The San Francisco call., 1896-08-16
Populist Suspicious Increase
and Fusion Prospects
Daily Decrease.
DEMOCRATS WOULD HAVE ALL.
Withdrawal of the Populist Nominee
Demanded in the First and
None Want Watson.

Chairman Afford OF the Democratic
State Central Committee last night named
the DELAYED conference or fusion commit
tee which has such hard job ahead OF it.
This interest committee is as follows:
M.F. Tarpey, Alameda, chairman; Eugene
n. Deuprey, James G. Mcguire, NJ. c. Has
sett, San Francisco; Woodson Gerard,
CaIayeras; A. Caminetti, Amador; W. H.
Afford. Chairman Afford was made a
memper of the committee by the resolu-
tion creating it.
1t is easier to appoint committee to
play the game with the Populists, and the
silverites, too, than it will be to finish the
game without the display OF bowieknives
The leaders OF both the Populist and
Democratic parties talk very discreetly
and kindly about fusion and about each
other when they are being interviewed
for publication, but beneath the sur
faOe there is so much distrust,
double-dealing and so noticeable
disposition on the part of the Democracy
to "hog" things that the prospects are
that there will not only be here merry
row and exhibitions of bitterness such as
have preceded the party alliances formed
in some other States, but tangle that
- -
Populists in California.
The inchoate fusion proposition now in
formally being studied by the Democratic
and PopulisJ leaders involves fusion on
electors, Congressman and legislative can
didates. But there are various things in
the way OF carrying out this programme,
or any part of it.
The First District, in which the Demo
cratic Congressional Convention met yes
terday, is a sample of how Congressional
fusion will go. There ex-Congressman
Thomas J. Geary controlled proxy
convention, through the possession Of
proxies. Prison Director Wilkins was one
of the district powers allied with Geary.
Geary and his friends are administration
goldbugs, and, though they appointed a
conference committee, the ultimatum they
informally gave out was that if there was
to be any fusion the Populists must first
pull down their candidate, George W.
Monteith, and declare the field open.
Mr.. Monteith was nominated by the
Populists about three months ago, has put
in much labor for the cause. has the con.
fdence of the party and possesses the
support of large Iaboring element. But
the Democrats ask a new deal, in which
they can win what there is to be had.
They make bold effort to use the Popu-
list party as a catspaw to pull out chest
nuts which they would have no earthly
chance of getting without Populist help.
There was indignation last night among
the leading Populists OF this City when
the result of the Napa convention became
known, and there was CONSERVATION
among the Democratic leaders as they
foresaw the probable effect on the entire
fusion play. In no Congressional district
have the Democrats shown any dlSpoSi-
ton to consider the Popullsts except to
ask them why they should not get IN and
back up the Democratic nominee.
But In no district have the Democrats
put up man whom the Populists who
respect their principles could ind orse.
In the matter of electors the Democrats
demand Sewall and sneer at Watson.
aft makes little difference what the
Populist committee agrees to do, for
enough Populists will vote for Bryan and
Sewall to carry the ticket anyway" may
be heard from the lips of leading Demo-
Gratis almost hourly.
''Tne Democracy shows q disposition
to fuse with the Populists on the electoral
ticket if the Populists will down Watson.
either directly or through game which
would amount to the same thing.
THE Democrats are trying to play con-
fidence game on US, but l don't think that
or people will have it" said one of the
best-known members of the PopulisJ party
yesterday.
Another piece of pertinent political wis
dom was uttered yesterday by an active
Democrat of State reputation, who was
heard to say: "Well, our people ought to
fuse for up to three months ago the Demo-
cratic party was so dead that it stank, and
if things had gone a little differently at
Chicago the Populists would have polled
a bigger vote than we would in this
State"
But now that the Populists have in
dorsed BRYAN at their National Conven-
ton the Democracy shows disposition to
consider itself entitled to about every
thing, and to wag the Populist party as
though it were a rather small tail.
The California Populist is just getting
safely suspicious of the smooth Democrat
who is running bunko game.