The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1896-10-20
FUSION IN GEORGIA.
Leaders in Conference on the Pop
ulist Proposition.
wATsON's LETTER GOES AsTRAY.

Chairman Butler Notifies the Populist
Nominee That the Letter Has Not Yet
Reached Him-watson Has Recovered
and WIN Return TO the stump.
ATLANTA, Oct. 2O.-Messrs. Washburn
and Reed, the members of the Populist
national committee who were dispatched
to Thomson to confer with Hon. Thomas
f. Watson, reached Atlanta at noon yes
terday, after having spent Sunday with
the vice presidential candidate. An hour
later they were in conference with Colonel
]. Robertson, elector-at-large and member
of the Georgia state executive committee,
the national Democratic committeeman
from Georgia, and several other promi-
nent Democrats. The Georgia member of
the national committee arrived from Chi
cago yesterday, having come as the repre-
sentative Of Chairman Jones to meet
Washburn and Reed, representing Mr..
Watson.
When asked last night concerning the
conference Mr.. Robertson said: Senator
Jones could not come, and asked me to
represent him. No proposition has been
made by either side, and none will be
made before tomorrow"
Hon. Steve Clay, chairman of the state
!
| ing, and the state committee will meet at
noon. The Democratic state committee
and the Populist state committee will
| both be in session. The Populist COM
mittee last week made formal offer to
the Democrats for fusion in this state
on basis of seven Democratic and six
Populist electors. The Democrats We're
| given until tonight to accept or decline
the proposition. 1t is understood that the
meeting of the committees today is for the
purpose of bringing about this fusion
All the parties to the conference de-
clined to say anything as to its purpose or
probable outcome Mr. Washburn was
more communicative, however on the
subject of his trip to Thomson and the
recent action of the Populist natl onal
committee, concerning which he said;
''The address issued to the public by our
executive committee at Chicago has been
purposely misconstrued by a hostile press
as an act unfrendly to our candidates.
This Interpretation is wrong and does Mr..
Watson great injustice He is the hero of
our party, and is loved and esteemed by ii
all over the country because Of the noble
fight for the very principles snowadvocated
in part by Mr. Bryan and his party The
address was issued to help array all the
silver forces of the country against the
triumph of McKinleyism and the domina-
tion of the money power and secure the
active corporation of the silver forces in
bringing about equal fusion arrangement:
satisfactory to all parties in states where
fusion had not been effected.
"The only way now to elect Bryan is fol
the silver forces in different states to vote
forfusion electors representing both par
ties. The situation is unchanged Mr.
Watsons throat is now all right, and hi
will resume his campaign speaking a
once He will speak in Birmingham to
morrow, again in Alabama on Thursday
and then proceed to Tennessee for activ,
work, after which, understand, he plan
to go to North Carolina and Kansas.
Our conference at Thomson was TO
the purpose of reporting to Mr.. Watson
just what had been accomplished in dif
ferent states and to report the work of tn
, national committee as we'll as to confe
! with him regarding the campaign. Tn
} report that had Mr.. Watson's letter o
acceptance with me is a mistake"