New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-03-08
TIE ITSTON IN KANSAS.

Whilo some great statesmen OF Democracy are
laboring most anxiousy at Washington to avoid
any further commitment OF the party 10 the
monetary schemes of the iepudia'ors and infil-
tionists the party itself is making in several Of
the States that commitment more completely and
cffcctuay than would be possible by action Of
all the Leaders at Washington. Thus in Kansas
the Democratic organization has formally agreed
upon a fusion with the Alliance or Peoples
party the terms of which expose the character
and purposes Of both parties. The Democtats
acrcc to support Alliance candidates for l-eSi-
dcnti1l Electors, and for all the State officers
except an associate Judge, and also the Alliance
candidates for Congress in the five districts which
the Alliance was able to carry two years ago.
The Peoples party agrees to support the Demo
cratic candidates for Congress in the Isl and Id
districts now represented by Republicans, and
the Democratic candidate for Congressman al
large. and also the Democratic candidate for
associate Judge.
Thec would be no improperly in such a fusion
if the two parties thus uniting were essentially
agreed in principles. But they have protested
to be not agreed in respect to principles which
both hold vital. The Peoples party came into
being with loud professions Of hostility to both
the old parties. on the ground that both had
been for many years false 10 the interest Of he
people. If this charge was true. respects the
Democratic party "a fusion with it is shameless
betrayal Of the peoples rights, a it must be in
any case shameless violation Of the pledges by
which Republican voters were induced 10 join
the now party. Nor is the Democratic party in
a better case II has been dcnouncing the new
party and it, schemes Of reputation and unlim
tied imitation in the strongest possible terms and
appealing to the people in various States to up
hold il because of its irmncss in resisting such
schemes Yet for the sake of getting offices it
consents to support all the candidates Of this
revolutionary faction for Presidential Electors
for all the State officers but one, and for all the
Congressman whom the fusion seems 70 have
any chance OF eccting.
The only explanation that can be made is that
the leaders Of the two parties have been trying
to cheat voters with false pretences, and are
now ready to throw off the mask The Demo
Gratis can no longer pretend that they arc hos
tile to the most dangerous schemes Of the Ali
ance, which in other States they have resisted
and claimed great credit for resisting The lead
es of the new party can no longer pretend that
they are deserving OF u confidence which should
not be given the Democratic leaders in the same
State for the two, regardless of all past pro-
LESSONS and pledges, unite in supporting The
same ticket. The net result of such a fusion
is almost always great loss of voters previously
as .ociated with one Of the combining parties or
the ether. Thus in Kansas there are thousands
Of Republican voters who have been led to join
the new organization upon repeated pledges that
il would in no way be used rs tender to the
Democratic machine. Yet these voters now see
that the Peoples party managers are cOntriving
to carry the electoral votes of the State, if DOS
sibIc, for Presidential candidate who has no
chance of election, and that the only possible
result, if this effort should succeed in Kan
sas, and should thus prevent the choice of a
Republican, would be TO give power to elect a
President to the present House Of Representa-
tves. which is Overwhelmingly Democratic As
the Alliance or Peoples candidate would have
no chance of success in that body, the fusion,ts
in Kansas might just a. we'll vote directly for
the Democratic Presidential candidate When |
Republican voters see this they are not unlikely |
to withdraw from the combination in large num-
Der. On the other hand, the Democratic votem |
who are profoundly convinced that the control |