Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-10-18
HE'S RIPE ENOUGH To PULL
The Honorable Thomas Watson
- of Georgia
ALL SIGNS POINT THAT WAY
Editor Howell and Other Prominent Democrats
Went to See Him Yesterday
Mr.. JONES MAY CONFER WITH HIM NEXT
That Letter of Acceptance Still Under the
Rose "A Hint That It Is Being
Held Back for Fumiga-
tion, or Something
ALL SIGNS POINT THAT WAY
MR.. JONES MAY CONFER WITH HIM NEXT

Thomson, Ga, Oct. lit is probable
that the next forty-eight hours will fur
nsh some interesting political news from
Georgia. When the fast train from At
lanta reached Thomson last night Mr..
Watson's carriage was in waiting at the
station and three gentlemen who emerged
from the train entered the carriage and
were driven rapidly to Mr.. Watson's
home. They were Evan P. Howell, James
M. Robertson and ]. J. Hunt, democratic
electors from the state at large. AS they
entered the carriage they were accosted
by representative of the Southrn Asso-
ciated Press, but declared there was alb
solutely nothing for publication in their
visit. They did not leave on the midnight
train, but spent the night at Mr.. Wat
sons home. and he accompanied them to
the depot this morning. The visitors and
Mr. Watson declined to speak on the sub
ject of their conference, but the visit, fol-
lowing Immediately upon the proposition
from the populists for fusion in Georgia,
1t was generally surmised that this was
the topic of discussion Since their de-
parture, 1t has been gathered-a word
here and a hint there-that the scope of
the conference covered a broader field
than Georgia fusion, and had in view
bringing Mr.. Watson and Chairman
Jones, WITH DOSSlDly Olnef members OF
the national democratic committee, to-
gether in Atlanta on Monday. Mr.. Wat
son, when questioned about this rumor,
said: ''If the gentlemen who called upon
me declined to say anything about the
purpose of their visit, manifestiy it would
be improper for me to do So"
eff it is true that you are going to At
lanta on business on Monday, will Messrs.
Reed and Washburn await you there, or
will they come to Thomson?"
Il expect them here tomorrow morn
ing, and have SO telegraphed Mr.. Reed to
Atlanta, where he will be tonight
IF Chairman Butler does not give your
letter to the press today, will you then
make 1t public?'
Il will not make any statement con-
cerning it until after my conference with
the members of the national committee
from Chicago
IF Chairman Butler has not in the
meantime made your letter public, will
you do so after your conference with
Messrs. Reed and Washburn?"
II cannot say"
This ended the interview, but there can
be no question about the contemplated
conference between Chairman Jones and
Mr.. Watson in Atlanta, and there Is rea-
son to believe that 1t has something to do
with the situation in Kansas, and poSsi-
bly, to getting Mr.. Watson to go back
there and make some speeches, bringing
the populists and democrats together,
Chairman Jones agreeing to fair basis
of fusion in the state.
A special to the Chronicle from Thom-
son says Mr.. Watson says it is true he
has ordered his name off the ticket in
Kansas but it is off the democratic tick
ct, and not off the fusion ticket He says
there is no fusion ticket in Kansas. There
is democraticticket and populist tick
ct, and the democrats have printed over
the names of the Bryan and Sewall elect
ors the names of Bryan and Watson to
deceive the populists into voting for elect
ors who will in turn vote for Bryan and
Sewall.
'I am wiling said Mr.. Watson, "to
any fair fusion In Kansas that will di-
vide the electors between the populists
and democrats. I am willing even to an
equal division, though, by reason of the
populists' voting strength in Kansas, the
proportion would be about eight populist
electors to two democrats. I contend
that democrats have no right to print my
name over Bryan and Sewall electors to
deceive populist voters, and l have or
dered my name taken from the democrat
II ticket"