New-York tribune., 1896-08-31
1 TTRN " Mr.. W4YSON'S FORTUNES.

I TIRN " Mr. W4TSON'S FORTUNES.
It has been Interesting 10 note within the last
ten days certain change in the fortunes of .thc
Hon. Thomas +. Wason-a change which indi-
cafes that his courageous and persistent efforts
10 compel serious recognition Of his candidacy
at the hands Of the Altgcd- -rillman- Bryan man
ayers and their Populist allies are at last TO be
crowned with dcscrvcdly substantial success.
For a month or more after his nomination at 81.
Louis on an oStenSbc fusion ticket with Mr..
Bryan. Mr.. Watson was forced TO struggle alone
and almost hopelesSy against the manifest dis
position Of the PopnliSt National Committee to
ignore his candidacy and sacrifice his personal
interests 10 those of his Nebraska running mate:
while at Democratic National Headquarters his
appeals for fusion Oh the logical and natural
basis of Mr.. Scwali's withdrawal from the race
for the vice.Presidcncy were received with 81
lent contempt or often ridicule
Flushed with the first enthusiasm Of The cam
paign and blinded by mushroom Illusions as TO
Mr. Rryans popular strength. Mr.. Jones. Of
Arkansas and his advisers coulG see in Mr.. Wat
sons dual candidacy only a useless and annoy
ing incumhrancc TO party success. and his sug-
gestlons of union OF fusion electoral ticket
were rudcly repulscd by the Arkansas Senator
ulSts generally could go to the negroes. where
they belong The Populist National Commit
Tee, headed by Mr. Butler. of North Carolinl.
remained equally deaf to Mr.. Watson's appeals.
and even failed 10 notice Mr.. Jones's pointed in
suit TO It's Nice-Prcsidential candidate while
Populi,t leaders in certain Western States
FASTENED 10 nullify the action of the 81. Louis
Convention by openly indorsing full Bryan and
Sewall electoral tickets.
Then came Mr.. Bryan's Invasion of the
East" the chilling frost of his Madison Square
Garden failure and his slow and painful retreat
Westward The effect of this dismal fiasco was
quickly seen in the changed relations of the
motley political forces behind the Repatriation
canvass The msforiuncS Of the Nebraska Boy
Orator have been. in facr. the making of the
Boy Orator from Georgia. for from the day of
that first decisive check to their efcrvescent can
dldae's triumphant progress the Tillman-At-
geld managers have gradually seen the real con
troll of the fusion campaign slip from their OWL
fingers into those of Mr.. Butler and his Popu-
list lieuenants. The humble North Carolina
Senator who month ago was ready in the
Bryan Sewall interest to force the PopuliSt Vice
Presidential candidate out Of the race. and
whose hopes of genuine electoral fusion scarcely
reached beyond the borders of his own State. Is
now demanding ana securing union on electors
in many cases on Bryan and Watson electors
in quarters where amcablc fusion would not
have been dreamed of pIior to Mr. Bryans i'll
starred Eastern trip
SO confident and aSsertve have the PopuliSt
managers become that even the formal nOtiica-
ton 10 the -. Louis candidates of their seec-
ton which Mr.. Watson has so vehcmenily de
manded and Mr. Bryan SO ptrsstently opposed,
will probably be undertaken within the next
few weeks. only fortnight ago Senator But
Ter the chairman Of the POpuliSt Committee.
pooh-poohcd the idea Of calling together the No
tihcaion Committee appointed by the National
Convention. and added that no formal notitica-
ion had been given 10 the Populist candidates
in the Presidential campaign Of 1892. To this
rather feeble effort to excuse the committees
inacton Mr.. Watson replied with the statement
that both General Weaver and General Field
were present four years ago AT the Omaha Con
vcnion which Nominated them. and that both
made speeches of acceptance 10 the delegates
Continuing. Mr.. Watson argued with force and
peTtinence: IF the National Convention at 81.
Louis did not mean that Mrssrs. Bryan and
watson should be notified. why com
"mtlee appointed to notify them? Why does