The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-07-29
Coin" the Author Tells How
Easy it is to Elect Bryan.
FUSION OF SILVER FORCES
Electoral Tickets Composed Of
Democrats and Populists.
IN ALI THE DIFFERENT STATES
The Electors Elect the President and
Vice-President and Therefore
All Difficulties Can Be
Overcome.
Chicago, July 20.

Chicago, July 20.
To ". II. Hearst, New York Journal:
What appears to be an irreconeilable
confusion resulting from the failure
of the St Louis convention to nomi-
nate Sewall is not such, and harmony
will soon be brought about.
The fact that Bryan's name is TO be
on both tickets will bring about
| fusion of electors in each State that
will draw out the full strength of
both the Democratic and Peoples
party votes. To illustrate it: Illinois
has tWent-four electoral votes. The
Democratic State convention should
name, say. twenty electors. and the
Peoples party State convention four
electors. In many States, under the
Australian ballot system, the same
name of a candidate or elector cannot
go on two or more tickets. This is
obviated by putting the names of the
twenty Democratic electors and four
PeoT les party electors all on the Dem
ocr tic ticket. In States where the
Peoples party has more votes than
the Democratic party, and there are
some ten or twelve of these, the above
plan will be reversed by putting the
Democratic electors on the Peoples
party ticket.
In the case of Illinois, as above cited,
a Peoples party man would vote his
ticket straight by putting cross at
the head of it, but, as the place for
electors on that ticket is blank, he
would after voting his party ticket,
90 over TO the Democratic ticket on
the Australian ballot and cross the
.F+ ha ~ frtt1r electors
1t is also worthy of suggestion that,
in view of the large number of Repub-
lican votes that are being organized
under the National Bi-metallic party
they should also be invited to name one
| or more electors in each State that
will be recognized and placed upon
| the ticket.
III this combined movement, now
| assuming FORM should be successful
| in November, the result would be as
| follows:
| If there were enough straight Demo-
| cratic electors elected TO make ma
| ioritv in the electoral college, it will
mean Bryan and Sewall. Ii not, then
| it means Bryan and Watson. BY this
plan it is not necessary for Sewall to
withdraw from the ticket, and it is
better for him to stay on-the People S
party are given a hope of electing their
candidate for Vice-President and a
chance to hold their party organiza-
| ton together. 1t means the combined
| strength of the organization OF the
| two political bodies in common move
| ment.
| This plan would have been readily
| understood at st. Louis, and all the
anxiety experienced since then would
have been avoided, if it had not been
| for the fact that a few Democratic
| leaders were there selhshly disposed,
| from party standpoint, to crush out
or brighten all opposition to the Demo-
cratic party having the sole right of
way. They know that there is a tidal
| wave on, and that the people are
| thinking for themselves. but they
have been immersed in party politics
| so long that they cannot acoustom
| themselves to yielding any of their
party organization.
| After a week or two everything will
| begin to assume shape, and by Sep
TENDER it will be readily understood
| by the people The only objection
| urged to the fusion plan on electors
| is that the voters will not be educated
| sufficiently to vote the combination
| ticket. 1t is feared that after placing
| the cross at the head of his ticket, IN
case it is the ticket where the electors
are left blank, the voter will neglect
or not know how to use his pencil on
the other ticket, where the electors
names appear This is answered by
the statement that in each State the
newspapers viii print the form of the
ballot with the check marks as they
should be placed by Democrats and
PcpHlists and Silver Republicans, thus
making it plain. And in addition to
| this, the National and State commit
tees viii make up a dummy form OF
the Australian ballot, illustrating how
the voter should be governed in MAX
ing his crosss upon the ballots. AS
most of this dual voting must come
from the Populists, it is also urged on
the part of the Peoples party men that
their voters are all students of politics
and well educated in such matters as
| will probably fit them 70 cast their
votes intelligently upon this fusion
plan
1t should be remembered that by the
Constitution and laws of the United
States the people do not elect a Presi-
| dent and Vice-President. What the
| people do is to elect electors, who
meet at the capitols of their respective
States and cast their votes for whom
soever they may choose for President
and Vice-President. 1t is electors that
we elect. and not a President and
Vice-Presidnt. The electors elect
them The electors may vote for such
persons for President and Vice-Presi-
dent as they may elect to SO vote for.
| The nomination of candidates for
President and President is GUS
tom without sanction of law, and by
usage the electors are expected to vote
for such persons as their National con
/ venffon has declared for.
Hence it will be readily understood
that division by naming Sewall for
| President on the Democratic
ticket and Watson for Vice-President
on the Populist ticket does not, in its
| resllIt by q fusion nlan. divide the vote