Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1891-02-18

canuluates Ior president anu vice.
president of the United States. Dis.
tinctly labor organization for politi-
cal activities has failed in presidential
years, though previously it had shown
in places no little activity and success.
For good or i'll party habit is strong
in the United States, and in a presi
Dental year the bulk of electors,
clearly discerning that the contest
lies between the candidates of the two
great political parties, have an irwin
chile repugnance against throwing
away their votes. In 1886 it was sup
posed that the united labor party
would make a formidable showing in
1888. The possibility of its carrying
certain States was discussed, but of
the more than 100000 votes cast
its candidate, Streeter, received less
than 100000. Butler Jared no better
in 1884. A third presidential nomina-
ton has made no tangible showing in
presidential election since 1850.
For the last thirty years every cleo
toral vote has been given either to a
Democrat or Republican. The old
er parties have seen with some ap-
prehension the menace of distinct
greenback, and labor, and prohibition
parties, but they have had the art by
holding the word of promise to the
ear to prevent them from becoming
formidable.
The farmers, however, will give the
older organizations, particularly the
Republican party, grave concern.
Their purpose is to enter the presiden-
tial field, and they declare positively
that the alliance, an organization of
large numbers, shall take no part as
partisans in political struggles as af.
filiating with Republicans or Demo-
Gratis. They are manifestly in earnest,
and are likely to become thorn in
the side of both parties. If the gran
ger States of the northwest are Re-
publicans all the planter States of the
south, and the south is essentially a
farming section, are Democratic. In
the south, however, the negro question
dominating all others, is likely to
keep the section in alliance with the
Democratic party just go long as the
Republican party is claiming power
from the north. 1t is not improbable
that the farmers organization will be
able to gain enough electoral votes to
throw the choice of president into
the house of representatives, where
the voting would be by states and the
Democrats have an overwhelming ad.
vantage. At the same time the choice
of vice. president would be made by
the senate, which will be Republican
In certain points of policy the
natural Democratic party is in perfect
accord with the Farmers alliance
The democracy fayors the Australian
ballot law, the foreclosure of the
government mortgages on the subsid.
lied Pacific railroad companies, the
squeezing of water out of railway
stocks, an honest assessment of proper.
ty for purposes of taxation, the cleo
ton of senators of the United States
by the popular vote, reasonable regula-
ton of the liquor traffic, just pension
laws.
In certain other points. however, it
is decidedly in more or less degree
averse. 1t has just made record in
Congress for the unlimited coinage of
silver, one OF the demands of the
farmers, but the position was taken
as party .maneuver and does not
fully express the party sentiment. 1t
is not as a party in favor of the aboli-
ton Of national banks, institutions
which, open to all, for banking is
free, have given staple currency.
Indeed, the democracy is at variance
with the farmer idea upon pretty
much every question of finance. 1t is
not in favor of woman suffrage.
1t will not be until midsummer of
1892 that the potency or impotency
of the farmers movement in national
politics will appear, meantime, how
ever, the purpose to proceed is quite
manifest Chicago Times.