Evening star., 1896-07-22
Trouble in Getting the Southern Vote
for Bryan.
WON'T FUSE With THE DEMOCRATS
Will Want a Division of the Elec-
toraI Vote.
NJ AY BE A 8 P L l L

have world of trouble In getting the
populist vo3 for Bryan-that is, the south
ern populist vote. The western poprlist
vote Is practically certainty, but 1T is the
southern members of the party who do not
surrender themselves with ease
The outlook Is that Chairman Jones Will
have several bushels Of worry should the
st. Louis convention in1orse Bryan and
Sewau or nominate them. The indorse-
ment of the democratic ticket would be
what the democrats want, but tina: is
hardly likely to be done. The most the
populists will do, if they do anything. it
seems, will be to nominate the democratic
ticket as their own.
Where This Will Bring Trouble.
A point that seems TO be overlooked is
that this course would not settle the mat
ter. The whole thing of arranging the
electoral ticket would be left open, and
Chairman Jones. who would naturally be
looked to to carry out the deals of this
kind for the democrats, would be confront
ed with dangerous problems.
The nomina ton of Bryan and Sewall at
st. Louis means that the populists will
either put out electoral tickets for these
candidates or will insist on a division of
the electoral tickets in nearly every state.
They will not support the electors put out
by the democrats, because that would be.
according to their idea, sacrificing their
party. IN Otner WORDS, putting IL TO sleep
for good. In all the southern states the
populists will demand representation on
the electoral tickets, and If this representa-
ton Is not given they will kick out of the
traces. They will demand this representa-
ton because they want enough electors in
the electoral college to have the credit of
holding the balance of power and electing
Bryan. This state Of affairs, they think,
would make them strong with the Presi-
dent and would put him under obligations
which he would be forced to acknowledge.
Would Southern States Do It1
The serious point about the difficulties
outlined is whether the democrats In many
southern states would consent to fusing on
the electoral vote. AS a rule these demo-
Gratis. despite their hearty support Of sill.
YER, have no more use for the populists
than they have for republicans. In fact
IroI1 the organization of the populst party
In the various southern states there has
been deep hatred of the popuist cause and
Its supporters. The democrats and popu-
lists have swaPped epithets, and in many
instances they have met in bloody conflict.
Ia!s state of affairs is well Illustrated in
Alabama There Is most intense feeling
between the democrats and populists in
that state.
There ara four southern states where the
popElists believe they are as strong as the
democrats. These states are North Caro-
lima, Georgia, Alabama and Texas These
states have large vote in the electoral
college,. They are the largest of the south
ern states. The pcpulsts feel able to hoe
thelr own row in these states. and if the
81 Louis convention nominateS Bryan and
Sewal thsy will demand that the electors
in those states be divided. Unless the SEN
tinient of the democrats changes they will
never consent to division of the electors
Many of them would prefer to see the ma
tlonal ticket sacrificed than to make the
slightest conces sions to the populists in
any way. They will say to the populists:
You vote our ticket of electors or do what
tou please 1t Is probable that Chairman
Jones would recommend that the demo-
gratis adopt a conciliatory course Of some
1lnd, but with all his diplomacy and
shrewdneSs he might not be able to carry
any plan to success. The many difficulties
can readily be seen without going into ex-
plantations.
the muddled condition of affairs in North
carolina might prevent any getting to-
sether Of the populists and democrats
there Senator Butler would nrohebIv
want everything, and would adopt the
came dictatorial course toward the demo-
Gratis he pursued toward Senator Pritch-
Gru ana the republicans. In Georgia Tom
Watson and Judge Hines would stand In
the way of deal which the democrats
would accept koi5 and his Alabama
crowd would make trouble in that state
end cyclone Davis. Kirby end other poru-
hsts would be stumbling blocks in Texas
The PopuIist Proposition.
The proposition advanced by Repre-
sentative Harry Skinner would make the
prospects of fusion more remote than
ever. Mr.. Skinner offers to put I'D ropu-
list electoral tickets IN the southern states
ana leave the democrats to support them.
If they do not vote the popuIist ticket. Mr.
skinner thinks. they would have the re-
sponsibility of eiecting Mckinley and de-
featinS Bryan. Mir. SINNERS scheme
gives an idea of what southern democrats
cal 'populist arrogance This alleged
arrogance IS what the democrats will re-
III of tba;r
ticket.
state Matters ut Issue,
There are many issues involved besides
that OF the election of Bryan These are
state matters. and that is what the south
erh Populists are playing for. They don't
want to lose their grip on state and county
Offices In Georgia, as in the other south
ern states mentioned. many of the county
officers are populists. There are numerous
populist members of the LEGISLATURE These
Jobs promise to vanish if the democratic
electoral ticket is indorsed and voted for
Hatred, greed and local ambitions stand
In the way of populists and democrats
getting together In the south
Would Like to See n Split.
Many prominent democrats here are
hope1uI that there will be a split at ST.
Louis; that the western. Bryan n:en will
IhdorSe the democratic ticket uncondition-
any and that the southern populists will
put up ticket of their own This would
have weight in the south The sunnnrt
OF the democratic ticket by the western
popuilstS would cause thousands of south-
ern populists who were formerly demo-
Gratis to desert their party and vote for
Bryan This would take many votes
away from the poPulist ticket in Alabama
North Carolina, Georgia and Texas ss not
TO endanger the election of the democratic
electors in those states. This would also
Jet the democrats out of having to look
upon dicker with the populists. That
Is what the majority of them want. Many
here believe that Chairman Jones Is work
Ing for that end
But whatever is done at ST. Louis does
pot, 1t Is felt among leading dem ocrats
here, settle the question of the populists
and democrats in the south getting to-
gether. The whole thing Is practically left
open to be dealt with by the states. The
only benefit Of the nomination of Bryan
and Sewall at st. Louis will be the effect
1t Will have On the country at large.