The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-11-15
MN. PEFFEK'S PROPHECY.
TaIks About the democrats Being Alb
sOrbrd.

WASHINGTON, d. c., Nov. II
Senator PETER is the first member OF the
Populist party i'm Congress to return to
Washington for the winter, ana ne mas
lost no time in assuming the leadership
of that peculiar brand of so-called states
man. He apparently labols under the
impression that the Popullsts may nold
the balance of power in the Senate after
the ith OF March next, and he Is Lot
timid about expressing his views. lie
saws the Democrats threw away the
greatest opportunity any party ever had
and now tney are totally destroyed as
a party ,,..
one or the other Of the great parties
Of to-day had to go, he says one only
remain The Democratic party had the
first opportunity to strengthen ltselt so
as 10 be the one to survive. They FAILED
utterly. and now the Republicans nave
been chosen, and Will form one OF the
two great parties Of the country. lhey
NAV regain their power complete, and
then will come IL realignment OF partles,
and battle Will be fought when WIN
decide, the policy OF this country Tor
generation. The Democratic party, AZ
it now stands. will not be in the strus-
gle The fight will be between the new
party and the Republican party. Inc
new alignment, he says, may not come
until after the election of SO, I'm which
event the Republicans VIII elect the
President IT may come before that
The first thing that Will happen, in my
Judgment" he said, viii be that the
leaders Of the dissatisfied Democrats
(and that means nearly all of them
will hold a conference among themselves
10 decide upon what policy shall be pur-
sued and what principles agreed upon
for the formation Of q new party. All'I
agreeing among themselves they Will con-
fer with the dissatisfied Republicans,
who are the free silver Republicans, ana
these Two elements VIII come together
for an agreement. That being accom-
"a
lists and out Of this conference WIZ
come a new party which Is to do Datlc
with the Republican party or party OF
gold mOuOmetallsts.
The Populists believe in the free com
age Of silver. Speaking for myself, ana,
! think. for the pUpulistS generally ]
am perfectly willing TO unite in such an
organization and make free silver the
single issue of the campaign on one
condition | want it declared definitely
what IS logically implied i'm the hght
for free silver / want a declaration III
yolyu5 principle chat ali public tuuC-
tOns must b. performed through pubic
agents With This general broad decldla-
ton. couched in acceptable language ana
involving merely declaration OF prlncl-
pie, / am willing 10 go into the ight
on the single Issue Of free and unlimited
coinage OF gold ana silver on ratio Oh
Is TO 1.
II am satisfied that the new party will
be formed IN about the manner | have
described 10 present this issue, ana tHdI
an men who believe IN the free coinage
of silver will bee I'm that party. whether
they com. from the Democrats. the
Populists. or Republicans. / believe that
the gold mOnometallsts OF both the Re
publican and the Democratic party Will
tight under the Republican banner. The
Democrats who are gold mOnometalllsts
diff very little from the Republicans on
any issue. and they naturally belong In the
Republican ranks.
Il should not be- surprised if the silver
Democrats and the silver men among the
Republicans and Populists should COM
bine together for the organization OF the
Senate. Under ordinary circumstances.
II the question OF the organization Of the
Senate were merely one between the
Democrats and the Republicans as TO
which should control, there being no
principle involved, the Populists who
were formerly Republicans would natur-
ally aid i'm putting the Republicans IN
power. but | have no idea that under
existing circumstances any such thing
will occur. La my judgment, the Popu-
lists win not aid the Democrats or Re
puhicaus as a party They viii either
unite with men of all parties on the or
issue of silver, and so organize the SEN
ate. or else they VIII stand alone M the
maintenance Of their principles End al
low the Senate TO hang as IL wOIld be-
tween the two parties, the present or
Sdnizdtion maintaining / don't believe
that either Mr.. Stewart or Mr.. Jones, or
amy other POpulist will vote with the
Republicans in organizing the senate