Rocky Ford enterprise., 1896-07-23
POPULISr PROBLEM.
WHAT WILL THEY DOT
A Three Cornered Fight between Those
Who Favor lndorsement, Fusion or an
independent Ticket,

st. Louis. Mo-, July 2O.-Few of the
have arrived, but among the leaders
who have reached the city very bit
ter war has already developed. They
seem to be aligning themselves for a
three-cornered fight; first, those who
favor straight Endorsement of Bryan
and Sewall. which will bring to the
Chicago ticket the support of the Pop
ulists; second, those who desire
fusion electoral ticket, which will
maintain the Populist party organiza-
tlon intact, and place the leaders In n
position to demand recognition In the
event the ticket is succcssful; and,
third. what are known rs the "middle
Of the road" PopulIsts. who favor an
independent platform and ticket ana
who oppose fusion In any form. The
latter. If present Indications count Tor
anything. will eventually be overruled.
The middle of the road men. how
ever. will prove stronger and valuable
allies Of the leaders of the second class.
who are determined to preserve their
party organization at all hazards. but
who profess an earnest desire to COM
bine all the silver strength If way
can be found to give them recognition.
The real fight. 1t is believed. will come
between this faction and those who
are in favor of putting behind them,
for the present, all pride OF party, for
the sake of the cause Of silver, to
which they are pledged.
Chairman THubcncck. the leader OF
this middle wing, gave out state
ment last night. outlining the plan for
fusion of electors as the only condi-
ton on which lie is willing to join
hands with the frec-silver Democracy.
But even with fusion electors he wants
set Of Popullst nominees, the purpose
being, II his plan is carried out. to elect
Bryan president and n Populist vice
president. Taubeneck's interview met
with a storm of protests from the fac
ton which advocates the straight In
dorsement of Bryan and Sewall as the
only chance of solidlfying the silver
forces and gaining victory.
Among those Populists who have ar
rived from the South there is much op-
position to indorsing Bryan and Sew
all, without conditions. Senator But
Ter of North Carolina. who heartily ia
vors hnrmoniZing all the silver ele-
ments MS the only way to win, points
out the strong enmity between the Pop
ullsts and Democrats in the South and
expresses the opinion that unless the
Populist organization is recognized in
the fight it will be impossible to secure
the support of the rank and file of the
Populists in the South for the Chicago
ticket.
All the indications are that the con-
vention will be very lively affair,
with the certainty of much bitter
wrangling and the probability of some
sensational incidents and of bolt of
larger or smaller dimensions, no mat
ter what the ultimate decision of the
convention is. The leaders Of the
American silver party who are here,
appear to be all of one mind-that Bry-
an and Sewall should be indorsed.
"victory for silver is their slogan
and they oppose anything which will
tend to cloud the issue or divide the
silver strength. They expect by their
action to exercise a strong influence
over the other convention, especially
as there seems to be disposition to
arrange joint compromises of the sill
YER and Populist leaders.