The Indianapolis journal., 1896-07-28
THE DEAL PROPOSED.
brunt Goes to POpulfsts from Mat
thews-ShiveIy Conference


thews-ShiveIy Conference.
On the eve of the State convention the
Populists are considerably at sea- A tre-
mendous effort is being made by the Dem
ocratic leaders to capture the convention
here just as the ST. Louis convention was
captured for Bryan They have been work
ing steadily upon this proposition ever
SINCE Saturday, and though they have met
considerable opposition. they believe that
they have deal under way that will
result in success. They prefer an indorse-
ment of Shively and want the convention
to leave the matter OF nominations or in
dorsement in the hands of a committee.
and they believe thew will succeed. Yes
terday noon Governor Matthews, b. F.
Shively. candidate for Governor S. M.
Ralston, candidate for Secretary of State
j. Il. Tanning, candidate for Auditor. and
number of leading Democrats met at the
Grand Hotel to further this design, and
part of them remained in session nearly
all afternoon.
Should the plan to postpone action by
the convention and leave the whole thing
in the hands of a committee fail, Mr..
Shively is ready to accept a straight NOM
ination upon the Populist platform. This
question put squarely to him by a
Journal reporter yesterday noon.
''It is difficult to answer that question
off hand" replied Mr. Shively. II see no
reason why should throw away any sup
port, and yet cannot give up any of the
principles in the Democratic platform.
Further than the moral effect it would
have upon the campaign. do not regard
II as a matter of large Importance. L do
not think they can hold their people, A
very large proportion OF the Populist vote
will come to the Democratic ticket any
now. Il am down here on other business
attending meeting of our State Uni
versity board, and / am not paying any
attention TO what the PopuIists propose 10
do. have held no conference of any kind
with any of them or their representa-
tives.''
The Populists themselves are very much
split up over the question. The only thing
that they are certain about is that they
will not swallow Lawler. Tanning Chand-
Ter and the other gold-standard Democrats
on the ticket. Some of their leaders like
c. A. Robinson, their candidate for Con-
gress in the Sixth district. favor indors-
ing Shively or rather nominating him and
making up the rest of the ticket 10 suit
themselves; other leaders. like G. NJ. Wal
ters. member of the national committee
favor a straight Populist ticket while
still others. like Chairman Butts. OF their
state committee, are anxious to have a
conference with somebody authorized to
talk for the Democrats. in order that they
may fix up some kind of a deal.
Yesterday afternoon John II. Brunt, the
Anderson Populist to whom Governor Mat
thewS wrote his free-Silver letter several
months ago. was sent as an emissary from
the Democratic conference with a sugges-
ton that the convention meet to-morrw.
adopt such resolutions as ii may see fit
and leave the nomination of presidential
electors and State ticket in the hands of
committee authorized to act for the
before the Populist leaders and expatiated
at some length on the wisdom of taking
wait at least thirty days until they could
see the outcome Of the Watson-Sewall en-
barrassment He thought ii highly proba-
bic that Sewall would withdraw and the
national committees of the two parties
reach an understanding by which the elec-
tors in each State should be divided and a
nominations. He declared that he was also
satisfied that the Indiana Democrats were
willing to not only do this. but to make a
division of the legislative nominations
Also in fact, TO arrange a plan of fusion
all the way through. He had no creden-
tials. he said. from Democratic State
| committee authorizing him to make this
proposition. because Chairman Holt. of the
committee, was not in the city. but he
mentioned the fact that Shively and many
other party leaders were here and inti-
mated to his Populist friends that they
would see that this was carried out. At
any rate. he left them with the under
standing that Matthews. Shively and Raj
ston were behind the proposition.
The half-dozen members OF the Populist
4 OlSile committee VINO were at rne EnRlSn
Hotel when this proposition made.
| jumped out fer il, taking il for granted
that the State committee would be the one
i'm whose hands the convention would leave
| the deal 10 be made. Each one saw at
once that If this deal should be left in the
hands of the State committee. he could
| get all kinds of promises for himself and
| possibly something more substantial. II
| would be an easy matter to let the things
| glide along for a month or so and then
| recommend the straight Endorsement of
| the Democratic ticket. provided always. of
| course, that the members of the committee
| should be properly taken care OF in the
| deal.
| The State committee. or rather the half
| dozen members of IL present. met at 4:30
| O'Clock to consider this proposition. and
| was for IL unanimously. The only question
| discussed was how TO induce the conven-
4 tion TO adjourn and leave the question of
nominations i'm the hands OF the State
| committee instead of naming a new execu-
| tive committee for the purpose. When the
news of this deal was spread among the
| few delegates who had gathered in the ho-
| tel lobby. considerable indignation was ex-
pressed and IL is very doubtful whether
| the State committee will be able 10 deliver
the goods