New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-08-20
A POPTLTST ULTIM4IUM.

The decision. apparently unanimous. OF the
Executive Committee of the Populist National
Committee TO insist on the recognition OF Mr..
Watson as a ce-Presdential candidate puts
new face on the ltgeld- Bryan cam
paIgn. Mr. Sewall's withdrawal from the chi
cago ticket is. in plain terms the price set by
Chairman Butler and his associates on Populist
support of Mr.. Bryan for the Presidency. In a
formal statement issued from its new Washing
ton headquarters, the Executive Committee
through Mr.. Butler says:
The Peoples party ticket, as named by the
St Louis Convention. is Bryan and Watson.
and that will be the Peoples party ticket until
the polls close in November. Mr.. Bryan Is as
much our candidate as Mr.. Watson is, and so
far as this committee has the power VIII
strive just as hard to elect one as to elect the
other. and will leave nothing In its power , un,
done to help either or both: but IT will not help
either one at the expense of the other.
Mr.. Watson's persistent and wholly Justifiable
efforts TO defend his own rights as party candi-
date. and his caustc denunciation of those lead
ers in the Populist camp who are now plotting
to throw their support TO Bryan and Sewall in
exchange for the lions share of nominations on
fusion State and local tickets. have apparently
driven the Popust campaign managers to this
pointed declaration of policy: and their ulti-
taken by that versatile and visionary statesman
to mean that all hope is gone Of the 'minnow
land trout, June bug and duck. Jonah and
whale" sort of Democratic -Populist fusion 80
longed for by himself and so earnestly depre-
Gated by Mr.. Watson.
Mr.. Butler and his associates on the Executive
Committee show discretion in pledging them
selves to enforce the policy they announce only
hoo h0t
Mr. Watson foresaw and complained Of with so
much vehemence has already happened in several
Western States At St Louis both before and
after Mr. Watsons nomination, the element IN
the party led by Allen. of Nebraska; PETER and
Simpson, of Kansas. and Patterson and Waite.
of Colorado, made little or no concealment Of
their purpose to vote for Bryan and Sewall cleo
tors in return for local fay ors from the Demo
cratic organizations in their States. The Kan
sas Populists held convention week or two
ago and Endorsed outright Bryan and Sewa
electoral tickle; put in the field by a handful Of
Democrats while arranging a fusion on State
and local offices eminenly satisfactory to the
"spoils hunters in the POpullst ranks. In Ne
braska where similar fusion on State offices
was accomplished. no POpulist electors were
named and negotiations with the Democratic
managers were lc1I i'll the ndnuS Oh NtudtoI Al
len. himself n Bryan and anti-Watson partisan
of the EXTREMIST type. That this pleasant pro-
gramme of betraying the Populist candidate
for Vice-Presldent for the sake Of local "spoils'
will be carried out. secretly or openly, in many
other Mississippi States cannot be doubted.
Yet the Executive Committees proclamation of
loyalty TO Mr.. Watson. though belated. has prob
ably come in time to check any plans of fusion
-. IN
the more important States of the Middle West
and South. POpulist support seems absolutely
necessary for Democratic success in the States
of Illinois. Indiana. Ohio Kentucky, Missouri
West Virginia and North Carolina In the alb
sence Of some scheme Of fusion which will give
the Populists Of these States partial representa-
ton in the Electoral College. probably no one Of
them can be carried for the head of the Demo-
cratic ticket. In his own State, North Caro-
lima Mr. Butler is demanding as the price OF
fusion with the Democratic forces the right 10
name majority of the eleven electoral candi-
dates; and the Democratic managers are divided
in opinion whether to accept these terms or TO
hold out for six places on the electoral ticket
themselves In others Of the States Just named
Mr.. Jones himself has admitted that fusion with
the Bryan-Wason ticket Is a foregone concu-
sion. But the Inevitable logic or any fusion on
electors Is the withdrawal OF Mr.. Sewall from
the Vice-Presidential race. For it is idle 10
think that the fruits Of political fusion are all
to go 10 a sill gle party TO the compact Mr..
Jones and his assistants have been so far vast
ing their energies and ruffing their tempers over
really minor difficulties and disappolntments Of
management. They have now to face in the
Populist Committees declaration Of policy the
first serious problem of the Reputation cam
paign.