Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-07-24
POPULIST SCARE
Complications That May Occur in the
Electoral College.
What Many Democrats Fear-May Be
Rebellion Against Bryan's Rum
ming Mate-Balance Of Power.

Whatever comes out Of the confusion at
st. Louis will probably result in complica-
tions later. This is the feeling of many
democrats who are following closely the
queer doings Of the queer assemblage now
absorbing the interest Of the politicians of
the country.
These complications, it is feared, may af-
feet the result in the electoral college
should the vote there be close and should
the populist electors hold the balance OF
power. as may be the case. A strange
phase of the political situation Is that sus-
picion is already being thrown around the
electoral college. Never in the history of
the country has an elector changed from
the candidate of his party or been induced
to go astray. The feeling of suspicion IN
all sides is directed to this institution for
the first time. in view Of the events which
may take place. Outside Of the question
of what the populist electors may do, the
democrats are growing suspicious of men
VINO have been put up in the various states
to represent them. In Florida, for exam
pie, the -FOUR electors named by the demo-
cratic state convention are gold men, The
silver democrats OF the state are raising
commotion about the matter, and many of
them are demanding the substitution of
men who are beyond doubt for the white
metal and for Bryan.
The PopuIist Scare.
The scare as to what the popuists may
do arises from several things. Should the
ST. Louis convention nominate Bryan and
then nominate a populst for Vice Presi-
dent, as is thought probable by some, and
should Bryan consent to let this arrange
ment stand. In the hope that it would not
In the end affect his running mate, there
Is no telling. it is said, what might happen.
After this is done, the populists will de-
mand, and will get, fusion on the cleo
toral tickets in the west. In Nebraska and
Kansas, for instance, at least half of the
Bryan electoral tickets will be composed of
pcpuilsts In California, Colorado and all
the other western states the populiSts will
have representation. If every western state
should elect fusion tickets, as the silver
men claim they will, that would give the
populists strong vote in the electoral col
iege 1T might give them the balance of
power between the parties. While they
would vote for Bryan for President they
might rebel against Sewall for Vice Presi-
cent and want to support the man put out
their hands which would force the demo-
Gratis to do what they wanted
A slight fright is also occasioned when
the thought OF the nomination Of both Bry-
The nomination of Sewai will be made
wrh many reservations, and there would
be no telling what might happen even
then.
While the silver democrats declare that
Bryan will be elected, there is not much
prospect. 1t is tho ught, that he will be
elected In the electoral college by actual
democratic votes. Should Bryan carry the
western states. the democrats claim he
would not have q majority of bona fide
democrats in the college He will be elect
ed by the fact that a majority Of the men
in the college are for silver and will sup
port him On that ground.
The boiling silver republicans will he
represented on nearly every ticket in the
west. In other words, the electoral tickets
VIII be composite of the various silver
elements. They will, of course, be voted
Tor as Bryan men, and to all intents and
purposes may be as much for BRYAN as a
ticket composed wholly of democrats but
this causes fears which many rabid silver
ties have. that silver man can never be
President of the country. They suspect
everything and everybody, and see spooks
many months in advance
In Line With Populfst Policy.
1t is argued that 1t would be in line with
populist policy for populist electors to
make trouble in the electoral college They
would be in position there to make de-
mands which the democrats might not feel
called upon to ignore. These demands
might be made on tho ground that the pop
ulist party must be kept from becoming
extinct by having the Vice President, and
showing its power in this way. It's a re-
mote matter for conjecture, but a great
deal of conjecture is being INDUCED in
Besides what may be regarded as shallow
fears Of the foregoing description is the
more probable trouble of arranging for
fusion electoral tickets to suit the nonu-
lists.
Altogether, some democrats see a hard
and stumpy road ahead for Bryan before
he can become President. They firmly be-
hot hn will
think that result will be attained only af-
ter lots Of trouble.