Evening star., 1897-05-28
OPPONENTS OF FUSION
Miahisaa Sound Money Demoasats and
akaightsat Populists in Aosora
Little Hnneaiats Prospect That o.
Party WIN De Able to Harmonise.
Special oOrrespousence of The Evening Star.


GRAND RAPIDS. Mich. May %. 1897.
The sound money democrats and the
populists, as much as they despise one
another politically. are agreed upon one
point, and that is a strong dislike for the
fusion idea. The straight populists bolted
the convention last spring against any fur
ther combination with the democrats and
silverites, and. Nominating a ticket of
their own, polled about 1850 votes, with
a very light vote cast IN the state.
The fusion populists. with hope neither
Of present reward nor future fonors, will
be against any further fusions when an
other campaign comes. but will in all
probability rejo.n their bolting brethren
in the middle of the road or win hoist the
banner for some new reform. The sound
money democrats rolled UP a vote of over
10000 in the spring election. and having
a lead pipe cinch on the possession of the
cid party name and vfgnette are not par
ticularly solicttous as to their own politi-
cal future. although they do admit that
such thing as state OF congressional
victory, with the party divided as IT Is
now. Is not prospectively bright.
Have n Plethoric Campaign Fund.
The sound morey democrats have a pie
thoric campaign fund. and have already
begun operations for the state election
next year. With headquarters in this city
they will prepare and distribute ''improv-
ing" hterat IRE about the state in whole
sale quantities and will send missionaries
to every county in Michigan to organize
and get the brethren together. The show
ing they made this spring, the fact that
they have plenty Ct funds for campaign
purposes. their possession of the old party
name, and q dissatisfaction among the
silver democrats with their party manage
ment Will combine to make them an i'm
,nrf mt tno1
paign. Although they have been read out
Of the party by the silver managers and
denounced as traitors and deserters, many
Of the practical politicians in the silver
year. because their affiliations with the
silver republicans and pOpulists have not
proved entirely agreeable.
With the populists gone and $4,000
straight democrats running an Independent
machine. the silver democrats do not take
cheerful view Of the future. They have
no organization and no funds, and ever
since the combine with the other s;lv.r
elements was effected there has been a sad
lack OF harmony among them. In addition
to their other woes they are tied up 10 a
long hyphenated name, which Is compare
lively new in Michigan politics. AMI which
back to the old name because that is al
ready pre-empted by the sound money
wing, and even the adoption of the name of
populists is out of the question. because
ers from the spring convention. They will
be obliged to retain the long combination
name or reorganize under another, and iE
that event will be relcgated TO the last
place on the official ticket as new party.
No Move for Reconciliation.
Negotiations for a reconciliation Of the
democracy have not yet been begun ON
either side, but it is predicted by the con-
servatlves in both the sound money and
silver camps that before another year rolls
around sprgs Of olive will be passing back
and forth between them The silver con-
servatives would be willing to eliminate
the financial question and also the Altgeld
planks in the Chicago platform entirely
and reorganZe the party on common demo-
cratic grounds and doctrines, With opposi-
ton to high tariff as tie leading issue.
The gold conservatives consider the finan-
cial question pretty well settled, or at least
| that year of good business viii tffcctually
settle ii. and that there are other things of
greater Importance to fGht for. There are
radicals, cf course, in both camps, who
will bitterly oppose anything like "A COM
premise. and will mutually insist that the
other shall do penance and wear the sack
cloth and ashes Before beng admitted
again to full communion as democrats.
The radical sound moneyl.es are not so
very numerous, ana can Dc argued into a
reasonable party compromise by their as
sociates, especially as there Is no other
camp for them to go to. but with the radi-
cal silvcrites 1t will be diffc-ent. They
can combine with the silver r.pu5licans.
who Will be political orphans another year.
and also with the populists, who will con-
tinue to advocate silver. and IAN thus
keep silver and their organization alive
for year or two longer.
If a reconciliation and reorganization be
effected, the sound money democrats Will
insist upon controlling the new organ!za-
ton to a degree sufficient 20 dictate the
party platforms. The conservatives are
not inclined to punish their wandering
brethren. but they want no more free sill
yer or Altgeld plahks In theirs. The door
for the return of the silveri.es will be fair
ly wide open, but the line will be sternly
drawn on silver and free r.pt.