Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-09-10
PRESS COMMENTS.
Why SewaIl Will Retire.
{ y. Y. Womb j

| Notwithstanding the disclaimer ut
| Mr.. Sewall ana the denial Of Chairman
Jones. the World repeats its prediction
| that after the election in Maine tht
| Democratic candidate for Vice Pr sl-
dent viii retit. from the ticket. ana his
| place will be- filled hy Watson. TIE
| PopGlist nominee.
Mr. Sewail could not withdraw before
the election in his own state on Mon
| day next without completing the de
| moralizption Of his party there. Which
already faces crushing defeat Hul
after that the stress OF the situation
win compel his retirement
His nomination was an illogical mis-
take. 1t did not give any perdeptibIe
strength TO the ticket in the seventeen
Eastern and Middle States that McKin-
| ley isalmost certain to carry. And it did
| offend the Populist voters ana their
Democratic allies at the South This
was proved by the nomination of Wat
| son at ST. Louis forced through even
before Bryan's nomination could be ac-
copied
MI Sewall was a national banker
and the Populists correctly assumed
ishing the national banks as they de-
sire. He had been a railroad president
and they knew he could not sympathize
with theirplan for governmental owner
ship of railroads. lie is d projections
ist." 'corporationist. +" the possessor
of a comfortable fortune and opposed
10 an income tax, which they favor.
Therefore the Populists had no use
FOR him.
These facts are illustrated ana en-
phasized in the failure of fusion in a
number of the states where the Popu-
list organization is strong. And their
failure TO fuse will furnish the reason
for Mr.. Sewall's retirement.
Nothing is palmer than that the run
ming of two electoral tickets by the sup
porters of Bryan will destroy his
chance of carrying any state in which
such a division exists. y Bryan and
Sewall vote and a Bryan and Watson
vote in the same state will be equally
half a vote for Mckinley. The free sill
Yer men must vote for the same elec-
tors to have their ballots count FOR
Bryan.
There has been thus far failure of
fusion and hence there is both
Democratic and a Populist electoral
ticket among others in the states of
Alabama. Florida. Georgia, Indiana.
Kentucky Missouri, North Carolina,
Tennessee Texas and West Virginia.
Mr., Bryan's only ghost of. a chance of
election lies in his ability to carry the
solid South to start with This chance
fades into something even more intan-
glhe than ghost with the Populists
dcterminedly running separate electoral
tickets in several of these states.
1t is to be said for the Populists that
they have acted With consistency.
courage and tenacity of purpose, from
their point of view. that are very much
superior to the qualities of the Demo-
Gratis who nominated SeWall as Il sop
to the East. That they will in the end
have their way and force Watson upon
the Democratic voters scarcely admits
of a doubt. The Bryan men need their
100000 votes more than ever since the
nomination Of Palmer and Buckner
The effect of this upon the election
would be tWofold. There can he no
doubt that in many of the Western and
Southern states now considered con-
tcStabie complete and harmonious
union of the free silver Democrats and
the Popuists would give the Republi-
cans a hard and in some a hopeless
fight. On the other hand. there are
states where the Democratic farmers.
though friendly enough to free silver.
are very hostile to Populist leaders and
more fearful Of Populist doctrines.
They do not wish to involve their we'll
earned competency ana Independence
in any socialistic. contiScatory or re-
pudiating theories. The substitution OF
Watson for SeWall would doubtless
drive thousands of these voters to Nc
kinney, and yet the logic of the situa-
ton points directly to that issue of the
canvass. 1t is inevitable that Sewall
must 80,
Sample Of His Hopes.
Boston Journal)