The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-10-21
FUSION SCHEME A FAILURE.
GEORGIA DEMOCRATS REJECT THE
TERMS OF THE POPULIsTs.

The Demand That They Vote For
watson Instead of SewaH "a PrOpO-
sitiOn Not to BE Entertained For a
MOmeut-COmmittee Clark
howell Explains That Chairman
Jones Thought a Division of EIec-
tors Was All the POpuIists Asked.
The Triumvirate That Visited
thomson a Little Premature.
Atlanta, Ca, Oct. 2O.-The rebound of
the recent pilgrimage of democratic cleo
tots. etc. to the home of Hon. Thomas
watson took place to-day. And" in the
language of the popular slang of the day,
a+be blow almost killed father"
me father referred to is, of course, capt.
p. Howell, in conjunction with Col. j.
w Robertson and Judge John ]. Hunt.
These three gentlemen recently conceived
tho brilliant idea that it would be guar
antee of Bryans election if Watson could
he so pacifed by concessions in Georgia
hat if would induce him to exert his in
4nence with his followers in the west, who
are now threatening to bolt the demo-
oro+c candidate and help to elect McKin-
lev because of the manner in which the
nonuJist candidate has been treated at the
hands of the democrats and the populist
leaders.
without saying a word to anybody else,
cant Howell, Col Robertson and Judge
t4pnt betook themselves to Mr. Watson's
home last week. They did not divulge
heir nlans to any one not even the au-
oF fIaA
state but with view to monopolizing all
the glory of bringing about Iusloh Indt
1rouId SO tickle Mr.. Watson that ne would
fairIv tear his shirt in his frantic desire
~ line lIp his disgruntled followers in the
Ueet for BRYAN. they sought him at his
home and there laid their propositions be-
fore him. -.
these gentlemen had little doubt thai
thew could deliver the goods if they could
only make the proper arrangements with
the populist candidate. They confidently
imagined that all they would have to do
would he to say that the state committee
ouehf to do so and so, and it would be
done. e..
orable word from Senator Jones, the ma
tional chairman. would bring about the
desired result, and to provide against any
possible miscarriage of their own person.
al influence, they had his card up their
sleeves: or rather Clarke Howell, the ma
tional committeeman for Georgia, mad IL
He had come direct from Chicago as the
representative of the will of Chairman
Jones, and was ready to advocate fusion
in that gentlemans name, if the condi-
tons had been found favorable.
But when the committeeman and the
congressional candidates and electors, who
had been invited to be present at the meet
ing of the state committee began to gath
er here this morning, it soon became ap-
parent that there was trouble in the air
for the fusion schemerS.
To man, the committeeman and the
congressional candidates were opposed 20
any temporizing with the populist BROTH
ID er. They could not be made to see what
argument ther was in favor of it at all,
and were so vociferous in their denuncia-
lions of the scheme, that it was dead be-
fore the committee was called to order by
Chairman Steve Clay.
Like the gentlemen who projected the
plan for dividing electors with Watson,
the committeeman at first did not stop
even to consider that they did not have
the shadow of authority to enter into any
such arrangement, but in their excitement
they seemed to think that there was a
possibility that such a deal might be con-
summated Some of the more delibera-e,
however, reflected that the state
committee could not take down
any democratic electors if it
so minded and substitute popu-
lists, and they wondered what the pro-
Jectors Of the scheme were thinking about
"hen they embarked on such a mission,
ana even if a half dozen electors couid
nave been induced to resign, and also their
pug others in their places, the new cleo
aternates, while the committee might
tors would have been bound by the in
sructions of the state convention, and
VoulQ not support Watson, the populist
"a rnCnlt
the same.
III the committee meeting so unani-
mously did the members dissent from the
programme that had been mapped out for
tnem that no effort was made at all to Sc
cure a fusion, but ON the other hand, the
qstWhtle promoters Of the scheme got
a9o2ld the democratic wagon and declar-
WUl W lhey'd be darned if they'd ever give
watson single elector.
lark Howell representing Chairman
zones, told the committee that the ma
Hohai chairman and he himself had been
aoorlng under a mistaken idea of what
u'e popuhsts had asked He thought that
nley wanted only a division of the cleo
"Is, and such an arrangement as that
would nave been regarded by national
neadquarters as a good move. But since
IL appeared from the resolutions present
e' oy the populist state committee that
1ney not only wanted a division of the
"a
vote tor Bryan ana watson IN
me college, sreaking for the national
"mmittee, Mr.. Howell said that
ulat was out Of the question.
uoV. Atkinson played his fine Italian
HaHd IN the game. He was booked to leave
or me west several days ago, but ne
@ueht wind of the scheme to divide
tcors with the populists and gave up his
Up 10 the west to puncture it. He had
no. been consulted about it by the pill
Suns who went to Thomson last week,
elu ne felt somewhat sighted, and there
o'e doubly determined to knock the
Nene in the head. He accordingly took
I HeId this morning in person, and as
NV committeeman arrived he made the
% %L ana they promptly began to whet
TgH 'omahawSs for the fusion schemers.
Use gentlemen had studiously kept him
'Shorance of their plans, although he
eU TO get their confidence in the out
o,G ana the governor is consequently
9r'le elated over the result of his own
progress tonight.
resolution adopted by the commit
M. IeJectlng the proposition Of the popu-
NJ, Committee is as follows: