The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1892-03-24
PEOPLES PARTY POICY.
Jerry Simpson Hopes They VIII be
Able to Hold the Balance of the Power
In the Next Congress.

"Whom shall you nominate for the
the Presidency" [ asked Jerry Simy>
son, of Kansas to-day.
The Alliance leader said "That is
rather a difficult question. General
Weaver, of Iowa, may have the nomi>
nation if he wan4s it. He possesses
many elements of popular strength.
He was as you remember, good rough
and tumleb parliamentary fighter
when he was a memb' r of the House.
He is also effective stump speaker and
in other respects robust exponent of
the principles the Farmers Alliance
advocates. He was, as you also re-
member, the Presidential candidate
on the greenback ticket in 1880, when
Garfield was elected.
Il don't think" Mr.. Simpson con-
tinued, "that General Weaver cares
for the nomination or that he will ac>
cept it. If he declines l should be
glad to see Ignatius Donnelly, of Min
nesota, nominated Donnelly has
strong and engaging personality. He
is man of great intellectual force, and
our people have confidence in him. [
have no hesitancy in saying that he is
my pesonal choice.
"When will the Farmers Alliance
convention meet"
"In Omaha on July 4, by that time
both Republican and Democratic par
ties will have had their conventions
and promulgate their declarations of
principles. Ibis will make it the
more easy for us to act.
"Do you expect to carry any State
this autumn"
We do indeed" said Mr.. Simpson
earnestly. "We expect to secufe the
ELECTORAL vote of four Northern and
four Southern States. There is pro-
liability of our carrying five Northern
Safes. Do 1 mind telling you what
they are? Not at ALL They are Kan
sas. Nebraska, Minnesota, North and
South Dacota. The Southern States
are Georgia, Alabama, Arkansas and
North Carolina. We feel certain of
carrying all of these with the excep
ton of North Dacota.
"That will not enable you to elect
your Presidant," [ said. "On the
contrary you simply make certain the
election of Democratic President by
throwing the the election into the
House.
"That is all right" said Mr.. Simp-
son calmly. cit is uot the presidency
we are after. Our underlying purpose
is either to obtain control of House
and the Senate or to hold the balance
of power in both bodies. We would,
of course, eject our President if we
could. AT present we don't anticipate
that. But Presidential ticket carries
with it a certain prestige. A fnll
ticket, with Presidential electors and
evry body else un it down to the hum
blest candidate, will give us great
manv votes we could not otherwise get
That is our principal purpose in put
ting a Presidential ticket in the field
that and desire to continue our ma
tional organization"
What we want" Mr.. Simpson wen
on, sis the control of the legislativ,
branch of the government. We never
can accomplish our purpose in an,
other way.
With bright clever man lik,
Ignatius Donuelly leading our ticket
ours would be campaign of education
and we must educate the people SO tha
they will see that we are right and tina
both the old parties are wrong.
els it your purpose" said to max
combinations with the two old partie
in certain of the. Northern and South
cru States? In other words, it ha
been said that in States where the Re
publicans are in the majority yo,
should combine with the Democrats
and in the States where the Democrat
ars in the majority you should com
bine with the Republicans"
"No," said Mr.. Simpson, refectivel
81 don't think there is anything in thai
We prefer to make our fight independ
edtly of the two old parties.
"Shall you extend your campaign
east of the Allegheny mountains
the Middle and New Englanc States!
"No" laughingly replied Mr. Simp
and the South is our country. L
addition to the States L nave SAID W
carry, we also expect to elect Repre-
senatives in Congress and State AS
semblymen in such other grange
communities as Illinois and Iowa an
Missouri"
Don't you believe when the ties
comes "that the white Alliancemen i
the South will vote the Democrat
ticket? Won't they be afraid if you
people get into power that you ma
combine with the blacks and thus Civ
the latter a political prominence the
don't now enjoy? Didn't Livingston
of Georgia, who is one of your Alliane
apostles, recently enunciate the prin
ciple that he was Democrat fir.
and an Alliance afterward, and don
you think he voices the sentiment {
the white Southern Democrats gener
ally?"
"No don't" was the dogged Iepl
81 know that Livingston said tina
and he has lost cast by it. 1t hs
hurt him with our people everywher
It has hurt him in his own home.