New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-06-28
PROPOSED FCSIONS.

The wear promises large crop OF wheat, but
q still larger crop of fusion tickets, or attempts
to fuse. Some half dozen or more have been
announced already in various stages of prog
ress. and swarm Of them will doubtless APP
pear as soon as the third party has nominated
its ticket. 1t would be rash to say that none
of these attempted combinations will bear any
fruit. But experience has taught that the
chances are greatly against them, for reasons
which may be proitably considered at this
time.
There is first the question of morals. The
man who sincerely believes that his own party
has sound principles and that another is vicious
in its beliefs and in its aims dangerous to the
public welfare, if he has conscience at all will
find some difficulty in allowing his vote to be
used or counted for the benefit of that other
party in any contingency. If he says, "my
principles are right, but can gain nothing at
present without combination with Others whose
principles are not right" he must settle whether
it is right to do evil in the hope that good may
come. But the combinations which will be
most frequently proposed this year are excep-
tonaly difficult to reconcile with sense Of
duty.
President Harrison and Mr.. Cleveland are
the candidates of two great parties. Both are
recommended by friends at the East on the
ground that they can be relied upon to veto
free coinage, and to resist the Sub-Treasury
platform and other dangerous or communistlc
schemes of the Farmers Alliance. But Mr..
Cleveland's chosen managers will 60 to the
Alliance and propose bargain: "You can
do nothing here alone and we nothing, but
J;,Ia tbn
each will gain something" If Mr.. Cleveland
assents to the trade, he gives countenance and
support to what he regards as most dangerous
errors, his friends even assisting in the cleo
ton of advocates of such error to many places
for the sake of getting votes away from an
other opponent of those errors. Whether this
would be honest on the side of Mr.. Cleveland
all can Judge. But the farmer who thinks Mr..
Cleveland's ideas wicked and dangerous has
his question of honesty also. Can he cast part
of his votes for such a man, when those may
suffice to elect him, in order to get some votes
for another candidate who cannot be elected
Because there is dishonesty about such a
barter, no matter from what side il is APP
preached or in what shape it is fixed, it is sure
to damage both parties engaged therein. Thus
there comes up the second question, of prac-
teal expedency. Some men reckon that pol
icy is the best honesty, but results do not s,ls-
tain them barter which sacrifices or risk S
public good or patriotic duty for the sake of
personal or party gain always marks the men
who make it, and deprvcs both parties of the
confidence of honest voters on both sides
There are good many honest voters. though
knavish politicians like to believe there are
not. In Kansas II 900 old Democrats, 81, 900
Alliance Democrats $4,000 old Greenbackers,
and about as many former Republicans are
asked to get together on an electoral ticket
that will carry the State. II it is tried, will
not quarter Of the Democrats be found hon
est enough to refuse to vote for men who hold
Alliance ideasP VIII not many old Green
hackers refuse to vote by any chance for Clevc-
land? Will not large share of the Repub-
leans reject the trade as dishonest Demo.
cratic trick ? A loss of few thousand votes
of all sorts would leave the barter without a
chance of success.
The worst of the tricks proposed this year
is that the Democrats mean to play with loaded