Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-07-23

leaders are at war over the question Of
endorsing or nominating Bryan. Some
like Ex-Governor LleWeling, Senator
Allen of Nebraska, General Weaver oil
Iowa, who was the populist candidate
for president in 1892, Captain KoIb Of
Alabama, who claims that he was twice
deIrauded out of the goVernOrship OF
his state, Tom Patterson and Cover
nor Waite Of Colorado are in st. Louis
striving for the endorsement of the
Chicago ticket; Chairman Taubeneck
1gnatius Donelly of Minnesota, Senator
Butler of North Carolina, Ex-Governor
Buchanan of Tennessee, and Gen
'tCoxey' of Ohio want to endorse Bryan
nnder terms laid down by them, while
Cyclone" Davis of Texas, Paul Wander
wort, Frank Burkett Of Mississippi, and
others want to keep in the middle of the
road and nominate an independent
ticket on an Independent platform. The
populist leaders are making strenuous
Efforts to arrange a compromise which
will prevent bolt by either faction. At
a meeting of the leaders of all factions
II was agreed to recommend as a com
promise that Bryan should lie endorsed
by the pOpulist convention, but that
a new man to &C me from the south,
should be put on the ticket for vice
president. The arrangement provides
tor the endorsement of the democratic
platform as far as it is populistIc and
for its reputation where it departs
from the pOpulist faith. This plan APP
pears to be meeting with favor among
the various delegations.
he delegates favorable TO the en-
dOrsenent of Bryan met again AMI
de permanent their temporary or
ganization of Sunday night, elecLng
=. Il. Weaver chairman. They also ap-
pointed a steering committee with
Weaver as chairman to take in hand
the movement for the endorsement of
Bryan and to act very much as the
ailVer steering committee did at the
democratic convention in Chicago.
Among the states represented at the
meeting were Maryland, Pennsylvania,
Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, Nevada,
Utah, California, Washington, West
Virginia, Nebraska, District of Column
bia, Indiana, Iowa and Montana. The
Bryan people make the following claim
As to delegates: Alabama "a; Colorado
&5, Delaware 3, Illinois q, Iowa 80,
Nebraska 81, Oklahoma 9, California 10,
Indiana 80 Kansas 80, Maryland 8, Ne
vada Z, Pennsylvania 80, West Virginia
s, District OF Columbia 4 and Utah 5.
Besides these claims Bryan's friends
say that they have the assurance that
a large part if not all of the Minnesota.
Missouri Oregon, Washington and ONO
delegations will be for the Nebraskan.
The middle of the road" faction does
not by any means admit these claims.
1t says for instance, that in the case
of California it will get all but three
votes and in Iowa a majority. 1t also
claims Missouri, Washington, Texas,
Mississippi and Florida against the en-
dorsement of Bryan. The Kansas del
egation held a meeting at which it
adopted a resolution to demand the en-
dOrsement of Bryan and Sewall. Kan
sas has a delegation of 80. The largest
delegation in the convention.
Each faction asserts that it desires
to preserve the autonomy of party or
ganization and that it's way is the
best way. Shipwrecked hopes and a
bolt may result no matter what
the ultimate outcome is. The Bryan
supporters claim to be in majority.
They are we'll organized. Their
strength spreads over the entire coun-
try west of Missouri, where the cause
gates from this section, like LEVEL
ing of Kansas and Patterson of Col
orado, declare that if Bryan is not
nominated or endorsed here nine
tenths of the populist will support him
and the identity of the populist party
in the west will be destroyed. Mid
die road" populists are mostly from the
south where for several years, they
say, it has been war to the knife in
their battle with democracy and they
have nailed their banner to the mast
They will have neither surrender no1
fusion. They have captured the scat
tering votes in the west and quite q
number form the Pacific coast. In
California, they claim a majority OF
the delegation. They are extremely
radical. Their headquarters are pla
carded with notices and editorials de-
handing the reputation of the Chi
Cago ticket, and several orators are
usually talking to crowds at the same
time.
These men will probably bolt in an!
event. Although there are evidences
OF split in some southern delegation!
like that of Texas. If they can be helC
in line and those who desire cOmprO
mise do not receive concessions, which
will ultimately bring them to the sup
port of Bryan, they may control a ma
iCrity of the convention
The real fight appears to be between
the Bryan supporters and those wh'
Insist upon compromise that vii
give official endorsement of the pop
ulist organization A great man.
plans for this compromise have beer
suggested. the basis of all Of which i
the adoption of a separate platform
and a division of electors.
Yesterday there was a movement il
favor OF a division Of the ticket
Bryan was to head it and some pop
ulist from the south to be his runnin
mate. All these plans are more or les
impracticable. Chairman Jones con
ferred with such populists leaders a
called on him and pointed out Yer
tho battlp lipS botweo0 Mr.