The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-10-30
wATsON'S POSITION.
His Personal Representative Makes Il
Vigorous Statement.

The truth about the recent Juggling he
tween the Populist and Democratic man
ayers, national and local, over a scheme
for fusion i'll Georgia is gradually com
ing. III. w. Reed, member of the Popu-
list national committee, who participa-
ted III the negotiations rs Watsons per-
sonai representative, made public yestcr-
day statement in answer TO an editorial
in the Atlanta Constitution, in which an
effort was made to place the responsible
ity for failure of the electoral fusion in
Georgia on the Populist State committee
and tile leaders of the Popuist party.
Mr.. Reed, over his own signature SAYS:
MIR Howell was sent TO Georgia to
effect fusion after the Populist State com.
mirtee had made its proposition to the
Democratic State committee alter Sen
ttor Jones had seen and approved the
proposition, and after II party of listin-
guished Democrats had visited Mr. Wat
son and consulted with him regarding it.
All of this time no Democrat had dscov-
cred that the proposition was either
offensive or 'wthout'an element of flu
SION If the proposition OF the Popu-
lists was so unfair and so offensive why
did the chairman of the Democratic com
mittee call his committee together to con-
slider it: Why did three distinguished
Democrats visit Mr.. Watsors Why did
Chairman Jones request them to do so?
Why did they urge Chairman Jones TO
meet the Populist Vice Presidential can
didate in Atlanta: Why did Chairman
Jones delegate Clark Howell to come to
Atlanta: And ifit was not TO arrange flu
sion, why did Mr.. Howell come Why
did he meet thee members OF the populist
national executive committee Why did
he make Il speech favoring fusion before
his State committee
Mr.. Howell knows that it will. take
every Populist vote in several doubtful
States to insure the election of Mr.
Bryan. He knows that there lis dis
affection in the Populist ranks because
the Populists have not been treated to in
honorable union, but are expected to sur
render unconditionally He knows that
1t is Il difficult matter TO convince some
Populists that the same men and party
who killed free silver before will not do
il again. He knows that such Popuists
demand from the Democrats an earnest Of
good faith in the shape of honorable
| terms of agreement. He knows that Mr..
| Washburn and 1 came to Georgia to see
| Mr.. Watson and arrange such an agree
| mcnt rs would be approved by Mr.. Wat
| so" and Senator Jones' He knows that
| did my part and that he did not do his.
| He knows that his State committee re.
| icctcd overturcs OF fusion in IL resolution
| offered by himself, and then adjourned
| without replying to the Populist commit
. tee. He knows that Chairman Jones con-
tinucd to urge that some fusion arrange
mcnts be made. lie knows that he as.
s,ired Senator Jones that Georgia was
| safe for Bryan without fusion, and that
| Georgia leaders would not consider flu
sion lie knows that the failure of fu.
sions rests entirely with, the Democrats.
II hope Bryan will be elected, but if
| he IS not he can attribute his defeat to
the selfish, narrow partisanism of the
| Kansas and Georgia Democrats. If the
editor of the Constitution will reflect. his
very serious objection to the populist fu.
sion proposition, that there was no ele-
mcnt in fusion in it because it failed tC
recognize Mr.. Sewail, had very little
weight with certain distinguished Dem.
ocrats prior to the meeting of the Demo
| cratic State committee and that said dis
tinguished Democrats were seriously con
sidering a modification of the Populist
proposition, whereby the entire Populisi
electoral ticket should be withdrawn and
the en- tire Democratic ticket substituted
under an agreement that said Democratic
electors should cast their thirteen vote;
| for Mr.. Watson for Vice-P President