Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-08-18
SERIOUS PROBLEMS TO Be SOLVED
RepubIican-PopuIist Fusion Means
Death to Democracy.
THE SITUATION REVIEWED
pecial Dispatch to The Evening Star.

CoHte VIII lnuOTSe tuc SutCdSo pdl-
form with whoop and declare in er,-
phatic terms for the election OF Bryan and
Sewall. Culberson will be renominated for
the state governorship and, in fact. with
enc exception, the old regime will be rec
commended for denomination. The one eX-
ception above noted, together with the
election of chairman Of the st lite exec
utlve committee, promises to be the only
really interesting fight Of the convention
MIR A. J. Baker, the present land COM
missioner and the only sound money man
III the Texas administration. is Liable to
have trouble in securing the denomination.
and if he does the state administration Will
De house divided against itself. Col
Baker few weeks ago had opposition 10
mis- candidacy in Robert S,ayton. but two
weeks ago S,ayton relired in Bakers ia
Vor.
The Harmony Gets MARRIED.
Ali things looked harmonious until this
past week, when George W. Smith of
houston. erstwhile secretary to Gov. Hogg,
oobbed up as Il candidate for the position.
lie paid visit to Austin, and it is said
secured the support of some Of the state
administration, who have no love TO lose
.cr Baker. Gov. hogg and Joe Bailey VIII
doubtless be for Smith. while Gov. Cul-
Lerson Will keep hands off" On the other
land several of the state regime VINO have
tend sticking to him to the bitter end, and a
lively night on this nomination IS expected
Oh the convention floor and it may require
all the Ingenuity of the old politicians to
make things move peaceably.
Another Lively Contest.
Another fight is expected as regards the
craftsmanship of the state executive COM
nttee. Dudley, the present incumbent,
will not wish the crown Of tkorns'' which
h.,
placed upon his brow. and there are now
-wo candidates for the position, Mr.. John
lookout of Dallas, ex-law partner
Of Mr.. Culberson and Mr.. J. w. Blake of
MeXia. Cu.berson will undoubtedly favor
mis- Old partner, but If he sees the ma jor-
ity is against him he may not push the
lEht, as he does not care to create any
antaeonism against himself. Other friends
ii lookout S, though, are not SO willing
20 give up the ship at an early stage, ana
on this score, too, trouble may enSue.
la Case of Fusion.
But otherwise there will be a peaceful:
wake on the Rhine. Doubtless many eau
cuses will be held to decide upon d pan
20 defeat the proposed sound money demo-
cratie-repubIcan-po pulist fusion, for If this
deal goes through and there is ANY show
,or the delivery OF the goods, the regular
democratic party in this state is doomed
and the leaterS know II. The democrats
nave following OF about lS.',skn in Texas,
ana al a lew estimate the proposed fusion
scheme would unite Gin,WD voters, so that
It would ali be up with the present state
admins traiioI.
made, it is well known that the proposed
fusion plan Will give the state offices to
the popuilsts with one or two EXCEPTIONS
such as probably the supreme Judges ard
a rain Dad commissioner, which to go
to the sound money democrats, ard the
republicans are to get the state electoral
college in rs entirety, although the sound
NO ey demo rats may demand rep es -nta-
tVeS on same.
sisnf.rant Action of Populists.
The populists held their convention last
week, nominated for state offices men who
are dear to the rank and file, but, si9r,iii-
cantly, did not indorse any district cleo
tors. Without fusion the populists have no
show of carrying the state, but with il they
would be sure, and so strong is the NO
Watson, no Bryan sentiment that if the
GeGloci ate standard bearer does not accepl
the Georgian for his ru.n.ng mate the pop
uLst state executive committee Tin whose
hands the power lays VIII gladly turn
ever the electoral college to the republi-
cans (aLd that is ali the latter could hope
| fcr) in exchange for support to the popu-
list state ticket The sound money demo-
Gratis would get a couple of state offices
a Congressman or two. assist in McKin-
| ley's election and Gust the present ma
Chine, and that is all they can hope for.
IAN There BE Delivery of the Goods !:
There is In the state of Texas between
| 10000 and $4,000 votes. or this amount
| the popul.s:s claim 15o,HoO,and every pop
will stand stanch to the state ticket
| whether he bolts the national or not. The
| republicans have about 10000 votes in the
state, and, making allowance for negroes
| who would not stick TO the fusion plan,
they say they can easily deliver 6l.Gna
| votes. Added to this the 23,:W0 votes of
| the sound money democracy, and the Goa
ltiohists would win in & canter. The re-
| publican vote is placed at 60 per cent of
! Its real voting strength. and some sound
money enthusiasts claim that they control
4O,tkO votes, all of which there VIII ne no
trouble to deliver.
But on the other hand, the fusion is 4
| large way from. gong through, aud if it
don't succeed CulberSon will win the race
| for governor with ease and his whole cahi-
| net will go back in. The fusion scheme SO
| far is merely matter of talk, although
| the leaders may have some sort of an un-
dersta-.d ng.
SUuH.i money Democrats at Work.
| The sound money democracy is trganiz-
| ing all over the state into senatorial dis
| trcts. which, in turn. are divided into
county organizations. The state CONVEX
| ton will meet at Waco a week from today
ana VIII then Seiect delegates to the In
dianapolis convention. 1t is hardly prob
able that state ticket will be put in the
| f1eld-in fact. it all depends on what the
| fusionists do. But a platform will be
| adopted, which will score the present state
administration very hard and which will
| indorse Cleveland and Carlisle.
The attendance at todays convention
| promises to be very large. Demands have
come In from nearly 400 country papers
| for seats in the press stands, hut ali of
them cannot be accommoda ted. and sea
will be reserved only for the papers which
make daily appearance
! The leaders will use every endeayo- TO
make the meeting harmonious affair and
| they will divert all their efforts toward a
peaceable adjustment of the race for the
! land commissionership and the execu1ive
| committee Craftsmanship.
Mica Fields of North Carolina.
From the Mining Gazette.