The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1896-10-02
OFFERED THE EARTH
If the Populists Would Fall
Down and Worship Watts.

Down and Worship Watts.
DEMOCRATS ARE DESPERATE
I xhey Try 20 Bribe the Popnlist state Com
mitses with onlces sad Promi.es TO De
sert Their Principles sad Allow the
Dsmoerets 70 swallow rhsm whols.
ms Pepniists spurn Their onsrA
Mr.. GecrseL Spence, treasurer Of the
I pcpulist State committee, accompanied
By Secretary Lilly, gave State journal
reporter the following interesting inte--
view:
Z 1.-THE conference at Clnrksburg. be.
tween the Democratic State committee
and the Populists," said Mr.. Spence.
was 70 agree on presidential electors
: and to ratify the Wheeling agreement.
That agreement was to the effect
that we should endorse four Democratic
district electors, and that party should
endorse two Populist delegates ut large.
Mr. Capehart, Will Chley and other
Democratic leaders were at Clarksburg
TO undo that agreement. They tried to
palm on the lame excuse that the Demo-
Gratis who made the deal were tired and
( sleepy and did not know what they were
talking about.
We absolutely refused TO confer with
the Democrats until they ratified that
agreement. We absolutely refuse to en-
dorse Watts at ali.
when they saw that we were deter
Z mined that the Wheeling agreement
should be ratified. they began q differ
ert practice.
sThey promised all kinds Of things.
They told Mr.. Martin that they
Thought they could persuade Virgil A.
Lewis TO withdraw his name from the
ticket In favor Of Martin.
"They went to other Populists and
offered the same kind Of taffy.
1.-THE singular part Of this Is, those
gentlemen--the Democratic committee
can not withdraw any man from the
ticket.
with these pledges they nearly Sc.
cured control Of tho committee at one
time
s.Mr. McGraw, at one of the sessions,
made the statement that the saving Of
this State to the Democracy is Of vastly
more Importance than the election Of
Bryan. he then said we understand
without your tthe Populists) assistance,
We can't hope to elect him.
while we can't force anybody of
our ticket. we IRE willing to give you as
much as possible. We win give far
more than you ask In Federal and State
patronage
"This plaintive appeal to support
Watts was met firmly. We told the
committee that.we would endorse any
other free silver men they would name
and even endorse their ticket, but that
We could not endorse Watts"
1--WE understand" continued Mr..
Spence, that while Mr.. McGraw was
thus talking to Us that the Democratic
committee was in Communication with
the Sound Money Democrats at indians
apolis. and that the Sound Money men
wired that II the Democrats would re-
frain from fusing with Populists, the
Sound Money element would endorse
Watts.
..They, Of course, knew Watts, is as
much for sound money as for free silver.
..The Democrats tried TO practice de-
ception and trickery on us. They ap-
parently stopped short Of nothing to
force orallure us with fusion. We went
to Clarksburg in good faith. We went
there to live up to an agreement. When
we saw how we were being treated by
the committee several OF our committee
mere % in earnest andso hurt that tears
came to their eyes.
1--WE kept our faith and offered many
concessions, provided they would with.
draw Watts, whom we couldn't support,
nnder any consideration.
1--WE have now taken stand. The
Democrats have tried to betray and
shamefully deceive us. We have put
out straight ticket and will make q
vigorous fight. General RalphsnJ der
acted manly in his withdrawal. He
stated publicly that he will work earn.
estly for the ticket.
ALREADY it has been stated that our
committee was influenced in its firm
course against unconditional surrender,
by Republican DOODLE
Every word of such statement is
false. No member Of the committee was
approached by any Republican
"Those who were present at Clarks-
burg advised us openly to keep In the
middle of the road
"our committee acted from prin-