The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-07-28
SEWALL is
TO PULL OFF.
This Is the Opinion Among
Kansas POpuIists.
Has ga Straight Tip" Been
Received
10 W h TCFWy r FN A H z
BY POPULIST LEADERS
Breidenthal Says Abandonment
of Tom Watson
Would Be Treason on the Part
of Kansas.

good guesser who is familiar with
Popul1St modes of thought and eX-
preston in Kansas, would be pretty
certain to say after questioning Chair
man Breidenthal and others, that it is
the general belief among the Kansas
Populists that Sewall is to be with
drawn by the Democrats before the
campaign is, over, and Tom WatsOn'S s
name substituted for the vice presiden-
cy- How this is to be done, of course,
remains mystery. Perhaps SeWal
will be promised some important post.
minister to England or something OF
that sort, to sOOthe his feelings, if he
is not willing to withdraw.
Chairman Breidentha1 will not ex-
press any opinion on this subject, and
his old habit of keeping close mOuthed
has returned to him apparently as
POpulistS who strongly assert that
Sewau will withdraw. A dispatch
from Junction City dated yesterday,
states that ex-COngressman John Da-
Wis had publicly asserted that the
withdrawal of Sewall was only a ques-
tiOn of a short time.
Chairman Breidenthal is unswerv
ing in his support of Watson, and it is
not unlikely he has received a tip that
enables him to guide his course wisely
and consistently.
Mr.. Breidenthal SAYS:
THE POpulists of Kansas have but
one course to pursue, and that is to
stand by the action of the party at St.
Louis. To do anything else would be
bad faith, to say the least"
DO you expect the Democrats to re-
pudiate Sewan and indorse Watson
electors ?'
1T would be no worse for the Demo-
Gratis to repudiate Sewan than for the
Populists to repudiate watson replied
Mr.. Breidenthal.
you have. been talking lately about
a union Of silver forces How do you
propose to bring 1t about?"
THAT is a question to be determined
in the future. If both Sewa1l and Wat
son stay on the track, I would favor
some division of electors, but as the
matter now stands, it would be the
worst kind of politics in the world for
us to drop Watson at Abilene, and I
will tell you why. Texas, Alabama and
the rest of the kickers viewed Kansas
with alarm at St. Louis, and before,
make a dicker with the Democrats in
the interest of Sewall If we do so,
they might retaliate by fusing with the
Republicans and knifng Bryan. The
Texas POpulists meet the same day as
we do, and I doubt if they turn a
wheel until they hear from US. If we
stand by Bryan and Watson, Texas
will do likewise. There will be plenty
of time to arrange the details of fus-
ion after the Democratic and POpulist
national committees shall have can
vassed the situation and taken some
action"
When queried about the coming out
of G. w. Click for governor, Mr.. Breid-
enthaI said:
THE Populists will never consent to
any other than a Populist for governor.
Before the St. Louis convention the
Democrats appeared willing to concede
US the state ticket, but now that we
have indorsed Bryan, they appear to
be cIamoring for more"
What do you think of Senator John
Martins plan of giving the Democrats
chief justice and the boiling RepubIi-
cans attorney general on your ticket2''
THAT is one of the things which may
work out. 1 do not know. Nobody
knows what a POpulist convention may
do. I am sure that the silver forces
will all get together somehow
Are the Populists willing to nomi-
nate Ed Little for congressman at
large?''
THAT is another thing which may
work out. 1t may be among the posi-
bilities AS I said before no one knows
what a POpulist convention may do
You will observe" said Mr. Breid-
enthal. that IL his card Mr. Sewau
did not say he would not withdraw. He
simply said that the nomination of
Watson would not alter his plans Per-
haps his plans contemplated a with
drawaL"