The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-07-17
NOW AFRAID
OF BRIBERY.
Straight Populists Who
Will Battle Against
Bryan.
OPPOSED TO FUSION OR
ENDORSEMENT.
Middle-of.the-Road Men Declare
the Party Should Act
Independently.
CLANS GATHER SLOWLY FOR
THE CONVENTION.
Meanwhile the Democracy Continues
to Fall to Pieces on the
Money Question.
CLANS GATHER SLOWLY FOR
THE CONVENTION.
Meanwhile the Democracy Continues
to Fall to Pieces on the
Money Question.
THE CALLS HEADQUARTERS,
HOTEL LINDELL,


ST. LOUIS, Mo-, July 16.
Delegates to the PopuIist and Silver
conventions oozing into st. Louis
very slowly. There are not more than
two dozen here yet, and these are
reticent the subject of the Demo-
cratic Endorsement. Most of them be-
Iieve that silver is the only issue before
the people.
DIR. Shattinger has opened middle
of-the-road headquarters, and gives his
reasons why a PopuIist should be a
Populist and not tool of the corrupt
Democracy.
The opinion is gaining ground here
that there will be a sufficient number
of honest and conscientious delegates
in the convention to defeat any propO-
sition looking toward fusion or indorse-
ment.
The Democracy continues to fall to
pieces. Here it is tumbIing into the
black waters of the Mississippi, sew
eral notable defections having taken
place within the past twenty-four
JOHN PAUL CosGRAvE.
ST. LOUIS, Mo-, July 16.-The Demo-
cratic bolt from the anarchist trouble put
up at Chicago is going on merrily. Old
Missouri has swung into line, and yester-
day on the banks of the Mississippi de-
nounced and renounced the platform and
the candidates put up at Chicago. The
boilers are some of the most representa-
tive business men and citizens in the
State, including Colonel James G. Broad
head, ex- Minister to Switzerland; ex-Gov-
ernor David r. Francis, Judge H. S.
Priest and others equally as prominent in
the councils of the Democracy. Their
plan is not to put up third ticket, but to
make the fight on Presidential Electors,
Congressman and members of the Legis-
lature. They are in favor of anything
that will beat the Chicago ticket.
The Jefferson Club will follow. This
body is in st. Louis what the Iroquis Club
used to be in San Francisco The mem
bers of the Merchants Exchange Club are
indignant over the report published in a
Bryan paper that the club had invited
Mr.. Bryan to speak in ST. Louis. They
have repudiated Mr. Bryan and Governor
AItgeld's platform and will support Nc.
Kinley. After the adoption of the crank
platform at Chicago the club declined to
in it's place of business. Its membership,
composed of solid business men and the
first citizens of st. Louis, is a unit for
sound money.
So from other States all along the line
come reports of Democratic disaffection,
and the noise of the falling party is louder
than that which was heard when the walls
of Jericho came tumbling down. These
honest Democrats regret the course which
they are taking, but they say that 1t is
necessary for the party to be purified. no
matter what the sacrifice may be, and that
whether the party survives or perisbes the
warning will accomplish much good here
after and the people of the United States
will be saved from anarchistic rule. The
few early Populist delegates who have al
ready arrived in st. Louis are silver men.
Every one of them declines to be inter-
viewed as to his sentiments on fusion with
the Democracy or Endorsement of its nomi-
nees. 1t is apparent that if they were
straight, middle-of- the road Populists
they would not only have no objection to
declare themselves as such, but they would
glory in the fact and proclaim it from the
housetops. Their reticence can therefore
be susceptible of two interpretations
only-either that they have not yet made
up their minds and are waiting to take
the pulse of the majority of the delegates,
or that they are in favor of indorsing the
Democratic ticket and do not like to men
ton that fact SO soon. Not one of them
VIII talk except on glittering generalities.
They have surrounded themselves with
the mysterious paraphernalia of con-
spiracy.
But the straight Populists are out in the
open and are declaring their sentiments
boldly. They can't be turned by argu-
ment, nor can they be moved by threats or
caiolery. The only problem to be solved
in their case is as to their number. How
many are there OF them? This fact can't
be satisfactorily ascertained until the
greatest part of the delegates arrive on
the ground and careful canvass has
been made.
There is one thing that the true friends
of Populism have to fear, and that is the
corruption in its own membership.
There are as corrupt scoundrels in the
ranks OF the Populists as there are in any
other. party. These may be bribed with
the combined sack of the Democracy and
the silver men. if any bribery is to be at
tempted. and that is matter that will be
watched keenly by the honest men in the
party.
had talk this morning with DR.. @