The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-10-05
THE FUSION

While the free-silver managers in this
State are scheming to keep the sound
money Democratic ticket of the ballot, the
sound-money men should see if there is
not a way to block the proposed Demo-
c~rat-Populist fusion. The fusion is not like
ly to have any material influence on the
result, as it will disgust more voters than
it will catch, but in the interest of public
morals and decent politics such open and
shameless bargains should be prevented.
The election law provides three ways. and
only three, by which a ticket may be nom
mated and get a place on the ballot, viz:
BY a nominating convention, by a primary
election, or by petition. If a ticket is NOM
mated by a convention it must contain the
name of each person nominated and be
certified to by the presiding officer and
secretary of the convention. If the nom
nations be made by primary election they
must be certified by the chairman and
secretary of the county committee, and if
they. are made by petition it must have not
less than five hundred signers. The board
of election commissioners have no right to
assign a place on the ballot to any ticket
not nominated in one of these three ways.
TIL Populist ticket, under the proposed
fusion plan, has not been nominated in
either of these ways. 1t is not the work of
a nominating convention, of a primary cleo
ton nor the result of a petition. 1t is the
work of a p-ost-convention committee. The
election law does not recognize such a
committee. TIL law is not made for Popo-
Gratis and Populists alone. but for all the
people. If a Populist committee can de-
wise a new plan of nominating a ticket then
the Republicans can devise another. the
sound-money Democrats another, and the
Prohibitionists another. TIL law prescribes
three distinct ways, and no other is per-
missible. The law would recognize a ticket
nominated by a Populist convention and
duly certified by the presiding officer and
secretary of the convention, but it does
not recognize a Populist p-ost-convention
committee. The whole proceeding is ir-
regular and illegal.
Again, the plan of fusion comtemplates
placing the names of ten out of fifteen
electors OH both the Democratic and Popu-
list tickets. 1t is very doubtful if this can
be done legally. Section 10 of the election
law provides as follows:
If any person has been nominated as a
candidate for any office by convention, and
also as a candidate for the same office by
petition, his name shall be placed on the
ballot but once. to wit: In the list of can
didates nominated by such convention; and
the place occupied by his name in such pc
It1on shall be left blank: Provided, that
II such candidate shall. in writing, prior
to the last day for filing nominations, re-
quest that his name de printed as nom
mated by petition, it shall be so printed
and shall be omitted from the list nom
mated Nv the convention.
This clearly implies that the name of no
candidate shall appear in two tickets or on
the ballot in two places. If a person is
nominated as a candidate for any office by
a convention and as a candidate for the
same office by petition, he must either
make his choice in writing which nominal
ton he will accept, or the Board of Elec-
ton Commissioners must decide for him
and place his name on the ballot but once.
As the free-silverites seem determined to
keep the Palmer-Buckner ticket off the ball
lot If possible the sound-money Demo-
Gratis might retaliate by attacking the flu
sion.