The record-union., 1896-07-29
INDIANA POPULISTS
Vote Down a Resolution to Fuse With
the Democrats.

INDIANAPOLIS, July 2S-The eff
forts of the Indiana Democratic leaders
to induce the State Populist Convention
held to-day to fuse on the Democratic
ticket were defeated by an overwhelm-
ing majority. While only $50 delegates
were present out of !, 400 expected, it
was arranged in some manner so that
votes were cast for the absent ones.
When the convention was called to
order this morning N. T. Butts was
made temporary Chairman, and after
the appointment of committees a recess
was taken.
On reassembling in the afternoon Mr.
Landers an Indianapolis Democrat, was
recognized and made a speech saying
that if the Populists would indorse the
Democratic ticket they would be given
representation on the legislative ticket
and this would insure a free silver SEN
ator from Indiana
After Mr.. Landers had finished the
permanent Chairman, Dr. Motsinger
said he did not consider it wise for the
Populists to allow their party to be
swallowed UP by the Democrats or any
other political body and urged a sep
arate ticket.
After much discussion Delegate Walt
ers of Clinton County read a dispatch
referring to the Tennessee Populist
Convention, and moved that a message
be sent to the Tennessee Populists say
ing that Indiana indorses the work of
the st. Louis Convention and the nom
inees named there.
Great confusion followed but Walters
motion carried-9S9 to 397 This was a
great victory for ''the middle of the
road
Chairman Motsinger thanked the con-
vention and said: There are enough
Populists here to snow under all the
fusionists in Christendom.'
The platform was then read and
adopted with practical unanimity.
1t reaffirms devotion to the essential
principles of the national platforms of
1892 and 1896, declares that our ma
tional affairs have reached crisis
theatening the life of the Republic, and
says the contraction of the national cur
rency is the principal cause of financial
ills. The unrestricted coinage of both
gold and silver is demanded on equal
terms, at the present legal ratio of IS
to /, without waiting for the consent
or concurrent action of foreign powers;
also, the indiscriminate use of
both the metals in paying the Govern
ment obligations which by law are pay
able in coin. Government ownership of
railroads, telegraph and telephone lines
is favored and an amendment to the
Constitution granting the privilege of
direct legislation through the initiative
and referendum
The platform concludes with the dec
laration that "the Peoples party of In
diana is emphatically in favor of main
tanning it's organization, national, State
and local"
The State ticket is named as follows:
Governor Thomas A. Wadsworth; Lieu
|tenant-Governor, A. P. Hanna; Secre-
tary of State, Silas M. Holcomb Aud
itor. S. NJ. Jennings; Attorney General,
d. H. Fernandez.
It was II o'clock tonight when the
convention took up the question of what
it should do about Presidential Electors
A J. Johnson offered a resolution that
the convention appoint a committee
composed of one from each district
clothed with full power to act for the
party. A. J. Johnson was one of the
leaders of the middle of the-road" fac
ton, and it was supposed that this
would go through without friction. ].
JNewbern offered substitute doubling
the size of the committee, and giving it
full power in arranging fusion of
Electors, filling vacancies on State
tickets and fusing on Congressional
and legislative tickets.
Then a wrangle started, which lasted
until l O'Clock. 1t was ended by the
adoption of Johnson's motion referring
the matter of Electors to a committee
Cf thirteen with power to act.