The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1897-12-18
Gov. Stephen. on Fusion.
Governor Lon v. stephens In an
interview recently said:

embarrassment to democrats, popullsts
and silver republicans alike.
s'Instead of stirring up strife and
quarreling amongst ourselves over a
question which should not now be
made an issue, we should be co-operat-
ing with each other in the direction OF
educating the people and organizing
our forces for coming battles. Let's
talk organization first and push along
the campaign Of education, end fusion
will fake care of itself.
ga large per cent of those who in
former years wandered away from the
democratic parry 10 affiliate with the
ooulists have returned to the home OF
their fathers to stay, at least as long as
we continue true to the principles enun-
ciated in the Pertle Springs, gSedalia
and Chicago platforms. When WI
~repudiated C~levelsndism and threw
impostors and traitors Overbo7 ard who
had almost destroyed the magnificent
Organization for which our fathers
fought twenty-five years TO build up Tor
US, and came out squarely and unequiv-
ocally tor the free and unlimited COIN
age of silver and gold at h ratio OF l6
to 1-for right, justice and humanity
practicable fusion 10 Missouri was
accomplished. But few of the populIsts
who returned to democracy last year
came for offices, and it IS an insult to
some of our best friends and citizens to
assume that in order to hold the popu-
list vote we have TO let one or two of
their numbers have places on the demo-
cratic state ticket, and that we are
compelled in advance, in order to
secure their support, to buy them or
promise them something.
ssIf still populists, they are not DEM
acrats. POpulists and democrats agree
at many of the more important points,
but differ widely at others. No honest
pUpulist could be bought by the prom
Use of = democratic nomination. No
man who honestly believes in demo-
CRATIC principles, who is for principle
above office, could consistently accept
a nomination on the populist state
ticket. Such a proceeding would GER
tain y invite embarrassing comment
and inevitable disaster. When popu-
lists and democrats unite the caption
of the state ticket must indicate It, and
1t could not be called either a populist
or democratic ticket.
'.Again, none of the democratic can
didates for the ~gubernatorial nomina-
ton, would be willing, In order to
| effect a fusion, { surrender the demo-
cratic nomination for this position. II
assured it was In his grasp, to q poPu-
list brother; beither would any Of the
democratic candidates for lieutenant
governor, secretary Of state, auditor,
treasurer, attorney general, school
commissioner, railroad commissioner,
or supreme Judge. Then why should
we agitate an Issue which on its very
face promises only to plague and en-
barrassp What 10 the use, then, In
spending our time, which should be
devoted in intelligent organization, in
doubtful experiments and in scattering
seeds of discordP Il Is q fact which
will admit of no argument or denial,
that no democrat will surrender al our
state convention al assured nomination
for the sake of harmony and populist
votes to the populisIs. Then at a
critical m the populists; will ind
that they have been deceived. They
will say they we're assured Of certain
things; that they had agreed with US
In good faith and had been buncoed.
They will nave a right to feel that they
had been outraged. It will be passed
down the line. and trouble IN every
township in the state will follow. 1t
will then be but a few months before
the election, too late to correct the
evil done. The middle-of-the-readers'
will enjoy the situation, and they will
say, Il told you so.' We cannot afford
to be dishonest; We cannot afford TO
-triAle with our friends. II there is to
be q misunderstanding. and one Is sure
to follow since this question has been
sprung. 1t Ia we'll TO meet 1t now and
not defer 1t until it is too late to cor
rect It.
"Fusi0n on the state ticket Is ont Of
question, because 1t is impractlcablei
because Il can not be brought about;
1t Is not possible; 1t Ia not entitled to
serious consideration, and 1t IS not
recei.ing 1t from democrats, populists
or silvsT republicans generally. For
one OF our Missouri politicians, after
having made a canvass of the state and
secured instructions sufficient to guar
antee him n democratic nomination, to
surrender his nomination In q state
where tho nomination Ear election,
IL would be an exhibition of s~elf-sacri-
fee and party devotion unparalleled IN
the histo y Of Missouri politics.
'sWith Bryan, who Is our admiration
and glory, as u stanndard-bearer,
and with the Chicago platform In 1900,
the populists and the silver republi-
cans will remain with US, aud there is
no reason Why they should not have a
fair representation upon our electoral
ticket, and In the event Of national
success they would be treated without
prejudice by our president when he
goes to reward bis servants,' as l have
tIied to treat them and propose to con-
tinue to treat them during my admin
lstraiIon.
''Fusion will come naturally in the
counties where 1t requires coalition of
populists, silver republicans and demo-
Gratis to defeat republicans aud to
obtain control of county affairs. In
the counties, judicial circuits, congress
sionat and senatorial distrio;s, fusion
brought about In this way IS practicable
and proper. If undisturbed, the en-
emies of republicanism in the country
districts will be found amply able to
ana their own affairs, as they have
uOuO OcAOios 4uC pOPuiSto auu SitbCt
republicans hate English domination,
~goldbugism, high tariff and govern
ment by Injunction as bitterly as the
democrats do, and there is no reason
Why they cannot all cooperate.
ssSome have claimed that I was a
fusion candidate for governor, and
have seen it stated In papers published
IN our own state that I was even upon
the popnlist ticket. OF course. / was
not, aud 1t Is we'll known that I was
viciously by the 'middle-of-the-
road element. and am still, and the ,
same element will fight lust as bitterly
any other democratic candidate under
any and all circumstances.
'.Tbose who affiliated with rs last
year will do so again If we put up a
clean ticket, upon an honest platform,
and do not resort in any manner to
hypocrisy or demagoguery. A.!
'.Some of the shrewdest politicians
and best men In the state, disguised
with Filleyism and CleVelandism, left :
the two old parties o few years ago and !