New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-07-19
POPULISTS BADLY DIVIDED.
SECTIONAL LINES WILL BE DRAWN AT
ST. LOUIS.

tBy TELEGRAPH TO THE TR.BUNE]
St Louis. July 1S.-The conflict OF opinion
among the leaders OF the Populist party. who are
already gathering here in force for next weeks
National Convention, over the indorss ment or
reimbursement OF the Bryan and Sewall ticket
nominated at Chicago. is rapidly developing into
a sectional struggle within party lines between
the South and the West. The Southern leaders
who for years. have figured as the chief oppo-
nents OF the Democracy in their own States and
who have looked forward to the coming cleo
ton the golden opportunity through Demo-
cratic divisions, to seize State and local power
find all their political projects upset by the sud
den demand for an Endorsement Of the Chicago
ticket and platform, and a merging OF all the
silver forces under the banner of the boy Ora
tor from Nebraska. The Western Populists
who have made their chief battle for years
against the Republican organizations In their
States and have engaged In constant political
alliarces with the local Democracy regard an
! Endorsement Of the Chicago nominees as both
natural and logical. under the circumstances,
and in their zeal for the triumph Of the single
dogma of free silver coinage are willing to waive
for the moment every other feature of the Popu-
listic propaganda. and even abandon the Popu-
! list National organization itself
STANDING FOR THEIR PARTY.
Texas. Alabama North Carolina, Georgia. Ten
nessee-all the Southern States, in fact, in which
an influential and self-sustaining Populist party
/ has been built up-w send delegations here
| violently opposed TO the policy of blindly indors-
| ing the work of the Democratic Convention at
! Chicago. and practically abandoning the field as
National organization. Oregon. Nebraska, the
/ Da<otas and all the Rocky Mountain States. on
the other hand. are throwing all their influence
rat Of Chicago
and an unconditional fusion with the Demo
cratic party, as reOrganized by Tillman. Alt
geld and Bryan.
SO far, the drift Of popular sentiment has
been with the Western and against the South
ern programme. and a project is now being
industriously engineered to stampede the Popu-
list Convention next week into nominating the
Nabraska Boy orator" just as the Chicago
Convention ten days ago was carried Off It's
feet. In the end. perhaps. the decision may go
against the South. but in that case curiously
enough the Populist National Organization will
have been wiped out of existence as a party by
the Western Middle, and Eastern States in
which II has failed so far most cOnspicuously
to attract either popular sympathy or votes.
A CONFLICT OF VIEWS.
The contrarety Of opinion among the Popu-
list leaders is made stril<ngly evident by the
conflicting views which those already on the
ground so openly express. Scrgeant-at- Arms
Mcdowell of the Popust National Committee,
said to-day: THE 'Middc-of the Road Popu-
lists stand for the maintenance OF their party
orgarization at ali hnzards While we ndorse
the silver clause In the Chicago platform. we
stand for ruch more. and canrot consistently
surrender these other issues for that Of fiat
money especially. The southern Populists Will
vigorously oppose the Endorsement of Bryan
They do not believe in surrendering themselves
completely - tho Democrats. They could not
go before their constituents on the Democratic
PLATFORM The Populist candidates for Con-
gress and other positions will fight the effort
Of the Democratic party to swallow the Populist
marty bodily. But the Western Popusts feel
differently Most of them are In favor Of an
Endorsement Of Bryan's candidacy. Which ele
ment will be the stronger In the Convention
cannot now be told The Southern Populists
are assured, however. by the Western people
that II the southerners are in a minority they
will not be ruthlessly ridden down. | anticipate
no split or bolt in the Convention. Both sides
are willing 10 make some concessions"
George +. Gather, Populist National Commit
teeman from Alabama. who arrived here to-day,
is doubtful about the expedency of indorsng
he ''as to what the Convention will or ought to
do I wish 70 walt until the other nfty-three
delegates from Alabama arrive. Most Of them
will come Sunday and Monday. Captain Kob is
due Sunday. apartments having been engaged
for him al the Southern Hotel month or six
weeks ago our people were practically unanimous
for the nomination of Senator Teller. Now we
understand he will not accept but wants US to
indorse Bryan. The feeling between Democrats
and Populsts in Alabama is bitter. for the reason
that the former have counted US out down there
three times. desire a union of the silver forces,
but am doubtful about indorsing the candidate OF
another party. In my opinion we should pro-
ceed carefully and deliberately"
NEBRASKA FOR BRYAN
On the other hand. National Committeeman V.
o. Strocker, Of Nebraska. is dsI csed to aban-
don all hope for the future If the Convention
next week does not unconlitionally accept Mr..
Bryan as its Presidential candidate. He said
this afternoon
we might as we'll write 'Ichabod the
entrance to the Convention hall II enter
there without the affirmed intention Of indorsing
or nominating Bryan. third ticket means
certain defeat for both nominees and I would
just vote openly for Mckinley
as aid his election Indirectly. Mr.. Bryan
is not a POpulist Everybody in Nebraska
knows that He has often been Invited to join
the populist party, but declined because he
thought he could DO more for silver by re-
naming I'm the Democratic ranks. Yes. the
Populists Of Nebraska solid for his in
dorsement. Why shouldn't they be? They need
silver so badly that they willing to Jay aside
all party preiudces and vote for Bryan. 1t is a
serious question with the farmers out there.
They are only getting ten cents and fifteen cents
A btshcl FOR their wheat and corn. and when
the expenses of raising a crop are more than II
will bring party ties do not have much weight !
II the Populist party is sincere In its declara
tions fer silver and other reforms. II cannot do
ofl lar than inIOrSe Bryan.
W II. Gilstrup California editor and dele
gate who arrived here to-day. is aiding "Cy- !
clone" Davis Of Texas. in the fight against |
Rrvan r. G.. Scott. National Committeeman |
from Iowa and j. II. Turner. OF Washington !