The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-10-07
Received the Candidates on the Pop
ulist State Ticket After He Had
Gone to Bed Last Night.
HAD NO TIME FOR DEMOCRATS
HOPED POPULIsTs WOULD FIND A
BASIS OF UNION.
Last Desperate Effort to DisIodge the
State Ticket and Finish the
Fusion Deal.

--t-
The only delegation Mr.. Bryan received
while in the city one that called upon
him at 10 o'clock last evening, after he had
gone to bed. 1t was composed of the can
didates upon the Populist State ticket and
few members of the Populist State COM
mittee He had consented to see them be-
cause the Populist State ticket stands in
the way of complete fusion in Indiana.
Mr.. Bryan shook hands with each one of
them and said that the work of fusion be-
tween the two great parties was begun at
st. Louis and had been completed satisfac-
torily in every State where IL was matter
of Importance, except Indiana While he
did not know anything of the details of
the situation in this State, he sincerely
hoped that nothing would be permitted to
stand in the way of complete unity and har-
n ony among the forces engaged in the bat
tie of the people against the gold-standard
policy, the trusts, syndicates and money
lenders of Wall street. The conference
only lasted fifteen minutes, and Mr.. Bryan
was left to sleep. while the Popuists re-
tired for q brief conference with Chairman
Martin, of the silver Democratic State COM
mittee. They made Mr.. Martin nc further
promises than that they would confer
among themselves to-day and then say
definitely whether they would withdraw
the State ticket.
Ever since the sell-out of the committee
of thirteen on Sept. 49, A. j. Padgett. of
washington, the man who, two months
ago, agreed to engineer this whole bust
ness for the Popocratic State committee
has been working hard to get the Populist
State ticket out of the way. He conceived
the idea that it would be an excellent thing
TO have the State candidates here yesterday
so that they might be impressed with the
magnitude of the Bryan demonstration.
Accordingly JUL is Rosenhe.fn er chairman
of the Populist State committee, called to-
gether the State executive committee and
candidates on the State ticket at the Eng
fish Hotel. M. c. Rankin, treasurer of the
Populist national committee was present
and did most of the talking in the effort
to persuade the candidates to withdraw.
He explained that the Democrats were I'M
willing to take down any of their electors
so long the Populist State ticket re-
manned in the field, but that if it was with
drawn he had assurances that five of the
Bryan electors would make way for as
many straight Populists. He called atten-
ton to the fact that there practically
nothing left of the Populist party in In
diana anyhow and declared that 80 per
ago would vote for Bryan and Sewall cleo
tors and the Democratic State ticket.
The five or six State candidates present
rather sharply to Mr.. Rankin. telling him
that he and a few others in their anxiety
for fusion had been responsible for the dis
sipation of the Populist strength After a
while Rankin took a threatening turn and
e declared Jared that not a cent OF money should
and If the State candidates wanted to re-
main upon the ticket they would have to
pay all the expenses of their campaign
Then he further declared-and in his state
ment he was backed by Chairman Rosen-
heimer-that the State committee would
didates replied that it was not the province
of the State committee to certify to these
ness of the chairman and secretary of the
State convention to do Thus matters
stood when. the conference adjourned at
noon to meet again in the evening.
Seeing that Mr.. Rankin was unable TO I'M
press the candidates, Mr.. Padgett STRUCK
the plan of having them call upon Bryan.
He communicated this idea to Chair
man Martin and Allen w. Clark king of
all the push" and these two gentlemen
While he had no time to receive and shake
hands with Democrats, who We're for him
Populists and make the kind of a talk to
them that was asked of him. Therefore
as soon as he reached the Grand Hotel aft
e. the night meeting it was given out that
he had retired to bed and the corridor was
cleared and all other delegatie rs denied adj
mission. The big crowd down in the lobby
and delega ton after delegation from other
cities found the door closed against them.
This was the condition of affairs at 10
o clock when the Porulst State candidates
led by Padgett and Rankin, and accom-
panied by w. p. Smith and L. w. Hubben
came upstairs. moment later Mayor
Taggart appeared and led them into Bry>
ans room. Another delegation composed
of Bryan Democrats, tried to break in at
the same time, but they ere shut out and
told that Mr.. Bryan woald be unable to see
them. The Populists were in the room fir
teen minutes and what transpired there,
as told above. was reported by one of the
candidates when they came out TO Jour |
ral reporter waiting in the corridor.
The Fopulists then cooled their heels half |
an hour in front CT Chairman Martins door
before they admitted for a talk with |
him. When he admitted them Mr.. Martin |
was very brief with them, in fact, almost
hrusque He believes the only way to han
die PoDulists is to do it with club. He |
told them that there would be no further |
fusion nor acceptance of the fusion ticket !
put out by their committee of thirteen un-
til the State ticket came down. and that
was all there was TO 1t. The Popuists re-
tired, saying they would confer thus morn
ing and give q definite answer then.
C.,iA n,