The San Francisco call., 1896-08-25
BRYAN AND THE POPULISTS.

Bryan's wing of the Democratic party
is beginning to realize what mistake 1t
made in capturing the Populist National
Convention, or rather by failing to take it
bag and baggage. There is no doubt at all
that the middle-of-the-road Populists
were given to understand that If the con-
vention would nominate Bryan his man.
ayers could be relied upon to pull Sewall
off the track and make the ticket read
Bryan and Watson The leaders of the
radical wing of the Populist party are now
pretty well convinced that 1t never was
the intention to drop Sewail, and that they
have been wickedly and numerically
played upon. The Democracy made a
great mistake when it let slip the oppor-
tunity to Bryanize the Populist Rational
Committee, and now it has bitter family
q uarrel on its hands.
L. G. Batemau, Populist candidate for
Governor of Maine, probably voiced the
sentiments of the radical wing of his
party when he said the other day, speak
ing of Sewall, 1--WE beg to remind our
Democratic friends that cutting off the
ears of iackass and putting few feath-
ers on his tail doesn't make him canary
bird" This means that Sewall cannot be
given thick enough coat of veneering to
make him pass for a Populist. But what
is exasperating the Populists rather more
than any thing else is Bryans refusal to
appoint time to be notified of his NOM
ination by their party. They interpret
his actions as meaning that he will get
most of the Populist vote anyway, and
does not propose to be put in a position
where he would have to recognize Wat
sons candidacy.
But the indications are that Bryan is
himself being sold out by local comnina-
tions of Democrats and Populists. No one
who has watched the way fusion" is
accomplished in most of the States could
have failed to see how all deals are made
with reference to congressman and State
officers. The Populists especially do not
seem to care so much how the electoral
ticket is divided if they can make combi-
nations to indorse their State and Con-
gressional nominees. In many of the
Southern States overtures have been made
to the Republicans by the Populists with
the view of giving the electoral vote to
Mckinley in consideration of Republican
support to their State ticket. In the
North Populists would naturally fuse with
the Democrats, but, as we have said,
neither party is taking as much interest
In Mr.. Bryan's candidacy as in the State
and Congressional tickets.
No doubt the Popuiists are actuated
largely by desire to punish Bryan for re-
fusing to recognize Watson, but the
Democrats are fusing i'll the interest of
local leaders, because they know that not
enough Populists will vote for Bryan and
Sewal1 to make good the loss occasioned
by the bolt of the sound-money wing of
their party, and that whatever can be Sc
cured in local way would be clear gain.
Bryan's failure to enthuse the people of
the East has weakened him very materi-
ally in the West, SO much so, indeed, that
even middle-of-the-road silver Democrats
are beginning to express the belief that a
fatal mistake was made in throwing Bland
and Boies overheard. In short, Bryan
grows weaker, the Populists more angry
and fusion for local advantage more
popular,