The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1896-11-17

whether it was endorsed by the Popu-
lists Or not, the Middle ot-the road fac.
ton met in caucus AID determined TO
put forth a straight PopulisG ticket.
Twenty one States were represented in
this caucus. 1t selected Hon. s. T.
Norton, of Illinois, and Hon. Frank
Burkitt, Of Mississippi, as the Middle.
of the, road nominees for President and
Vice-President, respectfully. Had these
gentlemen been nominated by the Mid
die of t6e-road men of the convention,
I do not hesitate to say that they would
have received my hearty support as
against the Chicago ticket of the Dem,
ocratic party.
But I was ignorant of the action of
the caucus, and did not learn the facts
till after the convention adjourned. I
was asked to allow the use of my name
to harmonic all the differences which
existed in the convention, and con
scented upon that express condition.
| Therefore, the names Of Messrs Norton
and Burkitt we're not presented and
the nomination of the Bryan and Wat
son ticket then followed, it being I'm
derstood that if the Popul;sts accepted
the Democratic nominee, the Demo
| Gratis would accept the nominee OF the
Populists.
There is 20 doubt that among the
voters Of tbs Democratic party, South
and West, there was an earnest desire
| that the Populists should be met half
way. The people wished for union
among the advocates of silver, and
they felt that union could not be &C
complished by demanding an AFFECT
surrender at the hands Of the Popullsts.
The leaders of the Democratic party,
however, having secured PopuIist e.
dorsement of Mr.. Bryan by direct vote
in the convention, determined to secure
it for Mr.. Sewall also, and for this pur-
poe they have resorted to the policy
Of fusion.
Instead Of meeting the Populists
half way, the Democratic managers
have demanded that we furnish all the
patriotism which the occasion requires;
and they not only refuse to make any
concessions at all, but they treat with
public insult the party whose votes are
necessary to Democratic success In
other words. PopuliSm is allowed to
furnish all the campaign principles, ell
the self sacrifice and patriotism, and
the two million votes which the Demo
Gratis need, but they are not to be
allowed to furnish a candidate for
either place on the ticket.
In view OF this unpatri0tic conduct
go selfish that it defeats its own ambi
ton, it is to be regretted that the Pop
ulists, at their National Convention,
did not nominate a straight Populist
ticket. Ny judgment was against the
fusion movement at the time, and cub
sequent events have confirmed me in
that opinion.
By listening to the overtures Of Dem
ocratic managers, our party has been
torn into factions, our leaders deceived
and ensnared, and the cause we repre-,
sent permanently endangered, il not
lost. The labor of many years is swept
away, and the hopes of thousands of
good people are gone with it.
Instead of finding that u nomina
ton of Mr.. Bryan at St. Louis has led
to a compromise ticket, we see that it
has brought US to an unconditional
surrender, OF q fight.
All Populists are expected to vote for
Mr.. Bryan, but no Democrat feels
bound to vote for Mr.. Watson.
Ali Popnlists are expected to vote
for Mr.. Bryan because he is their nomi-
nee, but they are not expected to vote
for Mr.. Watson, although he is like
wise their nominee. The logic which
carries the Populist vote to Mr.. Bryan
seems to exhaust itself before it reaches
Watson. And yet the Popu!ist Con
vention refused to nominate Bryan IN
til Watson had been nominated. This
would seem to indicate that Watson
was at least as strong in the Populist
Convention as Bryan was.
The Democratic managers, however,
not only claim the Populist vote for
Mr.. Bryan, who is our nominee, but
they claim it also, for Mr.. Sewall, who
is not cur nominee, and who was over
whelmingly rejected when offered to
the St. Louis convention.
Personally, there has been no dispo
sition to find fault with Mr.. Sewall, but
the issue at stake is a public one, and
we Populists have felt quite at liberty