The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-07-20

ST. LOUIS, July 19.-Few Of tho dele
gates to tho PopulIst convention have
4. arrived. hut among the leaders who
have reached the city n very bitter war
has already developed. They seem to
be alIgning themselves for threc-cor-
nercd fight: first, those who favor tho
i straight-out endorsement Of Bryan and
sewall which will bring to the Chicago
ticket the support OF the Popullsts; Sec
ond, those who favor n fusion electoral
ticket, which will maintain the Popullst
party organization in tho east and place
the leaders in position TO demand rec
ognlt!on In the event that the ticket is
successful: and, third, what are known
as the "middle OF the road" Populls.s,
who favor an independent ticket and
i platform.
4 The latter, II present Indications count
4 for anything, will be overruled. The
middle OF the road men. however, will
prove strong and valuable allies TO the
leaders Of the second class who seem de-
termined to preserve their organization
at all hazards, but profess an earnest
desire to combine oil the silver strength
II way can be found TO give them rec
oSnitlon. The real fight, It Is believed.
will come between this faction and
those who believe in putting behind
them. for the present, all party pride
for the sake OF the cause OF silver TO
which they are pledged.
Chairman Taubeneck. the< chairman
OF the middle" wing. gave out n state
ment last night. outlining plan OF fus-
ion electors as the only condition
on which he Is willing to Join hands
with the free silver Democracy. But
even with fusion electors, he wants set
OF the Popul!st nominees, the purpose
being. IL the plan is carried out, TO elect
Bryan President and q Populist vice
president
Taubeneck's interview met with n
storm Of protests from the faction which
advocates n straight endorsement OF
Bryan and Sewall as the oniy-chancc OF
soiidlfysng the silver, forces and gain
Ing victory. 45.5,ss1E stiEa
Mr.. Patterson. OF Colorado, who heads
the regular Colorado delegation, came
out IN an interview tonight in which
L
only !mpEacticable, but impossible.
He declared that lnsisteHce upon such
plan would SAVIOR OF n deal and teop.
ardize the cause OF silver to which all
professed to be and should be devoted,
While he consulted the maintenance OF
the Popullst organization In the future
he went so far as to Intimate that
those who now sought to place It nbove
the cause OF silver were looking to their
personal advancement and such .loayes
and fishes" ns might come tC them with
the advent OF a silver administration.
Among tho2e Populists who have ar
rived from the south there Is much op-
position 70 the plan OF endorsing Bryan
and Scwall without conditions. Sena-
tor Butler. of North Carolina. who;
heartily favors harmon!zing all the sll-
yer elements as the only way to win,
points out the strong enriity between
the PopullstS and Democrats In the
s0uth, and expresses the opinion that
unless the Popultst organization Is rec
oEn!zed In the fight, through fusion OF
electors It will be impossible to secure
the support OF the rank and Nle Of the
Popullsts OF the south for the Chicago
ticket. & =
George F. Wnshburn. OF Boston.
chairman Of the eastern wing Of the
Popullsts. returned to-day from n visit
70 Mr.. Bryan Rt Lincoln. where he went
presumably To confer with the candI-
date concerning his endorsement OF the
Populists. He was outspuken In his cx-
preston that the Chicago ticket should
b" endorsed and the people be given an
opportunity to express n clear. verdict on
the Issue
All the Indications nrc that the con-
FentIon will be n very lively affair. with
The certainty ot much bitter wrunglIng,
the probability OF some acnsa tIonnl incl
dents and OF bolt OF larger or smaller
dIm-nslons no matter what the ultimate
decision OF the convention Is.
The leaders dr the American silver
party who are here APPEAR to he MI OF
one mind that Bryan and Sewall should
b" endorsed. Victory for silver Is their
slogan and they oppose anything which
will tcTd to cloud the issue or divide the
silver strength. They expect BY their
action TO exercise strong Influence
over the other convention. especially as
there Hcems to bn n disposition TO ar
range Joint compromises OF the silver
and POpullgt leaders,