Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1896-11-21
THAT CONFERENCE.
WATSON. WASHBURN. REED
AND RANKIN MEET.
Declare Their Purpose to stand by the
Action OF the Psrty--Nationai Com
,sn:ion-B bryan to Receive Full and
Ardent support of All Popuiists.

Recently Mr.. Watson held confer
ence, at st. Louis. with three members
Of the National Executive Committee.
The result OF that conference has been
published to the country. II Is proper
to say that the conference was timely
and the result was satisfactory 10 Mr..
Watson and should be accepted by his
friends. The time has arrived when
the people demanded some action by
the men whom they had made man
ayers Of the campaign. Discomfort in
the ranks was growing and revolt was
rife in several states. The cause OF
most of this dissension grew out OF the
double-tailed presidential ticket Whiie
there was much opposition manifested
at ST. Louis TO the nomination OF Mr.
Bryan, all or nearly all were willing 10
accept the result provided the Demo
Gratis would do so In good faith. Inls
was the feeling when the delegates left
st. Louis. Having accepted tne actioii
OF the national convention. It was not
expected that the Democrats wouid re-
ject the overtures there made ana ue-
mand a further division of electors on
the yice-presidential ticket. OF mat
any state would bolt or reject the action
OF the national convention. MI. sew
ans name was fairly put before the
convention and rejected by an over
whelming majority. Then the dinerent
states began to hold the conventions
and demands were made for fur-her
concessions. In Kansas and Colorado
the whole of the ELECTORAL ticket was
given to Bryan and Sewah. Inc fopu-
lists In those states had no opportunity
to vote for Mr.. Watson, the candidate
of their own national convention. ms
action. of course, gave rise to much DIS
satisfaction which terminated In open
revolt in those two states. TINS revolt
was also spreading in other sta'es
where fusion ON sewall electors was in
nropress or had been made. Hence
the conference between three OF the ma
tional executive committee came IN the
nick of time.
The committee declares its purpose
To remain loyal to Mr.. Bryan. IL also
announces its purpose to keep rignt
in line with the action OF our nationai
convention" AS to Mr.. Sewalfs with
drawal the report given out by the COM
mittee says. I'VE have formally made
our request for that. The Democrats
do not see their way clear to grant 1t.
The responsibility Of the result rests
with them. Had Mr.. Watson been sub
s,itnted for Mr.. Sewali and the silver
forces thus united upon one set OF can
didates. representing both sides. fusion
In every state would have been need
less and we could have concentrated
our efforts upon electing the union
ticket This would have brought out
the entire silver vote and would have
made Bryan's election sure" AS to the
situation IN Kansas and Colorado the
committee says: THE situation in
tboge two states Is unsatisfactory to our
people. A proper division Of electors
must he made in them or our full party
vote cannot be secured for Bryan. Our
committee cannot recognize the action
of the PopuIist state authorities IN any
state where the national convention
has been bolted and national nominee
has been ignored"
This is very plain declaration, yet
Il is in line with the action Of the con-
yention. It is a source OF regret that
the committee did not take this stand
sooner. 1t is somewhat doubtful now
II the matter can be patched up In
time for the Populists to unite their
vote In such manner as to carry the
states named for Bryan. The action Of
those states has provoked much cri.i-
cism outside and helped no little to
complicate matters. II is questioned
by many middle-of-the-road Popu-
lists whether any kind Of fusion is In
line with the action Of the national
convention. II Is true that no speech