Evening star., 1896-09-28
WATSON IGNORED
Effect Of Sewall's Retention on the
Popuists.
BATEMAN PREDICTS BRYAE'S DEFEAT
Claim That German and Hill Con-
troll Bryan.
LAUNDERING CAMPAIGN

Special Dispatch TO The Evening Star
LEWISTON, Me-, September es-Editor
Bateman, recently the populist candidate
for governor of Maine, was seen last even
ing by The Star correspondent and asked
Ills opinion Of Arthur Sewalrs statement I'm
Boston Friday evening that he should re-
main on the democratic ticket until the
November election. Mr.. Bateman said:
1T seems almost unnecessary 10 make
any further statements in regard to this
matter. My opinions are pretty well known
new. Personally. / have nothing against
the gentleman in question. This is not a
matter fer personalities. 1 have from the
first taken the broad ground that Arthur
Sewall is an unfit and illogical Candidate
Tor movement of this nature. The prime
OBJECT OF the sircere leaders of this reform
has been to elect w. ]. Bryan At the st.
Louis convention the friends of Bryan were
extremely anxious to secure our indorse-
ment for their candidate Finding that IA
was utterly impossible TO obtain this result
Unless the democrats would agree TO give
US the vice presidency, the promise TO that
effect was granted 1t was so understood
by all the delegates. On that assurance no
hght was made against Bryan, and scores
ci middie-of-the-rcad men voted for him.
Watson Ignored.
From the moment that his nomination
vas made by our convention every effort
has been made by the democratic managers
to evade their part of the contract. Bryan
himself has studiously avoided us In every
way. Our nominee has been completely
ignored by him. We are now convinced
that We have been made the victims OF a
grand bunco game. Senator Allen has be-
trayed us and Will be repaid by the demo-
Gratis returning him to the Senate. General
Weaver. II is said, is slated for Secretary
of the Interior. In this way our trusted
national leaders have sold us out to tho
democrats. II is one thing for these men
to play the part OF traitors, but quite a
different matter for them to deliver the
goods The rank and file refuse to be he
trayed into the camp of the enemy. But I
believe that there are Ear abier men who
are back Of all these movements. These
men are German, Hill and other democratic
leaders of that stripe. At heart they are
gold men and are secretly plotting the ruin
of Bryan. Il was men of that class who
secured the nomination of Sewall. They
were determined to have one man on the
ticket whom tlty could control Then, IL
the ticket was elected, he might become an
important factor in the struggle that was
certain to follow.
POpulfst Detection.
You ask me what the effect of thi. will
be. Well, if you will take the trouble to
look over my exchanges from all over the
country you see for yourself. / am
satisfied that this move of Mr. Bryan's is
the most terrible blunder of this blunder-
ing campaign. 1t seems almost incredible
that any man of political judgment could
have committed SO grave an error.
1T will turn thousands of men away from
Bryan who yesterday were disposed to he
his friends. Adulation is not the Sest
school to obtain wisdom. The men who
are looking for office will shout in his ears,
but it is ballots that Will count In No
vember. -Four weeks ago believed that
hc l-nr he a1a Ia,r II
very much. Besides / doubt very much
that any reform would even follow his
election. With such men German and
Hill In charge what must We expect? View
this matter in any light you may and IL
looks as though it will end in disappoint-
ment and disaster. We all know the
character of the men who are shouting the
loudest for Bryan here In Maine. They
need no description from me. Ii is the
same old gang of place-hunters that have
kept the democratic party In hopeless
ton shows how much they are respected
here. Bryan might have seen this had
he been SO disposed.
Nightmare of Fusion.
But he is infatuated with the idea that
he can safely ignore popular sentiment. He
is now receiving the plaudits of these men,
but November will tell how much these
plaudits are worth Personally, 1 believe
Mr.. Bryan to be an honest man, but these
recent events have led me TO mistrust his
judgment. He has selected his own COM
panlons: he must now abide the result.
Populists a rule Will refuse to support
him, and without their support i fail TO
see how he can be elected. They are
fighting for principle and to uphold
that principle they will fight to The end.
They can afford to be defeated, hut they
cannot afford to sacrifice their consistency
and their honor. After this ill-starred
campaign is over we shall reorganize our
forces and continue the agitation of
this great reform of the currency. This
nightmare of fusion will soon pass away
and a brighter day for humanity will
dawn"