Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1896-07-30
The Populis t t-Democratic Muddle.

The result of the distinct Pcpulist con-
yention which adjourned on Saturday even
ing in St. Louis in the same disorder
which characterized it for four days ap-
MARS to be more Of muddle the closer it
y contemplated. And this is without re-
ference to the disgruntled feelings OF
about one-third of the delegates oyer the
nomination of Bryan.
1t is not apparent how the Pop1listS are
going to materially help the Populist ca1-
didate for President, Mr.. W, J. Bryan
without sacrificing their candidate for
vice-Presidert, Mr.. Tom Watson, Of
Georgia. Or how are they going to push
along their candidate for Vice-President
and at the same time give any practical
support to their nominee for President.
These Populists by making such nomina-
tion as they did for second place on their
ticket decle -ed their purpose to maintain
their separate party organization indepen-
dent of the othe. Populist convention re-
Gently met in Chicago. They can do this
1nder existing conditions only by running
separate electors in support CT their nomi-
nees. If they do so the regular Populist
vote and the Populist- Democratic vote
will lie cast for different electors. There
will be Bryan and Watson electors and
Bryan and Sewan electors, which would
not carry out the scheme intended by
Chairman Jones, of the Bryan National
Committee, in seeking the nomination of
Bryan at st. Louis, which was to unite all
the Populist vote on the Populist-Demo-
cratic candidate nominated at Chicago.
Fusion can be accomplished only by
the sacrifice of either Watson or Sewall
and fusion Is going to do great deal to
destroy the regular Populist party. If
the Bryan Democrat concede the Bryan
Populist a division of electors in the diff
ferent States. those electors, if ck osen,
would of course vote for Bryan but they
would not vote for Sewall. How are
those alleged Democrats who are support
ing the Chicago nominees going to re-
gard such betrayal of the Democratic
end of their ticket for the benefit Of the
Populist end ofi.f Mr.. Sewsll was re.
jected by the Populist mob at st. Louis
because he is Democrat, while Mr..
Bryan was nominate because he is and
has been Populjst. On the other hand
the regulsr Populists by voting for fusion
ticket would be supporting some electors
who would not vote for their candidate
for Vic; President, and they woDld be
selling out their candidate for second place
to help along their candidate for Pres
ident. If all the Populist and Bryan
Democratic votes cannot be got together
on one set of electors in the States where
they would promise to constitute a ma
jority the st. Louis fuss must 20 for moth
ing.
1t is no surprise that Mr.. Bryan is COM
PEELED to announce that he doesn't know
whether he will accept or not. We don't
think he will formally; but we do not thiuk
he will decline. He is at home with the
crowd which composed the st Louis con-
ventior, spd he is as anxious to have its
support as it is willing to give it 10 him.
1t may De expected that efforts will bc
made to get either Sewall or Watson out
of the way. 1t will not be very easy job
to get the latter disposed of. He has al
ready stated his purpose 20 accept the
nomination, and if Watson didn't accept
there is very small prospect that SO much
of a Democrat as Sewan would finally be
substituted. About the only way out,
therefore, is the retirement of Sewall, and
Bryan will probably aid to do that by re-
fusing to refuse the regular Populist nom
ination, regardless OF the fact that he has
said he could not accept unless Sewsll
were also nominated.
Self-respecting Democrats must oon.em-
plate the situation with some distress
Thousands of them have already repudist-
ed the ticket end platform of the Chicago
convention; the nomination of Bryan and
Watson at st Louis, combined with the re-
lection of Sewall, will prompt many more
thousands to do so.-Phila Press.