The San Francisco call., 1896-08-27
KELLY STANDS FIRM.
He and His Friends VIII Have NJ

He and His Friends VIII Have No
Fusion in the Fifth.
The Demopopulist fusion scheme has
received vigorous setbacks almost hourly
since it's inception, but one of the most
vigorous ones has been met with in the
Fifth district.
Joseph 2. Kelly, the regular Democratic
nominee, has been found by the managers
of the sche to be man who will not
be pulled down at the suggestion of
handful of party manipulators who are
seeking party power and patronage.
MIR. Kelly has not yet spoken in regard
to the pending fusion scheme, and is not
likely to do so unless he Is formally asked
for his resignation by the committee of
fifteen politicians. Some Of his friends in
innate that If the party authorities do re-
quest his resignation Mr.. Kelly will be
heard from in very vigorous style.
At any rate Mr.. Kelly's resignation Is
not at the service of any small committee
of politicians who may assume to be en-
titled to usurp the functions OF the party
voters and to oyerturn absolutely the
action of any popular party convention.
Joseph P. K ely, whatever may be his
qualifications for the Office, has a host OF
valiant friends in the party who will re-
bel outright If six ambitious Democrats,
six ambitious Populists and three ambi-
that Mr.. Kelley must come off the ticket.
Kelly and his friends are especially in
censed at the proposition because two
wears ago the Democratic State Central
Committee concluded to condemn Kelly
after he was nominated by the district
convention and to indorse Loud, the Re-
publican nominee. Kelly made strong
"a re hot
Kelly would have gone to Washington in
stead of Loud if Denman had not been
put into the fight against him by his own
party.
Now Mr.. Kelly has been vindicated by
the Democrats of the Fifth District by re-
ceiying again the party nomination. But
now comes the State Central Committee
again, by a special committee of six,
named and controlled by the party bosses,
with a proposition that Mr.. Kelly shall
again come down from the ticket. This is
regarded by Kelly's friends as nothing less
than sheer persecution. The main motive
of Kelly and his friends in seeking his
nomination this year was the am bltlon to
obtain yindication.
Two years ago Kelly's Populist oppo-
nent was Taylor Rogers, who has been
nominated by the Populists again. IL is
current information on the inside of poll
tical circles that Rogers was induced the
other day to declare that he would chip
his resignation into the general pot, in the
fusion candidate.
The people in power in the present
State campaign are largely the ones who
influenced the action in Kelly's case two
years ago, who, according to the general
party belief in the district, elected the
Republican candidate, and they are also
of the element which unsuccessfully OPP
posed Kelly's nomination this year.
There is no question that the plan is to
turn down Kelly regardless of the action
or wishes OF the Democrats of the district.
1t is also beyond question that the scheme
i'll its present stage involves the indorse-
ment of Taylor Rogers, the Populist can
didate, who has little or nothing In COM
mon with the Chicago silver platform,
authority of a pamphlet he circulated as
widely as he is able to do.
Kelly has already made ten speeches in
the course of his campaign and is sche-
duled for settings for every night of this
week. Onthe platform he has taken a
bold stand in opposition to any form of
funding bill, has declared for the free
coinage Of silver and for the Nicaragua
cana and has also done the proper thing
by declaring for the improvement of the
Alviso and Redwood City sioughs. His
opponents about the State headquarters
have been talking about his being South
ern Pacific attorney, but his friends are
loudly declaring that they are trying to
mix him up with certain other Attorney
Kelly in this City and that he has not only
never had Southern Pacific case but that
he has for years repeatedly appeared as
attorney against the railroad in damage
suits.
What onsideration should force Mr..
Kelly to surrender to a self-constituted
committee the verdict of the people of his
district" asked a prominent Democrat
last night "The National Committee
would be as much justified in asking
Bryan for his resignation because some
vague fusion scheme was being played.
There is no precedent in all the history of
American politics for the action that
little handful of party bosses are now try
ing to take. Furthermore tnere is no
Justification for it in the principles and
methods of American party politics. If
you consider the thing soberly for a min
ute YOU will see that it is not only unjust
and revolutionary, but dangerous prece-
dent.
IF dozen or so men who happen to
run the practical course of party affairs
after the people have oeclaeo on their
principles and candidates may overturn
all the work of such conventions at their
whim what may become of popular party
governments Any municipal or legis-
iative campaign committee might proceed
to do the same thing under control of
boss or a small set of bosses after the
proper deal had been made. 1t is dam
gerous thing for small set of ambitious
politicians to repudiate the action of the
people when they have expressed their
will through convention delegates elected
by clubs or by popular vote when the
issues and the men at stake are well
known"
Mr.. Kelly and Mr.. Kelly's friends pre-
sent to the fusion committee hard nut to
crack.
BRYAN SILVER CLUBS.