The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-09-02
FUSION IN NEBRASKA.
Alliance of the Three Free-Silver Par
ties-One Set OF Candidates.

LINCOLN, Neb. Sept. 1.-The tripartite
alliance of the Nebraska free-silver forces
was given good Roadway by three large
conventions held, respectively, by the Dem
ocrats, Populists and free-silver Republic
ans. These gatherings, conducted under
separate organizations, acted in perfect
harmony and when routine work had been
disposed of the representatives of the
united parties gave their attention to adj
dresses by leading free-silver advocates.
The nomination of a fusion state ticket
seems assured. During the morning the
Democratic state central committee agreed
on C. A. Shallenberger, of Alma, for tenn
porary chairman, the silver Republicans
selected F. F. LOOMS, of Omaha. for the
same position and the Populist state CEN
trail committee decided to leave the election
of a temporary chairman to the convention.
The three conventions were called to order
at 2 o'clock this afternoon, the Pcpulists
meeting in the Lansing Theater, the Demo-
Gratis in a public hall and the silver Re
publicans in the Y. NJ c.. A auditorium.
Had there been a hall in the city large
enough to accommodate the crowd the
three conventions would have been merged
into one.
The Democratic convention was probably
the most enthusiastic of the three. The hall
was filled to its utmost capacity. The fea-
ture of the opening was the declaration of
the state chairman, Dahlman, relative to
the terms of fusion He said: I'VE want the
Populists to understand that the Democrats
demand their share of the fruits of fusion.
We have conceded the bulk of the offices
to the PopulistS, but we think We have a
right to the supreme judgeship and when
this convention appoints it's conference
committee and adjourns for the afternoon
| insist on every delegate working with the
Populist brethren and urging upon them
the necessity of granting us this Office" BY
these remarks it is apparent that Mr.. Dahl
man anticipates some difficulty in effectng
a fusion that would be satisfactory to his
party but his fears did not appear to be
generally shared. Temporary Chairman
Shallenberger made a lengthy speech. He
asserted that the mission of the Democrat
ic party is to combat the doctrine of pro-
lection and the gold standard.
The Populist convention was character
lied by confusion, as the delegates insisted
on cheering for their party and their lead
ers Temporary Chairman Powers made a
short speech, in which he urged harmonious
action by the allied parties and counseled
a spirit OF Cancellation on the part of the
Populists.
The silver Republican convention exhibit
ed very little spirit in exhausting lung
power and there were many empty seats
throughout the hail. Temporary Chairman
F. w. LOOMS made q short speech urging
the forces to keep together and join hands
in cooperating with the other two parties
in the convention. The three conventions
then appointed their committees and took
a recess until 1880 o'clock.
At o'clock the delegates gathered in the
Statehouse grounds and listened to a num-
Der of addresses by w. j. Bryan. ex-Con-
gresham Charles A. Towne, General Wea-
yer and others. Mr.. Bryan said in SUBJ
stance: THE Democrats, Populists and sill
yer Republicans were led to cooperate last
year because they agreed on the subject OF
bmetalsm and also agreed in the belief
that the money question was the paramount
issue before the people. If bimetallism was
right then it is right now. If 1t was the
paramount issue then 1t is the paramount
issue now. If cooperation was wise then
it is wise now. The three parties can act
.xxrifh n ~ ri nr-
ganizatiOns, without sacrifice of principles
and without harm to each other The money
question must be settled before other ques-
tons can be seriously considered To fight
each other in the presence of a united and
INSCRIPTIONS enemy would not only post
pone the restoration of bimetailsm, but
endanger the success of every other neces-
sarv reform. Continued cooperation between
the forces which acted together last year
aid not mean that any one of the parties will
swallow the other two; it simply means
that they will travel together while they
can and separate only when they must. IL
means that they Will place the success of a
great cause above the temporary triumph
of any party and leave the future to deter
mine which organization is most worthy OF
nublic support. In this great contest men
are only valuable as they contribute TO the
success of the cause: Personal ambitions
must be subordinated to the public good.
The man who here or elsewhere urges mis-
own candidacy 10 the detriment of the
cause is unworthy of the office TO which he
At the evening session Attorney General
Smith of Douglass county, was chosen
permanent chairman of the Democratic
convention; w. A. Poynter. of Boone coun-
ty, was chosen by the Populists to fill the
same position and A. J. Weaver, Of Rich
ardson, was the selection of the free-si-
yer Republicans Conference committees
were appointed and Immediately set to
work to form a fusion agreement. At 1880
a. m. a conclusion had been reached. The
Democratic cOnferees We're uninstructed.
The platform adopted by that convention
indorses the Chicago platform, denounces
the proposed retirement of greenbacks de-
plores the delay in settling the Hawaiian
striking miners. The platform is very brief
The declarations OF the other conventions