The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-10-01
TOM WATsON's LETTER,
Senator Butler Knows of no Reply to
it Being Prepared.

it Being Prepared.
Chairman Butler Of the Populist Ma
tional committee was asked to-day by
a Star reporter if there was any truth
in story published in New York
paper this morning that his commit
tee is preparing an answer to the letter
of Watson in the New York World of
Monday Senator Butler said that he
knew of no article Of that kind being
prepared. The Senator declined to
talk further on the subject.
Watson's latest episode is regarded
with suspicion even by Populists. Sill
yer men say Watson looks like he is
trying to beat Bryan, and some of them
hint things which are not printed. SEN
ator Butler does not discuss the arti-
cles written by Mr.. Watson. lie has
long ceased trying to handle the Vice
Presidential nominee. He never knows
where to put his finger on the Geor-
gian. A good many Populist leaders
view Watson's letter with suspicion.
They say that If he is not trying to
beat Bryan he is certainly doing him
no good writing the articles which APP
pear over his signature.
Watson is in position to do n pow
erful lot of harm to Candidate Bryan.
Some think he is mad over the candi-
dates visit TO SewnlI. He regards the
visit as an indication that Bryan pre-
fers Sewall to him, and like a rejected
lover, he boils over. He doesn't stop to
think and proceeds to say what is in
his heart.
Tt is believed that Chairman Butler
will make one more effort to curb Can
didate Watson. IT he doesn't succeed
he may do something which will lessen
the effect of what the man from Georgia
may say in the future. Watson, many
of the Populst officials think, began
the campaign as a .bucking broncho
and he has not been tanned. Nobody
can ride him, and it looks like he can
not be broken. The best thing that can
be done with him, they believe, is to
hold him in restraint as much as pos
sible.
FUSION IS GOING ON.
While Watson is talking about the
midle-of- the-road Populists not voting
for Bryan unless Sewall is withdrawn,
fusion continues in the different States.
Fusion is expected to be completed in
Indiana to-day. An attempt will be
made for fusion arrangements in Vir-
ginia on Friday. If there is fusion in
both these States, the following States
will be the only ones where fusion has
not, and may not, be agreed upon: Ar
kansas, Alabama, Georgia, Florida,
Tennessee, Mississippi, Maine, Texas
and Nevada. 1t is hoped by the silver
men that arrangements viii be made
in Tennessee and Florida These are
close States. They do not care about
the other States.
The States where fusion has been eff
fected and the number of electors al
lotted to each party are as follows:
CaliforRia-Democr 5; Populists, f.
Colorado-Democrats, 2; Populists, 1.
Connecticut-Dem s; Populists,
1. Idaho-Democrats, 2; Populists, 1.
Iflinois-Democrats 20; Populists, 4.
Iowa-Democrats, 10; Populists, 3.
Kansas-Demokrats, 10; Kentucky
Democrats, IL; Populists, 2. Louis
iana--Democrats, 4; Populists, 4. Mich
igan-Democrats, 10; Populists, i. Min
nesota-Democrats, 4; Populists, A.
silver Republicans, 1. Montana,-Demo-
Gratis, /; Populists, L silver Republi-
cans, /. Nebraskar-Dem 4; Pop
ulists, A. New Jersey-Democrats 9;
Populists, 1. North Carolina--Demo-
Gratis, s; Populists, 5; silver Republi-
cans, /. North Dakota--Three Populist
electors Endorsed by Democrats. Ohio
Democrats, 10; Populists, s. Oregon
Four Populist electors Endorsed by the
Democrats. Pennsylvania-Dem
IS; Populists, 4. South Dal1ota-Demo-
Gratis, 2; Populists, 2. Utah-Demo-
Gratis, 1; Populists, /; silver Republi-
cans, l. Washington-Dem ocrats, 2;
Populists, Q. West Virginia-Demo-
Gratis, 6. Observation-Disclosures 9;
Populists, 3. MISUNDERSTANDING, 2;
pon111istS 1-Washinp Star