The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-05-20
POPS TO THE FRONT
PREPARING TO SWALLOW THE DE-
M0CRACY OF INDIANA.
A Union On Free sfIver-Germans VIII
Rolt from the Whfte-MetaI
Fanatics.

The movement toward fusion Of the Pop
ulists and Democrats in Indiana, noted IN
the Journal four weeks ago, when the plan
was to fuse on the legislative ticket alone,
and again pointed out last Monday, when
the plan to nominate fusion candidates for
Congress was described. seems 10 be NOV
ing on rapidly, and now there is much talk
OF general fusion upon the whole ticket
The Populist leaders are only too willing
TO go into this deal. because they believe
they are practically swallowing up the Dem
ocratic party IN so doing. The professional
politicians. who have always controlled the
policy of the Democratic party In Indiana,
are also willing. because in this they can
see the only possible way Of hope for sue
cess and continued grip on the offices. The
question Of principle does not bother them
any more now than it has in the past What
they are after is the offices. and to them
this end justifes all means The basis OF
the fusion is to be free silver. and the DEM
Ocratic politicians have gone SO far as TO
receive assurances from Populist leaders
that in case they adopt Is to free coinage
plank and nominate a soft money man,
either Shanklin OK Shively. the Populists Will
either hold no convention at ALL. or, hold
ing one. will indorse the Democratic ticket
anu PLATFORM. GONcTuOT -AdLtlcNS cctlilS
favorably inclined towards the scheme, and
has opened correspondence with some of the
Popuists one of his letters, that to John
II. Brunt, the Anderson Populist, having
got into print last Sunday
There are three elements in the Demo-
cratic party that the politicians seem tc be
overlooking in their anxiety TO arrange this
fusion scheme. The first OF these Is the
"old line" Democracy of the State, who do
not believe III fusion OF any kind, and who
think that their party ought TO fight its
sound money element Of the party, whose
business interests will not admit OF their
voting for cheap money In any shape. This
includes the manufacturers, bankers and
most or the business men OF the party. They
are not active In politics. as the usual thing,
nominations or platforms, but they are a
powerful element when IL comes to voting,
and are not by any means easy to control
They owe the party nothing and expect from
II nothing In the way OF personal advance
ment, and the party leaders, therefore. have
The third element is the German vote Of the
State, which Is largely In the Democratic
party. The average German-American citi-
zen is industrious and saves his money, and
does not care to have 1t cheapened. All his
interests, his training and his education are
induced TO vote for free silver. The Demo-
Gratis, few months ago, We're building high
hope upon controlling the whole German
vote or the State on the strength OF the
Nicholson Law, but they discovered before
they had gone very far that 1t was impos-
Matthews as much responsible for the law
as they did the Legislatures; in fact, the
German newspapers have been speaking of
II as the Observation-Disclosures law