The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-04-24
snmewhat Less Honaf,1l.

In a letter to the third party leaders In
this state urging them to be more active 10
organizing the third party, Col. Polk, presi-
dent OF the national alliance says that with
the right kind OF effort that party can carry
at least fifty counties. This estimate is
much below the one made by the third
party leaders at the st. Louis convention.
At that convention the boast was that
the third party would carry Georgia, and
thus break the backbone of the southern
democracy.
But there are no Indications that justify
the opinion that the third party can carry
fifty, or even ten, counties. The alliance
farmers are not rushing into the third party
as promptly and Ia suph numbers as the
third party leaders thought they would. 1t
really looks as IL about all of them are
already in that party who intend joining It,
and the showing the third party makes Is
not imposing. In only a very few counties
is there any enthusiasm FOR the third party,
and what there is appears to be gradually
disappearing. A good many alliance
democrats who declared themselves to
be in sympathy with that party
Immediately after the st. Louis
convention are back again in the Demo-
cratic party, and they are back to stay.
Their brief experience with the third party
satisfied them that it could never become
great national party, because 1t has no
principles that appeal strongly to the COM
mon sense Of the people. It's platform is
made up Of declarations that are intended
to command the approval OF those who
think they have grievances and conse-
quently are dissatisfied with the old parties.
Those of its planks which provide for pay
ing union veterans the difference between
the value of the green acks in which they
were paid and gold and making the general
government the owner OF all the railroad
and telegraph lines ought to be sufficient to
cause every intelligent democrat In the
south to keep clear of it.
The third party leaders in Georgia are
not men who command the confidence of
any considerable number of people. The
chief one Of them. G. G. Post, has record
that does not excite the admiration Of alli-
ance democrats. II he has ever been a
democrat, or sympathized with democratic
principles, those who have given sketches
Of him and his political history have done
him an injustice. He has been about every
thing except a democrat, and it Is doubtful
il he has any other object in view than to
bring about a condition OF affairs that
would afford him chance to get on top.
The truth is, the third party campaign in
Georgia is dragging, and dragging badly.
There is absolutely no life in it. The third
party men are afraid OF honest and open
discussion. They avoid meeting democrats
on the stump wherever they can. The rea-
son Is they are unable TO defend their plat
form or their party. They know they are
standing upon a sham platform, and are
trying to uphold demaRogical organiza-
ton. II is even said they are considering
the sdvlsability of making a secret
campaign. They are virtually doing
that now, because they are advising
third party men not to read other news
papers than third party organs. They are
afraid of free and frank discussion, believ-
ing that the only hope of preventing the
third party from absolutely disappearing is
In confDing the reading of its adherents to
the third party organs.
1t Is not probable that President Polk will
make another estimate OF the strength of
the third party in Georgia, but IL he does
and keeps close to the facts it will be very
much below the one he made recently,