Arizona weekly citizen. [volume] (Tucson, Ariz) 1880-1901, 1896-08-08
WHERE ARE THEY ATY'

The democrats and populists are earn
estly laboring to relieve themselves from
their entangled condition consequep
upon the double ce-presidential tai
they have provided for their president
ial kite. There appears to be consider
able misspprehepsion as to the methoc
of electing a president. Under the eys
tenn OF election in vogue it does not as
/ sist Bryan in the least to be g candidat'
on the populiet ticket and also on ttt
democratic ticket, with q separate vice
presidential candidate on each unles:
the two parties in the various states
come 20 an agreement to vote for the
same electors. For instance, if there
were one set of electors named by the
populIste and another by the democrat!
and a thiro by the republicans, ever
though the democratic end populisi
electors were both pledged TO Bryan,
the practical effect would he to divide
his strength and let the Mckinley men
run between. Herein is where the diff
Guilty arises from the nomination by the
populists of Watson instead OF Sewell.
Had they nominated Bryan and Sewell
instead OF Bryan and Watson, it would
have been an easy matter to secure an
agreement on electors. But with differ
ent candidates for vice president an
agreement on electors is msnifestly inn
possible.
Let US illustrate further: Suppose a
state has 81 600 votes, and is entitled to
four electors. There are three tickets
in the field-the democratic, with Bryan
and Sewell. the populist with Bryan
aud Watson, and the repu blican with
Mckinley and Hobart. Each ticket has
the names Of four electors. The demo"
cratic electors receive 10000 votes; the
the populist electors 10000, and the re-
publican electors II, 900 votes. The re-
publican ticket wins, although the COM
bined vote for Bryan electors lacks but
1000 of being dou bic the Mckinley vote.
Why? Because 10000 votes are for the
popuiist TICKET, not for Bryan, and TO-
600 votes are for the democratic TICKET,
not for Bryan. The solution is plain.
Suppose you remove Bryan's name from
the populiet ticket, and substitute that
of Smith; you cannot claim the popu-
list electors for Bryan. No more can
you claim these same electors for Bryan
even If bis name appears on the ticket,
unless his running mate be the same on
both tickets.
At this distance from the center of
action it is Impossible 10 accurately
measure the eItuatIon or the plans en-
tertsined by those who have been earn
sstly fighting for union of all the silver
forces. The reports indicate that Sen
ator Allen exerted the power Of his |
position 10 prevent any discussion of |
Mr.. Bry8n's attitude, and that at the |
close resolution wss adopted which |
squips the national committee with |
plenery power 70 act in the event of there |
being 2 vacancy on their ticket or IN |
lny other emergency. This was thought |
% pnint togsrd the possibility OF Mr.. |
Watson'5 ceclination of the honor of |
but left the situation so
that there were q mum Der |
1f turns which affairs might take. |
Many delegates relied that it would be
iifficpit to bring numbers OF Northern |
Democrats TO the support OF Mr. Wat
son in the event that Ar. Segall should /
withdraw, aud tbe feeling declared by
soDe states wac SO pronounced that it
seemed equally difficult. to bring the ex
RENE Southern Populists to the sup
port of Sewall, should Watson with
iraw. Moderate men thought that
10Th might retire and q compromise
,andidste for Vice-pFesident be agreed
lpUn by the national committees, but
t may we'll be doabted If such pro~
eedipg would not have an i'll effect.
Other plans have been suggested, such
IS al agreement upon electors pledged
20 vote for the vice presidential candid
tie Of the party showing the most
strength in state, but it can scarcely
De believed that such a proposition is
easible. The leaders have a hard task
before them.