Mexico weekly ledger., 1897-12-09
STRAIGHT DEMOCRACY.
A Sensible and Sound Article Against
Fusion Deals-Democrats Will
Triumph on Democratic
Platform.


sensible article against fusion deals is
from the Platte City Landmark, one
OF Missouri's most loyal and infiuen-
tial Democratic newspapers. Read
and heed:
''FHAr FUSION BUSINESS"
The Mexico IRtelligeacer, whose able
editor is Hon. Sam Cook, Chairman of
the State Democratic Committee,
takes us to task on account OF our ar
tiele last week opposing fusion. Mr..
Cook, in defense of his last election
fusion course, says:
"When the Landmark says only
few hundred Populists, and an equally
small number of silver Republicans
supported Mr.. Bryan in Missouri, we
are forced to conclude that paper has
not paid very close attention to the
election returns of last year.
The vote in the State demonstrates
very clearly that there were many
Thousand instead of "few hundred
Populists and silver Republicans who
loyally supported Mr.. Bryan and the
Democratic State ticket.
Let us take the figures in the Land
marks own district, the Fourth.
In 1892, a Democratic year, the
Democrats cast 16,6o5 votes, the Re-
publicans, 14,031, and the Populists,
1884, Democratic plurality of 2,574.
In 1894 this district gave Republican
plurality of 1000.
In 1896 the Democrats received 21,-
6O3; the Republicans, 1! ,57l; while the
Popnlist vote disappeared entirely,
resulting in Democratic majority oi
4,032."
Now, to an ordinary observer, Mr..
Cooks figures would show that fusion
was a grand success, but to man who
understood the people at the time oi
the last election, these same figures
would not stand washing.
Those who understood the force anG
impetuosity of the silver wave, the
great enthusiasm and the persona
magnetism for the matchless Bryan,
knows full well, and Mr.. Cook also
knows, that they would have votet
for any ticket, provided that ticke
carried silver flag, supported the
Chicago platform and endorsed Mr.
Bryan. This feeling had ripened ant
matured long before the leaders of TIT
Populist party had began to fee
around for Office. We know every
county in the Fourth district ant
were fully conversant with how th'
people would vote. In communitie
where the Populist party was strong
est the people had their minds mad,
up and had determined to vote for tn
Democratic nominee and for tn,
Bryan electors. You could not ge
them to listen to Tom Watson, or
middle le-of-the-road Pop. They wantet
to win, and in this State they knew
that to vote the Republican ticke
meant Hannaism, to vote the Populis
: ticket was to extend aid to the Repub
licans. They wanted Bryan and voted
for Democrats because they knew
there was no hopes for Populist elec
tors or State officials. Under the en-
thusiasm of that day Mr.. Stephen
would have received almost as many
votes had Mr.. Jones remained the
candidate for Governor. None ex
cept a very few politicians knew o.
cared anything about the little fusiol
scheme that was afterwards incubated
the great mass of voters of these par
ties were surprised and the Democrat
chagrined at the little game tina
Rozelle and few others had worked
on the Democratic State Committee
No convention had been held, no res
olutions passed, no public demand
had been made by the Populists de
mandipg recognition on the Demo
cratic ticket.
The whole fusion scheme had beel
8 concocted and put in operation by
3 few leaders of the Populists to foste
] these same leaders into fat Offices
+. And Rozelle and his men rigged up
: scarecrow bugaboo and worked it t.
: a finish. They said that few hun
3 dred thousand Populists had threat
; ened to vote for Watson or the Re
publican ticket. And Mr.. Bryan an
especially Mr.. Stephens, were los
unless something was done, and tina
q Immediately. Messengers were sen
: daily from the Pop State Committe
to the Democratic State Committee
. urging the desperate condition of tn
silver cause. "Platte county woul
cast 600 Democratic gold bug vote
y and its great Populist vote would no
Q go to the Democratic electors or stat
ticket" (This was what we hear
: when summoned to meet the Demo
; And this was a sample of what wa
= trict in the state. The Democratl
@ State Committeeman had been inter
!, viewed by the fusion workers, an
= when we met with them they were tn
{ worst scared lot of leaders we eve
saw. That great, big, jovial friend o
ours, John Christian, of Tarkio, mad
the walls of the room fairly shake, 81
Q badly was he scared. He rushed III
I to us and said, "My goodness, Jinks
we are dead gone sure. I've mad
nineteen trips to Rozelle's room, an,
: we have not q ghost of a chance il
the Fourth Distrlct-and the state
lest world without end" And as W,
talked with other members of tn,
committee we found them in the sam
8 state of fear and trepidation. In tn
few days that Rozelle and his com
patriots were working their littl
. racket our corpulent friend, Chris
tian, had actually fallen of 1856 pounds
SO great was his scare, and 80 frequen
, had been his trips to the Pop head
quarters.
We met with the committee to tall
over the matter, and found then
humping with ague, 30 great wa
their fright. There sat our old friend
Sam Cook, "whom we had seen d,
good work before the gates of Troy,
looking as pale and emaciated as /,
profile sketch of old DR.. Tanner. Tht
, committeeman were called on ant
each, with one exception, declare,
the silver cause in Missouri was dom
: for. The scene was the saddest on,
, we have ever witnessed, and evel
now q cold chill comes over Us at tn,
remembrance of 1t. But before tht
committeeman present were through
> with their lamentations and forebod
ings, we recovered our usual equilib