cor
don Of Georgia
DEPENDENT ON FUTURE ACTION.
While there is left practically no doubt that
there will be an alliance party in the campaign
Of 49, the whole thing still depends on future
action, this conference being more of a danger
to the harmony Of the movement than Q
promotion of it.
1t takes stretch Of the imagination to make
national affair of this conference, except
by mere declaration. A national party
be substantially confined in its operations
to the states of Kansas, Ohio. Iowa,
South Dakota, Minnesota and Nebraska,
with hardly enough constituency to count.
The south was almost without repre-
sentation. The north and east were
with some states entirely unrepresented.
None Of the states were largely represented
except Kansas and Ohio and their combined
delegations comprised about half the conven-
ton.
geographical analysis Of the convention
would show two things; that it was local
movement and that its chief strength
would be in the western republican strong
holds Assuming that the relative strength
OF the party movement in the sew
eral states is as it appeared at this con-
ference, the peoples party, born May 20 at
Cincinnati" would operate very much as if
designed to aid the democratic party.
STATES THAT MIGHT BE CARRIED
1t would probably carry Kansas on a presi-
dental election, possibly Iowa and Nebraska,
and would then gather up some republican
votes in Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Indi-
ana. Nothing in the convention gave promise
OF thousand votes in the south.
The result of this analysis may be construed
to show that the convention was local and not
representative, rather than that the third party
movement is not strong. The principles de-
clared are those of the national alliance, though
the convention itself may not be indorsed
There is evidently an element in that move
ment that it is not wise to pass over and make
light OF: 1t is a deep-seated earnestness and
the issue made against the old par
ties and duty to be performed by
the reformers. The men in the rank and file
are largely fanatics, but they are men who read,
study within their own school Of philosophy
and are far from unintelligent
Any OF two or three hundred rustics. whose
blackened hands were torn and stubbed at the
finger nails, knotted at the knuckle Joints and
warped out OF shape; whose faces were of two
colors-white down to the shade of the ha; and
burnt as brown as an Indian below that sharply
defined line etched By the sun; whose
Sunday clothes have changed color under half
dozen summer suns-any of them would
undertake to write book on the most abstruse
question of finance or political economy.
MOTIVE OF THE CONVENTION,
hirdparty-apeople'sp arty-should prove
successful, the people who have Just completed
all the important work at this convention will
forever claim that through them it was
done. This was largely the motive of the
convention. There was no doubt in the
mind Of any man who made q part of the
assemblage here that this new crusade is
going to be success. Without organization,
without plans or definite purposes,
own enthusiasm and what they regard is the
justice of their cause, the mass Of them Thought
that all they had to do was to 20 ahead
resolving. Grating, praying and singing
songs and they would conquer the
world. There was not an utter absence
OF what is practical even among the
rank and file, and the leaders who are 20 in
fact are practical enough in their plan
Of campaign, but the cohesive force-that
which holds whole communities together
and unites classes far removed from
each other-is fanaticism. This CONVENTION
might not have been fairly representative
OF the alliance movement. Most any one, not
dressed too well and not known to be
q minion OF the money power, could
take part. casting his vote, and SO
fnHnanno fha In