Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-08-20
SPLITS AND FIGHTS
Confusion Without Fusion in Alabama
Politics.
GOLD DEMOCRATS ARE ACTIVE
The PopuIists Utterly at Loss What
to Do.
D L q N
PUBLICAN FACTION
of The Evening Star.

Correspondence of The Evening Star.
BIRMINGHAM. Ala. August II. 1895.
Now that the excitement from the recent
state election Is over political lines for the
Ms tional contest are being rapidly formed
in Alabama. Conditions will be entirely dlf-
fe rent In the national fight from what they
were in the state campaign. The latter
WIS q contest between a united democracy
on one side against the combined forces Of
'pcpulisn and republicanism. 1t resulted In
a substantial victory for the democrats.
But no sooner was the election over than
the democracy began to split. just what
the rupture VIII amount to cannot now
be said, but 1t promises to be much more
serious than the party leaders seem to
think OF couI Sc. 1t grows out OF the oppo-
sition among sound money democrats 10
the Chicago platform These sound money
democrats would take no action until VIC
tory had been secured for the state tlcKet
and they did all that was in their power
TO bring about that victory, for they re-
garded that democratic safety at home was
the first thing to be desired. But with that
n after settled they began to turn their at
tentlon to national affairs The first step
taken In Montgomery. where a large
SC und money club was formed and the
Chicago platform denounced Then dele
gate was sent to the Indianapolis confer
ence to let it be known there that Alabama
was in the sound money movement Upon
that conference calling a national conven-
ton. new life was given to the movement
In this state, and last Monday night big
sound money clubs were formed In BIZ
mingham and Eufa uia- The club here has
a membership Of about 100, among whom
are nearly all the leading business and pro-
fessional men OF this city.
A call has been issued for county mass
meetings of sound money democrats who
are opposed to the Chicago PLATFORM to be
held on the 9th, for the purpose of select
Ing delegates to a state convention. which
has been called to meet in Montgomery the
eth instant for the purpose of naming del
eEates to the indianapolis convention and
expressing its sentiments with reference to
the Chicago platform. The democratic
primaries last April showed the sound
money democrats in Alabama to be Go, go
strong IT is quite certain that a very large
numoer " II be found supporting the Indian
apolis noEnnee- It looks If the move
ment will ne stronger in this state than IN
any Of the other gulf states. with the pos
sible exception of Texas.
PopuIists Waiver.
Just what acton the Alabama populists
VIII take in the national contest has not
yet been outlined. The party was so badly
crushed at the recent state election that its
leaders do not seem to know just what TO
do They acknowledge their defeat at last.
and have ceased to cry fraud. since it has
been demonstrated that the democratic
state ticket has a majority outside of the
black counties. where the populists have
heretofore charged that wholesale frauds
we're perpetrated. The fac. that the demo-
Gratis have adopted the essential principles
Of the popul:st platform has caused very
many popui.sts to come back to the demo-
cratic party. while at the same time it has
probably driven out more democrats from
the organize ton than populists who have
come In. TIL, result of this has been not
only to crush the populists at the recent
state election. but 1t has left the populist
organization on what seems to be its last
legs 1t vas expected that ere now the
populist state committee would have been
called together to outline a course of
ton, but 1t has not There is no populist
electoral ticket in the field nor has any
thing been done officially to indicate which
way the populist organiZa ton will throw
it's influence There is a difference of opin-
ion among populist leaders as to what
should be done One element favors in
dorsement of Bryan and Sewall, while an
other wants a straight populist electoral
ticket for Bryan and Watson named There
are others still who would not object to
fus.ng with the republicans On Mckinley
cleo toral ticket. In the light OF this mix
ture the populist machine stands still, and
and put out no ticket. but will leave the
members Of the party to vote as they see
fit
Republican Split.
With all this mixture In populist affairs,
the republicans Of Alabama are confronted
by a new and what may prove to be a seri-
Gus trouble DR.. R. A. Moseley, for years
republican state chairman and the ruling
spirit IN the affairs of that party In this
state, Is about to bolt the state machine.
1t will De recalled that last winter when a
bitter fight sprang UP in Alabama between
the Mckinley and anti-McKinley forces,
Dr. Moseley was the leader Of the ants,
and did all he could to give the delegation
of this state to Reed. At St Louis the Nc
Kinley cCntesting delegates were seated.
Dr. Moseley claims that the Vaughan or
Mckinley committee. recognized at ST.
Louis, has exceeded its authority. and he
has called lis old committee to meet Sep
TENDER 3 to reorganize and set up as the
regular committee. 1t is said that it will
also put out separate electoral ticket for
Mckinley and Hobart Moseley has a
strong hold on the negroes. and may be
able to give the Vaughan managers much
trouble. E. p 8.