Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-09-08

The Republican press N tAis o,d1e -
e7seavor.ng 10 make it appear that the
Democratic parry has been in the lead in
su attempts at fusion between the Dem
ocra.s and Populsts. Tais is untrue.
The Democrats never sought fusion with
he PoDulists. although they naturally
Id.f 10. rspel i. when the Populist COM
-.;.es made the proposition. The DEM
/ ocra. did no, and would not consent to
r.ve ,ae Populis,s more for their en-
doris ment of the State and national tick
els than a representation On the Demo-
I crate electoral ticket, and this was the
1 9r5posi,ion CT the Populsts themselves,
watch -hsy repudia,ed as soon as the
/ Democrats agreed toit.
/ II is as well 20 state here that the
members Of the Pcpuls, committee who
+ me, the Democratic committee al Clarks-
/ burg. took ,syery proposition on, of the
meeting room and submitted it to
/ Charles Elliott and A. 3. White, repre-
sen.a..vss Of the Republican machine,
who were Q. Clarksburg for the purpose
/ Of preventing any agreement between
/ the Democrats and PopulisJs, which they
! dil very effecuaIly.
The Republican machine had captured
the Populis. organization, promising 20
back the Populis, campaign with Rapub-
Ircsn money if the PopurisJs would re-
, us, TO 10 fuse with the Democrats. In
addition to this the Republican barrel
Iho,Lsrs q agreed to keep the State Populist
/ organ On its fee during the campaign.
/. was all made up before the Clarks-
bur- meeting. and such being the case
both Democrats and Pcpulis,s as well as
the Republicans knew The meeting at
Clerksburg would be a mere farce, that
the Republican boodlers had already
ca9ured the Populist committee, which
had no intention, whatever Of fusing with
! the Democrats. The Populist committee
even went back on its own proposition
! after it mad been accepted by the Demo-
Gratis. The latter then and there closed
/ the proceedings, which had no, been Of
their seeking. And in doing this the
. Democrats were confden. that they did
the right fling. and that they would not
by so doing lose a Populist vote that
would have been cast for The Democratic
ticket under any consideration. Tha
. Pc9ulist committee which me, at Clarks-
burg. under Republican supervision,
does no. own The Populist voters nor
. control their votes. The Populist voters
are men who arr in dead earnest. They
. are not likely to throw their votes away
by splitting the forces that are opposed
10 NIcKinleyism and the single gold
s.aa5ard. Eime.allism is one of the car
dinaI principles Of the. Populists and the
only way they can hope to see bimetal-
I ism accomplished is through the Dem
ocraic party.
The Democrats have entire confidence
/ in the common sense Of the rank and file
Of the Populst party. The POpulists
know that to vote their own ticket this
: year will be simply aiding The election os
Mckinley and helping to install Mark
Hanna in charge Of the nations f.
nances. They know that the only way in
Which thy can attain the great end and
aim in this campaign Of all honest in
dependent and intelligent voters, regard
less Of party, is to voc for Bryan. The
( Po7ulists as we'll as most other voters
VII DO their own hiking this year and
/ will not allow it to be done fer them by
party machine which may or may not
be trustworthy. The Democracy is ap-
pealing to the plain people. l. has no
/ money TO buy up committees or for any
I other purpose. All that sort Of thing
viii be done by the other side in this
campaign. And The Democracy is will
ing tina, it should be so. as it has firm
faith in the intelligence Of the American
. people. regardless Of whatever political
organization thy may have affiliated
with.