The San Francisco call., 1896-08-03
WARDALL IS
OUT FOR FUSION,
The POpulist State Leader
Is Ready for Any
Fair Dicker.
ALL WAITING EVENTS.
The Peoples Party Will Stick
to Watson Through
Thick and Thin.
sEWALL A CORPORATION MAN
PopuliSt Leaders Return From ST
Louis and Are Open to Demo.
cratic Propositions.

The Populists and Democrats of Califor-
MIA are making sleeps eyes at each other
as the fusion proposition daily rises into
higher view, and this interesting political
problem is daily being laid hold of by the
leaders of both parties with a firmer grip.
State Chairman WardalI and other Lead
ers of the Populist party in California got
back yesterday morning from st. Louis.
They were all tired out from the trip, and
nothing of political importance resulted
from their return beyond the fact that the
PopulisU leaders are ripe and eager for
some proposition for fusion from the Dem
ocrats IN this State, first on Presidential
electors, second on Congressman. and
third on the State legislative ticket.
Chairman Afford of the Democratic
State Central Committee displayed his
eagerness for party fusion in an interview
published IN yesterdays CALL and yester-
day Chairman Wardall of the Populist
State Central Committee, who had just re-
turned from st. Louis, stated that he was
in favor of fusion if it could be brought
about without sacrifice of Watson and
with fair recognition of the claims of the
Populist party in California.
The political problem of fusion between
SA-S OOAAOOAoto cAAQ OpullSbS III I1lS OLdbS
depends mainly On the following two
things: First, the understanding that may
be arrived at within the next few days by
Senator Jones and Marvis Butler and the
two National committees, and second. on
the understanding that may be arrived at
within the next week or two as a result
OF the informal connubiating between
State leaders that is already going on and
which will remain in operation for short
time.
The Democratic and Populist parties in
this State are waiting to see what the Ma
tional party authorities are going to do
about Sewall and Watson, and they stand
at attention awaiting orders from the Ma
tionA party authorities. The leaders OF
both parties are ready to go to discussing
party equities or to shaking dice as the
party leaders did in North Dakota, as soon
as any proceeding declares the fusion
game oDen.
E. NJ. Wardall, chairman of the Popu-
list State Central Committee, returned to
San Francisco from St. Louis yesterday,
in company with Taylor Rogers, John G.
Gore, James A. johnson, John s. Dore of
Fresno, and other members of the delega-
ton. l.. V. Gator arrived on the morning
train.
The attitude of the PopuIist party of
California in the present was fairly we'll
expressed in the following interview with
State Chairman e. NJ. Wardall:
81 don't like to say much about the sit
uation in advance. Our people are straight
middie-of-t the-road people and l cannot
speak for them, but can say that I be-
Geve that some satisfactory arrangement
will be made with the Democrats in this
State. Our State executive committee
will meet next Tuesday and then the i'm
portant matters about the party policy
will be decided.
I'VE are waiting to see what the Ma
tlonal committees will do. We expect
. that Sewall will resign. That is what
should be done to clear the way for fusion.
don't believe that anything authentic as
to what SewaII will do has transpired. |
recognize the gravity of the situation, and
also realize that it is unlikely that we
will get together unless Mr.. Sewall with
draws. We know that Tom Watson will
get three votes in this State to Sewalrs
one, and we feel that if we keep our man
in the field the silver Republicans and the
workingmen will support our ticket
1--WE are willing to meet the Democrats
on fair proposition concerning both
electors and Congressman. 1t must be re-
membered that Sewall has nothing in COM
mon with the laboring people-the masses.
He is banker, railroad president,
member of number of corporations and
a shipowner, and one who is very unpopu-
lar with seamen.
ellis presence on the ticket is found to
antagoniZe the labor element and to en-
danger the interests of Bryan. | think
be withdrawn. That is what ought to be
done.
II will not, however, throw a straw in
the way Of fusion. We will either agree or
disagree. But we will elect Bryan any
way"