The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-07-29
Selection of Electoral Ticket Post
Democracy May BE Completed.
FULL STATE TICKET NAMED
THOMAS wADSwORTH, Oh DAVIES
COUNTY, FOR GOVERNOR.
Scheme of Matthews and Shively to
cratic State Ticket Falls Through.

IA A0AoA u "a NNO $500
State convention of the party since the st.
louis gathering. naturally attracted much
attention. Upon it devolved the important
duty of taking the first step and deciding
whether the party. should permit itself to
be blotted out completely. swallowed up by
the Democratic party and its organization
disrupted, or should make an effort TO pre-
serve its identity.
1t took the latter course. 1t was harassed
with the schemes of Democratic politicians
anxious TO completely dissipate the party;
il was advised and even threatened by
some of its own most prominent leaders;
ii was appealed to upon emotional grounds,
and it was torn with differences of opinion
as to methods. The rank and file OF the
| party came to the convention earnest in
their intention to preserve their party, TO
compel the Democracy to tote fair" in
the alliance on the presidential question
and to demand full recognition of the won
derful feat the Populist party has accom-
plished in compelling the Democracy to
come to it upon Bonded knees.
The Democrats, both in secret confer
ences with the leaders and upon the open
floor of the convention. offered a division
of the legislative ticket if the Populists
would only adjourn without making any
nominations. but the plan did not work.
The convention adopted a Populist plat
form, nominated a Populist State ticket
and left open the way for fusion on the
question of electors. Thus all the schem-
ing Of Governor Matthews, Mr.. Shively and
the rest of the silver Democrats to obtain
an Endorsement of their State ticket came
to naught. and Mr.. Shively probably
wishes he had let his interview in yester-
days Journal, in which he declared that
it was not of much Importance what the
convention did. stand without endeavoring
to give the impression that he was mis-
quoted, and thus put himself I'm the atti-
tude of being afraid he had offended the
people who turned him down. And right
here it is proper TO say that Mr.. Shively
was quoted with entire correctness in this
paper and he VIII hardly undertake to say
otherwise over his own signature.
The convention leaves a sore spot in
Marion county, where the leaders were de-
terrnined TO swallow the Democratic tick
ct. They were defeated and Shepherd
slipped out of the convention in disgust.
The struggle 10 nominate a straight ticket
and keep in the middle Of the road last
ed all day and nearly all night. but when
it was over there was "a fair amount of
harmony and the convention adjourned in
fairly good humoi.
In the excitement of the late hours last
night and the consequent nervousness from
loss of sleep. the Populists became very
careless and gave away all the secrets of
the deal in st. Louis whereby the Demo-
Gratis agreed to simply pull down Mr.. Sew
all and accept the nominee of the Pppu-
lists If they would indorse Bryan for the
head of the ticket. AS told by Alonzo
Burkhart, of Upton, for the purpose Of
swaying the convention on the question of
selecting electors, it would sound very
strange in the ears of Mr.. Sewail. The
secrets came out in the long discussion that
followed an effort of the middle-of-the-
readers to squelch the resolution of the
others to select a which should
nave full power to confer with the Demo-
cratic party and then either indorse the
Democratic nominees for electors or select
a ticket for the Populists. The resolution.
as first offered. was very simple, authoriz-
ing the selection of a committee which
should nave full power in the matter of
naming the electors. This was not entirely
satisfactory to many of those who really
wanted to see the deal with Democracy
go through. and the following resolution
was offered as "a substitutes:
Resolved, That each congressional dis
trict select one man TO cooperate with the
State central committee and four at large
be selected also by this convention and in
vested with Dlenary power to confer with
the Democratic central committee with Il
view of effecting an arrangement between
the two parties on the subject of electors,
filling vacancies on the State ticket, con-
gresSional or legislative, to the end that
we secure the most perfect victory for our
principles in the overthrow of the Repub-
ltcan party and the present gold standard"
THE ST. LOUIS DEAL.
1t was this resolution that caused all the
trouble and brought forth the secrets of
the party. In the first place d. H.. Fer
handles. of Anderson. member of the ma
tional committee from this State, told some
things that were not proper out of school,
but it remained for Alonzo Burkhart, of
Upton. to reveal the entire scheme and lay
bare the deal by which Sewall is to be
pulled off the Democratic ticket and Wat
son Endorsed. Burkhart was a candidate
for Congress two years ago and is a leader
among the ~lndi2na Populists- In speaking
on this resolution, he said ii was now the
duty of the party in this State to accept
the conditions of the trade made at ST.
Louis and indorse the nominees of the
Democratic party in this State for electors.
Why said he, this trade was among
the biggest men in the Nation-the men
highest up in the Democratic and Populist
parties. 1t soon became apparent that the
men could prevent the
Endorsement of Bryan. but that they could
not dictate the policy of the convention.
1t was perfectly apparent that while we
could do nothing, we could prevent the
others from simply indorsing the nominees
of the Chicago convention. 1t was then
that this big trade was made. 1t was
agreed that we should name the second
man on the ticket If we would allow the
others TO indorse Bryan. In this way il
was practically decided that the ticket TO
be voted for should be Bryan and WATSON
In his great excitement Burkhart was
careful enough that he did not make the
open statement that the Democrats in this
bargain had agreed that Sewall should
come off the ticket. but he made the state
ment in a guarded manner which led all
present TO fully understand that that was
precisely what he meant. This is the way
his statements were accepted and under
stood by those present and the way he evil
IDENTIFY intended they should be.
d. II. Fernandes. of Anderson. the newly
elected member of the national committee
Tor this State, was not so guarded in his
but he did not state ANYTHING
as a fact. He told il in the manner that a
lawyer puts a hypothetical question TO a
witness.
Now suppose said he in his argument
for the resolution, that the national COM
mittee had an agreement with the Demo-
cratic something like this: In
and have the better chance 10 carry the
State they are 10 select the electors and
the Democrats are to fndorse them. and
in all States where the Democrats have
the better chance for success they are to
select the electors and the POpulists are
to indorSc them. Now we will just suppose
lor "A moment that such agreement exists.
Then after the election and before the
time for the Electoral College 10 meet all
delegates elected by the Democrats and
P0nIItEfE are 70 panAr 2 nnRra -