Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-07-21
FUSION UNLIKELY.
PopuIists Not inclined to Unite
on a Candidate.
EIDDLE-oF-THE-RoAD IN THE WAY.

Insists ON Conditions That the Bryan-In-
dorsement Men Cannot Accept - At
tempt at Compromise That Chairman
Jones Sat Upon Because 1t Involved the
Throwing Over of Sewall-Review of the
Events of a Day at st. Louis-Teller and
His Comrades Issue the Long Expected
Manifesto.
ST. LOUIS, July 2l.-The Populist situa-
ton does not crystalline rapidly. The
leaders are at war over the question of in
dorsing or nominating Bryan. Some, like
Ex-Governor Lewelling, Senator Allen (of
Nebraska), General John 3. Weaver, Cap
tain Reuben Kolb (of Alabama), big
lunged Tom Patterson and Governor
Waite (of Colorado), are earnestly striv-
ing for an Endorsement of the Chicago
ticket; Chairman Taubeneck, Ignatius
Donnelly, Senator Butler (of North Caro-
lina), Ex-Governor Buchanan (os Tennes-
see) and General Coxey want to indorse
Bryan under terms laid down by them,
while Cyclone" Davis (of Texas). Paul
Nandervort (of Nebraska), Colonel Frank
Burkett (of Mississippi) and Others want
to keep in ''thc middle of the road and
nominate an Independent ticket on an in
dependent platform
Each Faction Desires Autonomy.
Each faction asserts that it desires to
preserve the autonomy of the party org;in-
ization, and that its way is the way. Ship
wrecked hopes and bolt seem inevitable,
no matter Whist the ultimate outcome is.
The Bryan supporters claim to be the ma
| jority. They are well organized. Their
leaders are shrewd and sagacious-many
of them experienced politicians-in addi-
ton to which they have the open and ac-
tive support of the Silver party leaders,
whose convention is likely to be simply a
Bryan ratification meeting, and of SEN
| ator Jones, chairman of the Democratic
| national committee, who is here with his
lieutenants striving to this end. Their
strength spreads over the entire country
west Of the Missouri, where the cause of
silver is paramount.
stand of the Two Chief Factions.
Many of the delegates from this section
like Lewellirg, of Kansas. and Patterson
of Colorado, declare that if Bryan is moi
nominated or Endorsed here nine-tenths OF
the Populsts will support him and the
identity OF the Populist party in the wes
will be destroyed. The middle of-thC
road Populists are mostly from the south
where for several years, they say it ha:
been war to the knife and knife to thl
hilt' in their battle with the Democracy
and thcy have nailed their banner to I'll,
mast. They will have neither surrender
nor fusion. They have captured scatterin,
votes in the west and quitea number from
the Pacific coast. In California they claim
a majority of the delegation. They ar
extremely radical. Their headquarters al
the Laclcdc are constantly filed with
pushing, noisy mass Of people
Some 'AIiddle-of-the-R Read" Ideas.
The walls arc piacartlcd with NOTICE
and editorials from Populist papers de
handing the Reputation of the Chicag
ticket. and several orators are usuall
talking to the crowd at the same time
An irrcdeemable currency and direct legis
lation are proclaimed to be the founda
tons of their faith. The initiative an,
referendum scheme. which is to original
all legislation with the people and refer i
back to them for Endorsement, is the key
stone of their arch. I'VE want to do ava
= with the supreme court, that sits abov
/. the beopla," shouted one of their orators
"Thcn we will remonctiZe silver, hav
!, | government ownership of railroads an
J. telcgraphs, enact immigration and incolu
laws and crush the monopolics and trust:
( that have us by the throat"