Semi=weekly graphic., 1896-10-14
.sFU8I0N AND C0NFUSI0N'

T C tod 01f IAN AI COAN 4 C b9a G4ts
 The Arkansas Demoera is Yehem- ently opposed to fusion with the
 Populists on electors in this State, and the action of the State Central Committee in giving the Popu9ists three electors has aroused it's bitter protest. Under the above caption
 the Democrat says
 The Democratic State Central Committee have seen it proper to enter into fusion arrangement
 with the Populist committee by
 which tbrec Democratic presiden-
 tial electors are to be retired and
 their places filled by three electors from the Popnlist ticket. The Pop
 ulist ticket is to be taken down. The new electoral ticket is tive-eighths Democratic and three-eighths Pop ulist. The new ticket will support Bryan for president, and that is all
 we know, since on entering into the fusion no conditions as to the can didate for the vice-presidency We're demanded or even suggested. Ibe Democrat protests against this all lance for the following reasons: There is no warrant of authority for it in party law or precedent. No authority to make such fusion
 was granted by the Democratic State Convention, or by the Demo cratic electors, and no such action was contemplated by the conven- tion. The committee have the same right to remove a Democratic nomi- nee for governor or a nominee for congress, that they have to dis place nominee for presidential elector. They have as much right to meet next week and remove two Of the fusion ticket and substitute for them the names of II. L. Rem mel and Henry M. Cooper, as they had to displace Jefferson Davis, j.. T. Robinson and H. P Smead, to make room for Messrs. Sovereign, Arnold and Tanner The fusion effected involves the possible and probable defeat of Arthur Sewall, the Democratic nominee for the vice-presideney, and the election Of either Watson or Hobart. Every Democrat in Arkansas is as fully committed to the support of Sewall as he is to Bryan, and any arrange ments which might resultin the de feat of the former by the Democrats would be a betrayal of the ticket and breach of party faith, which can not be defended or justified.
 If Sewall is not nominated, said Mr. Bryan in a telegram to Senator Jones at St. Louis. with draw my name from the convention. The same honor and good faith that i'm peled Mr. Bryan to stand by his associate should govern every Dem oerat today.
 It is a blending of inharmonious and discordant elements in politics for temporary success, or the prom ise Of it, which ought to find ne place with Democracy. It is an m- natural alliance, out of which no good can come. In 1872, the Dem
 ooracy formed an unnatural alliance with the Liberal Republicans in order to beat Grant We all know what became of it. Itis asking too much of an Arkansas Democrat to ask him to support Populists who.
 as allies, have been cast off by the Republicans. It is a ching unpre- cedented and utterly indefensible for Democrats to put up aa electoral
 ticket which may be means a Of de.
 feating one of their nominees. The
 Democrat is pledged to the sup port of Bryan and Sewall. It is in honor bound to support them as the nominees of its party. 1t will not support the Populists on the elee toral ticket, because that involves
 the betrayal of Sewall and the prob able election of Hobart We do not question the sincerity or the motives of the gentlemen who have brought about this fusion. Their intentions are good, but the policy they advocate means ruin to the Dpmocratip DartV