The preponderating interest of the second section, or East, is
manufactures, and is represented by the Republican Party, who demands
protection. The preponderating interest of the third section, or South,
is agriculture, and is represented by the Democratic Party, who demands
free trade. This is substantially correct, although the Populists seem
to be as strong in the agricultural South as in the silver-producing
West. The Populist Party, indeed, originated among, the agriculturists
of the South, and was the outgrowth of discontent among the farmers; and
in saying that Populism has its stronghold in the West, or
silver-producing section, we simply mean that the farmers' organization
has been captured by the silver interest. They seem to think that their
own prosperity is linked with that of the silver producers, and that the
free coinage of silver means the salvation of both. With this political
manoeuvering, however, we have nothing to do. There are three political
parties in the field, each with the preponderating interest of some
section in charge, which it is bound to see through regardless of the
interests of the other two. The industrial rivalry that is going on
throughout the whole world has entered these United States, and each of
the three different sections are struggling to obtain legislation
favorable to itself, with the same indifference to the interests of the
others that is shown by France to England or by England to the United
States.
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