Evening star., 1896-10-28
BATEMAN ON FUSION
The Populist Candidate for Governor In Maine
Explains His Opposition.
Arraigns the Leaders for the Com
binatiOns Made With the Demo-
Gratis in the Various States.
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.


LEWISTON, Me-, October 90, 1896.
There was an effort made this year
to unite the populists and the demo-
Gratis. but it was rot a success. The idea
was opposed by L. c. Bateman, the popu-
list candidate for governor, and who is
abou- the only real leader that party has
in Maine. He has opposed fusion In any
form, and under all circumstances. As
delegate to the national populist conven-
ton at st. Louis he opposed the nominal
tion of Arthur SewalI and fought with
yigor and effect for Tom Watson. The
Star correspondent asked Mr.. Bateman
why he continues his opposition to fusion
when his course has direct tendency to
defeat the election of bryan. Mr.. Bateman
said:
You ask me why 1 am so bitterly op
posed TO the fusion deals that are now go
ing on all over the country, with the excep-
ton of Maine and one or two other states
/ will tell you. / have gone through the
fusion furnace once and know only too
we'll what 1t means. In old greenback days
We rolled up vote of 10000 for our ticket
the first year. We stood on principle then.
In two more years We would have swept
the state and carried all before US. But
the pie hunters couldn't walt. The demo-
Gratis. headed by Arthur Sewal. put up
job to fuse and thus seize the offices.
1T soon became a wild craze. Every man
wanted to get to the dough dish as quickly
possible. Principle was completely lost
sight of in the mad rush. The democrats
nominated a bank cashier for Congress in
Tom Reeds district and a greenback con-
yeation promptly indorsed him. And yet
they Were supposed to be party expressly
formed to destroy national banks. The re-
suit could be easily foreseen. Decent men
Were completely dsgusted. The greenback
party was completely ruined and the repub
lieaas, reeking with corruption, again took
command. From that day to this our peo-
pie have been suspicious of new parties.
"A few of US have labored in season and
out to convince them that the coming re-
form party would steer clear of fusion with
the rotten hulk of democracy After years
of devoted sacrifice the people were begin
ming to gain confidence and were beginning
to be ready to join the peoples party. Now
comes the same old story-fusion. Maine
would surely have gone for a ticket headed
by Bryan and Watson. 1t was all right for
us to nominate Bryan If his name could
have been associated with that of Tom
Watson. But it soon became evident that
another bunco game had been put up. Sew
all was not withdrawn, according to the st.
Louis contract. The democrats took especial
pains to say that under no circumstances
whatever would he be withdrawn. They
thought the deal had been made and
that it was so strong that Bryan would be
elected any way and that the peoples party
would be destroyed This would have been
the case if our leaders had represented the
true sentiments of the party. But the
cloven foot was shown too soon. The popu-
lists thinking men, and neither to be
stampeded nor sold like cattle by few
men who happen to be acting for the time
being leaders.
Watson Ignored and Insulted.
1.-THE goods could not be delivered. If
Bryans campaign had been managed with
ary judgment the case might be different.
But no sooner was he nominated than he
Immediately threw himself into the arms
of class of men who represent nothing
but political corruption in its most odious
form. Bids and bats were thrown out
for such men and organizations as Hill,
Gorman and Taminany Hall. 1t was Civ en-
out that Sewall would not be withdrawn.
as the democrats had promised us. Tom
Watson was studicusly ignored and in
suited This was done to gain favor with
the plutocratic crowd which Sewall rep
resented. The first reply to this came from
the green hills of Vermont. Next Maine
spoke in thunder tones. An unhearG-Of ma
Jcrity was rolled up against the pie counter
crowd. SewalIs own ward was for the first
time carried by the republicans four 20
1T would have seemed that this lesson
would have caused the Bryan forces to
have called a halt. Not SO, however With
blind stupidity blunder after blundar was
committed Bryan was Immediately sent
1000 miles out of his way to hobnob with
the very man who had just been buried
beneath an avalanche of indignant votes
To conceive of a more fatal blunder would
seem impossible Then to cap the climax
he was hurried off to New York, where ne
tainted away in Tammany Hall while
praising the members of that corrupt gang
Just think of Bryan standing up and cor
graduating Tammany Hall on their great
patriotism and the noble work that they
were doing in the cause of humanity If
even sinks beneath the dignity of a farce.
Everybody knows that organization to he
the most corrupt gang that ever cut a
throat or scuttled ship. Right on the
heels of that blunder came the astounding
announcement that Boss Boodler German
mad taken full charge of the eastern end
OF the campaign. After this nothing was
TOO outrageous or ridiculous to believe
Fusion Immediately began to run riot.
Inc pie counter paUperS came to the trout
IN an directions 1t was a wild struggle.
with hog trough tactics. The few of us
who raised a note of warning were charged
with selling out to Hanna. Men who had
fought for principle through long years of
oDlofuy and abuse grew sick at heart De-
cent democrats themselves were disguised
Today the whole Bryan campaign has de-
generated into wild scramble for fusion
and once There Is no longer the slightest
principle connected with the whole move
ment- If Bryan should be elected the fl rht
over the loaves and fishes would be so fer
rifle as to disrupt the whole combina tion.
free coinage and all other reforms would
be completely lost sight of in the warfare
that would follow. The peoples party
would be ruined and reform set back for a
quarter of a century. The men who have
made this thing possible might have taken
a lesson from history. Trace the history
OF all reforms. and in not one single in
stance were they brought about by an Old
party 1usins with new one. In the coull-
tries of the old world they have been
brought about by revolution; in America
by new political parties. The vitality of
the prohibition party is due to the steady
refusal to fuse with any old party Its
growth has been slow. but 1t is solid and
enduring. N anu
The Mad Greed for ONCE.
with cause ten times as popular and
as just the peoples party could have af-
forded to have waited for another four
years. But the mad greed for office when
once started only gains by what it feeds
upon. Like the man-eating tiger that has