Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1896-10-28
MARSH ELDER FOR M'KINLEY
Populist Leader Bolts the Alleged Fusion
Ticket in Nebraska.
HIS PARTY BETRAYED BY ITS LEADERS
PopuIism Sold Out to the Democrats
ut SC. Louis and Defrnuded in
Every Fusion state Com
vention Since.

vention since.
LINCOLN. Oct. 7.-(Special.)-Gt has been
known for some time among the intimate
friends OF Hon. S. VI. Elder. ex-populist
speaker Of the house Of representatives In
this state. that he Is sore over the condition
in which he fnds his party in this cam
paign, but not until today. when he ap-
peared in Lincoln with a Mckinley button
on the lapel OF his vest, has he made any
public statement OF his intention to abandon
populism in this campaign and support the
national as well as the state republican
ticket
why do you wear the Mckinley button
and what are your reasons for deserving the
populist party al this timer was asked Mr..
Elder
Il wear the Mckinley button" answered
the ex-speaker. with an emphatic gesture OF
his one arm (he has an empty sleeve). "be-
cause have decided to support him in this
election. and the button is the sign OF my
position. l abandoned the populist party in
this campaign, because its leaders have be-
trayed IL into the hands OF it's enemies. sold
Il to the democracy and I will not be made
into a democrat loved the populist parry
its shibboleth. equal rights to all and special
privileges to ncne. but | don't believe in
democracy and I won't be made into
democrat and 1 won't let any set OF politl-
cal bargain makers trade or sell me in my
vote as II | was dumb OK
Mr.. Elder was asked for his experience
with pCpulism and why he Joined the party
years ago. In reply TO this he said. Il was
one Of the first 20 espCuse its caUse In this
state. | stood by IL when IL was weak and
" I uFfw hnv 40 my in
dtvidual peace with its enemies. But the
history in this state has been one OF re-
peaJed betrayal and insults heaped upon IL
by the democracy, and now, in its national
campaign IL is bound hand and foot deliv-
cred into the tolls Of the southern democracy.
which seeks its complete destruction and
which. l believe expects this and no other
result in this election.
In 1850 we elected a pupulist governor in
this state, but the democrats who were our
pretended allies and should have stood BY
rs deserted Us at the critical moment and
eagerly assisted in defrauding us of our
rights"
But you we're elected speaker. Mr.. Elder
that year"
OPPOSE THE PRETENSE AT FUSION.
That makes no difference I don't count
my own interest In this matter I simply
say this. that | am a pOpuist. and not a
democrat. and now when the leaders in this
fusion, which is not a real. but only a pre-
dlsIrlurnlEFu
a populist and must vote either the demo-
cratic or republican ticket then 1 turn 70
the party in which I was born. and II IL
isn't as good as II wac then 1t is infinitely
.--vcu.auIe 10 this new democracy which is
Infinitely worse than the old"
Why 10 you say that popullsts are dis
tranchised in this state this year?'
Because 1t is true. or the eight electors
on this fusion ticket not one is a friend to
the pOpuiist candidate for vice president
and whatever they may say OF Watson he is
the populist representative and the only
sign remaining OF p1pulsm as 4 national
party Now look here" continued the
speaker he terked the SUNNY arm in his
empty sleeve and manifested the nervous
energy which has always characterized him
in the many struggles which his party has
had in thss state, this fusion 10 a fraud In
this state and the whole thing has been .
deception and a trick from the manipula-
ton Of the ST, Louis convention by the dem
ocr2ts en- through the manipulation OF all the
conventions in all the states where this
alleged fusion has been put up Ii is no
secret, 1, is known all over the state thar
senator Allen Is in the deal. that he and
Bran are against Watson. and wherever tbs.
name OF our pOpulist representative is
spoken, 1t is spit upon and sneered at by
these democrats and the four electors who
represent the democratic side of the fusion
nave made no concealment of their hustu-
lty 10 Watson and populism. Mr. Palm
one or these fuslon-democratic electors OMEN
ly boasts here in Lincoln that he will never
vote for Watson under any circumstances.
that he was put on the ticket with that
understanding. and that the three other
democrats are in the same position and have
an understanding between each other to
that effect.
Mr. Piasceki, another of these democratic
electors. recently in the postohice of his
home town, St. Paul, declared that Watson
cut no ngure in this contest that he would
get no votes from Nebraska, and that he
deserved no recognition because his party
was practically dead and buried Fred Matz
OF Omaha, another of these fusion electors
denounees Watson and declares that he has
not now and never had any sympathy wirb
popultsm. The four populist electors have
also neen hostile to Watson from the very
moment or their nomination and the truth
Is that populism has no friend on that ticket.
NO PoPULIsM IN IT.
Now, why should I vote for ito WHY
should | allow the wool TO be puIIed over
my eyes and be made a part OF the demo-
cratic party when l am not democrat ami
never intend to be?
There is no populism In this fight r
Is a contest to save the democratic party II
possible but to destroy the populist party
at all hazards. The election OF BRYAN would
not De populist victory, but a surrender
ana complete humiliation of IT, I don't
want to surrender. I want to fight But II
| must surrender | will surrender 10 7
; Grant but never TO Robert E. Lee. There
Is a profound conviction In the whole nub-
lie mind Of this country that this fusion
IS trick. II means death to the partv
which was organized by the farmers Of this
state eight years ago. as a protest against
tricks and bargains in politics II dishon-
esty in politics WIS wrong then IL is wrong
now, and If must submit my consciepce
and my vote to the manipulation of poIiti-
clans | will never put my neck under the
democratic yoke, but viii bow my head 10
mo control OF the mother party which
learned 10 love when l was a bow"
Mr.. Elder says that the sentiments which
he expresses are taking root in the minds
Of thousands OF honest populsts in This
state who will not allow their principles
to be made into a door mat upon which
the southern dominating democrat can vine
his feet
PALhER's STRENGTH IN GEORGIA.