Evening star., 1896-10-31
TEXAS CAMPAlG N
Populists More Anxious to Elect Their
Governor Than Bryan.
POSSIBLE DEAL WITH REPUBLICANS
Democrats Now Claim the State
by but $4,000.
w H AT MAY III "A P P E n

WHAT MAY HAPPE N
The following interesting letter on the
political outlook in Texas, from Charles
Hedges, the well-known newspaper writer,
was received yesterday by a prominent re-
publican in the city. Early in the cam
paign Mr.. Hedges was attached to the re-
publican national headquarters at Chicago.
but when the national committee deter
mined to make a fight for the Texas cleo
toral vote, ]. N. Huston of Indiana and
Mr.. Hedges because of their experience,
were selected by Chairman Hanna to go
to Texas and aid in the conduct of the
campaign. Mr.. Hedges, who Is a citizen
of Texas. was chosen secretary of the re-
publican plenary committee. which Is
body peculiar to the politics of Texas, and
has supreme control in all party affairs,
even over the state executive and cam
paign committees. His explanation of the
plan Of fusion and forecast Of the result
not only has a news interest at this time.
but may be regarded as a semi-oficial
statement of the situation from a repub-
iican standpoint.
DALLAS, Tex, October 26, 1896
1.-THE campaign in Texas is now at
white heat and it is not rash to predict
that the country will be treated to sur
prise when the returns from the lone star
state come in. about November g. The free
silver democrats continue to claim the
state. but not with any great degree of
confidence. Before the republicans opened
their campaign the democrats confidently
placed their plurality at 10000 on the
Bryan and Sewall electoral ticket At the
present writing they have shaded their fig
ures to less than $1,000, and some of their
Loo n 81 I,1y-
as low $4,000, which would amply sat
isfy them. desperate does the outlook
seem.
POpuIists and Republicans.
only within the past ten days have the
democrats begun to seriously realize the
danger Of their losing the state, and many
evidences of their fright are coming to the
surface. The detection of the sound money
vote is causing CONSERVATION in the free
silver camp. AS reports from over the
state come in to the sound money and re-
publican headquarters, 1t Is clear that this
sound money vote is going to far exceed
any calculations that were made month
ago. The sound money leaders then esti-
mated their vote at about $1,000, whereas
now they are confidently claiming at least
10000. two-thfrds of which will be cast for
the Mckinley and Hobart electors, and the
remainder for the Palmer and Buckner
ticket The much-talked-of fusion between
the republicans and the populists has re-
suited entirely different from what was
expected a month ago AT that time every
body was predicting that the two parties
would agree upon fusion ticket of presi-
dental electors, with about ten republican
names and five populists. This was the
plan which the free silver democratic lead
ers heralded through their organs was
going TO be adopted, but no such plan was
ever seriously contemplated either by the
republicans or the populists. The so-called
fusion Is OF an entirely different character
1t Is. In brief nothing more nor less than
a swapping of votes upon election day be-
tween the populists and the republicans as
individuals. Each party has out a full
presidential electoral ticket, but the 300 900
popuhst voters of the state, from all re-
ports, take but little interest in the welfare
of their candidates, Bryan and Watson.
On the other hand. they are manifesting
the greatest interest in the election of their
state ticket. headed by Jerome C. Kearby
a prominent attorney of Dallas
What They Want.
The populists desire to secure possession
OF the state government. This result is
necessary to the preservation of their Or
ganlzation. They cannot possibly elect
their state ticket without the assistance of
republican voters. and the republicans
having no state ticket Of their own are
openly end earnestly supporting the Kear-
by ticket. and every indication points to
the defeat of the Culbcrson state ticket
Now, in return for this aid, given at a
critical period in their history, what Is
| more natural than that the populists should
support the republican electoral ticket ?
This is what their 4,0O0 precinct leaders
have been requested to do The fusion
therefore. is likely to prove far more eff
fective than though a combina ton ticket
had been agreed upon, for in that casa
fully 10000 os the populists would have
| gone back into the old democratic party.
AS it is. it is estimated that fully sew
enty-five per cent of the popullst vote will
go TO the Mckinley electors, which. when
added to the 100000 straight republican
votes and 5000 sound money democrat
votes. will readily assure plurality of
from 10000 to $1,000 for the Mckinley cleo
tors. The Bryan and Sewan vote, 1t is es-
tlmated by republican leaders, will scarce
ly exceed 115,ooO. The vote for Bryan and
Watson will be about $1,000. which is twen-
ty-fve per cent of the populist vote and It
| is estimated that the Palmer and Buckner
vote will reach about 1900. These results
as above said, would result in the election
of the Mckinley ticket, which Chairman
Green is confidently predicting.
Birthplace of PopuIism.
'The character of the popuIist party in
Texas is but poorly understood outside of
the state. Ii should be borne in mind that
| the peoples party of the United States had
Ato ciA eh ANie Az INC City VI IdlldS anu naQ
its origin in antagonism to the democratic
party. through disgust of democratic prin-
ciples and distrust of democratic leaders
Its training school was the Farmers Alli-
ance, which also had it's birth in Texas in
a little farm house near the town of Dub
lin, In Erath county. This Farmers Alli-
ance had wonderfully rapid growth, and
was an organization Of education, holding
weekly meetings. in every ONE of its MANY
lodges. and their discussions and delibera-
tions were secret The peoples party has
| Inherited not only the principles Of tine
alliance, but its method of Organization,
and while no longer secret, yet the secret
work of the alliance has left an indelibls
| impression upon the peoples party Of
Texas. which is. to all intents and purposes,
| lodge organization. as perfect as the
| Tammany organization, and hence all their
voters can be easily and directly reached
L Los he aSfra of ho