The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-07-21
POpuliStS Appear to Be in
aPOlitical Fog.
Accept Bryan or Stand for
Separate Ticket.
No Prospect Of CompromIse--Both
Factions Are at Work.

Nhoii ouehBln~ more tnan lVV ucltBdtcS
20 the Populist convention have regis
tered at their headquarters. OF these
seven expressed preference for Bryan
and two say they are for fusion on the
electors. The others are pronounced for
a straight ticket and fight against the
nomination or endorsement of Bryan.
The delegates who registered came from
all parts Of the country, there being
much more than a majority of the states
represented. The Middle of the Road"
headquarters are at present in Chicago.
Sheridan Webster Is chairman of the
ST. Louis Populist committee. He and
several assistants are giving out badges
and securing information as to the stand
ing of the different delegations. Mr..
Webster asserts that there Is no doubt
about the Middle Of the Road" control
ling the convention. He expects a two
thirds majority. he says. This estimate
IS based upon information that has been
received from different states and from
what delegates have said who have re-
ported at headquarters.
At headquarters many expressions
were heard indicating a disapprovai OF
the endorsement of Bryan. one of the
leaders was asked IL there would be a
bolt in case Bryan was endorsed. and he
replied that 1t would never reach that
stage; that the Middle or the Road"
men would control the convention from
the start There is not very much being
said about the candidates, the Middle of
the Road" men saying they are perfect
ing arrangements TO control the con-
vention first. and consider candidates
afterward.
Bryan Organization.
The delegates to the Populist conven-
zion favorable to the endorsement of Mr..
Bryan have made permanent the tenn
porary organization electing J. B.
Weaver chairman, and Messre. Bailey.
Young and Merratt secretaries. They
also appointed a steering committee,
with Mr.. Weaver as chairman, to take
In hand the movement for the endorse
ment OF Mr.. Bryan, and to act very much
as silver steerers did at the Democratic
convention at Chicago. The commit
tee is to canvass the delegations as they
arrive. and besides doing missionary
work among them. is TO constantly re-
port to the full committee. An imper-
feet canvass OF the delegates. so far as
they had arrived, was reported, as re-
suit of which the Bryan people make tho
following claims as 20 delegates: Ala
bama, 54; Colorado. 45 Delaware. g.
Illinois. q: Iowa, 20; Nebraska, 81; Okla
homa. 8; California, 1s. Indiana. 20;
Kansas, s2: Maryland. 8; Nevada, Z;
Pennsylvania, 40; West Virginia, s; Dis
trict Of Columbia. 4 Utah. 8.
Besides these claims, Bryan's friends
say they have had assurance OF large
part. If not all of Minnesota, Missouri.
Oregon, Washington and Ohio delega-
tions.
The Middle of the Road" faction do
not admit claims. They say. for in
stanccS in the case OF California they will
get all but three votes. and In Iowa
majority. They also claim that Mis-
souri, and Washington will be with them
instead of with the Bryan people. They
admit that Alabama is doubtful. 1t is
claimed that the solid votes of Texas
Mississippi and Florida are against the
endorsement OF Bryan's policy. so far as
heard from.
No Compromise.
The prospect for compromise. which
rome OF the Populists affected for while
20 consider probable. has disappeared.
1T met its fate in the Bryan camps. where
1t was smothered apparently beyond
resuscitation.
he pTOpOSlNlOu
70 the retention OF Mr.. Bryan at the
head of the ticket and substituting a
Populist for Mr.. Sewall for vice presi-
dent, was sprung In the small hours of
the morning in promiscuous meeting
of party leaders. 1t was afterward
adopted by the executive committee of
the national committee and was by
them exploited as a panacea, which
all 40 lie nft 4 Iaaa al ftto tor, hxr
uniting all the factions. The southern
delegations accepted the scheme with
avdity, on the theory that IL would aid
them in maintaining the entirety Of the
party for which they have held out SO
vigorously.
The Bryan people did not accept the
suggestion from the beginning. They
had no sooner heard of 1t than a Bryan
meeting was called, which, in the for
chile language of one who attended, pro
ceeded to Immediately jump on 1t with
both feet" This Bryan meeting and
the one which followed. between repre-
sentatives OF the Bryan element and the
executive committee, constituted the
important events of the day. The re-
suit of these meetings is a probable split
in the party. and the likelihood that the
matter Of endorsing Bryan or nominat-
ing another candidate. or the nomina-
tion of Bryan and another candidate
than Sewall for vice president Will have
10 be fought out in the convention.
The interesting proceedings began by
a meeting of the executive committee
in one OF the rooms. and n meeting of the
Bryan members in another. The promi-
nent members OF the Bryan movement.
including J. Il. Weaver. T. NJ. Patterson,
Senator Stewart, Senator Allen, Jerry
Simpson. Governor Llewellyn, and many
others. were present at the Bryan meet
ing, where very brief exchange OF
views was sufficient to convince all pres-
ent that the proposition would not be en-
tertained for n moment. While the meet
ing was In progress n message was re-
ceiVed from the executive committee,
asking that representatives OF that ele-
-maHt-nanat executive officials for a
conference on the compromise proposi-
tion.