The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-10-25
TAKING DOWN OF THE TICKET
THE POWER OF THE POPULIST
COMMITTEE. NOW DENIED.

Committeeman Reed Asserts That
the Action Is Invalid and That the
Ticket Is StIII In the FieId-No
Power to Take Down the Ticket
Given by the POpulist Convention.
Withdrawal of six Electors I'm the
Interest of Fusion All That Was
Authorized.
Atlanta, Ga, Oct. 2i.-Thomas Watson
and Committeeman II. w. Reed arrived in
Atlanta tonight from Nashville. Mr..
Watson went on to his home at Thosn-
son, where he viii remain for several
days. He would not consent to be inter-
viewed upon the action Of the popullst
committee in taking down the electors OF
his party in this state, but Committee
man Reed made some rather salty ana
significant observations upon the subject.
In the first place." said Mr.. Reed, tho
populist electoral ticket Is not Withdrawn.
The subcommittee, which met here yes
terday and passed that resolution, had
no authority to take down the electoral
ticket The state executive COMMITTEES
Itself could not have done it. The popu-
list state convention did not authorize the
committee to withdraw our electorai
ticket. 1t only authorized the COMMITTEES
to take down six electors and substitute
that number of democrats in case fusion
could be arranged. Under the resolution,
by which the electors were selected, the
convention itself could not have taken
them down after they had been named. II
is simply question with the electors
themselves. If they choose to retire, they
can, OF course, do so, but II they want
TO run, they can do 50, despite the ac-
ton of the committee here yesterday.
In the next place Mr.. Watson did NOT
know and did not advise the withdrawal
OF the electors. 1t Is not true that l car
rled a copy OF the resolution adopted with
me to Nashville and showed 1t to him
before the committee here was wired as
to the breaking Off of the negotiations
with the national committee Of fusion.
Some OF the committee here might have
thought took this resolution to show to
Mr.. Watson but / did not, and he did
not know that the committee was going
to take such action. He was apposed
to. ANY such step.
THE truth Of the matter is there is yet
great deal to be told about this effort
to bring about fusion In Georgia, and be-
Avio ~ lb ONcl 4 pNDposS 10 see tnht tno
responsibility for the failure Is placed
where 1t belongs. The time to spring this
has not yet come. however.
Another thing that is not true Is the
report which was sent out from Atlanta
yesterday, that the letter of acceptance,
written by Mr.. Watson to Chairman But
Ter, had been sent by registered mail, and
that Senator Buffers private secretary
had signed the receipt for 1t. This would
make II appear that Chairman Butler has
not been telling the truth when he said
the letter had never been delivered, but
say the report is a fake"
When asked where the responsibility
for the failure of the fusion scheme
should be placed. Committeeman Reed
gave a reply. of which the gist was that
Chairman Jones and Committeeman
Howell. who represented him here. had
fully agreed to the popnlist demand. but
that Gov. Atkinson kicked over the traces
and so Committeeman Howell and the
others who had engaged to delivered the
democratic committee to the fusion
scheme, that they. too. broke away and
refused to make the stand necessary to
carry 1t through.