The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-09-09
POPS BATTLING
FOR THE NAME
The Big Fight to Open
Saturday.
SECRETARY BROWN TO DECIDE
SHANAHAN WILL MAKE A VIC
oROUS CAMPAIGN.
The Voters In the Outraged Party
Are Combining to Defeat
the Fusion
Ticket.
SECRETARY BROWN TO DECIDE
SHANAHAN WILL MAKE A VIC
oRoUS CAMPAIGN.

A big legal battle between the regular
Populists and the fusionists for the party
designation on the official ballot will be
formally opened at Sacramento to-mor-
row.
The initial decision in the matter must
be given by Secretary of State Brown,
with whom all State tickets must be filed
within a specified time. To-day is the
sixtieth and last day prescribed by law,
but 1t being a legal holiday. Secretary
Brown has notified the representatives Of
the opposing factions of the Populist
party that he will receive their tickets
and briefs and hear their arguments on
Saturday at 10 a. m. Thomas V. Gator
will appear for the middle-of-the-road-
sters, and he is preparing brief which
will make a very strong showing for the
genuine party which was 80 ANONYMOUSLY
sold out to the Democracy.
The Populist State Central Committee
is more than confident that Secretary
Brown will decide in their favor, but If
he does not the fight will be at once
taken to the Supreme Court Inc FUSION
lists will doubtless DO the same th!ng II
they are decided against, so fight to the
Shanahan and the State Central Com
mittee are waiting for this decision before
opening the campaign. Should they Sc
cure the recognition they claim to be en-
titled to the Populist State campaign Will
be opened at once in the most vigorous
style. Shanahan promises to make a lively
gubernatorial fight, and the great ma
1ority of the party which remains loyal
to its principles and which repudiates fu-
sion as the fruit OF base betrayal VIII
Portable for the Pinto Populists and their
friends.
peoples party belongs will have very
important results. If the regular Popu-
lists ultimately lose, the Shanahan ticket
and the campaign will likely be aban-
doned, for the candidates could run only
as Independents after Ming petluon re-
quiring 10000 names.
If the fusion wing loses the Populist
candidates on the fusion ticket will have
TO go on the ballot as simply Democrats
Even the Silver Republican candidates on
the hybrid ticket, McCraney and Van
Dyke, would appear as pure Democrats
and nothing more.
the great majority of the Populists
against the fusion arrangement is show
ing itself daily in increasing strength: The
great body of the party is filled with
spirit of independence and loyalty. It
shows itself in the voluminous correspond
ence received from all over the State by
Carleton II. Johnson, secretary of the
State Central Committee, which has its
headquarters in the Parrot building, and
also In the way that county committees
.sThe Populists generally throughout the
State feel that they have been sold out
and they are knitting fusion right and
left" said Secretary Johnson yesterday:
I'VE expect now that Shanahan will poll
as large a vote as Webster did four years
ago. To show how repugnant fusion is TO
the mass of the party, two years ago,
even with all the whoop for Bryan. 10000
Populsts voted for the Populist electors,
when there was a doubt that the vote
would be totaliZed and the State Central
Committee urged all Populists to vote for
the Democratic electors. You remember
that the same fusion electors appeared
twice on the ballot-once as Democrats
and once as Populists.
THE county committees are being rap
idly reorganized and there will soon be
straight Peoples party organizations in
all the counties. In Shasta, Tuolumne,
Tulare and other counties straight county
tickets have already been nominated. In
Kings County 1t was agreed to support
county fusion ticket, but all Populists are
to support the Shanahan ticket. Lines
are being closely drawn and no Populist
will be Supported for a local office Who Who
will not support the straight State ticket
Populist local fusion candidates thus do
not dare to support Mcguire, even If so
inclined. The members Of the party feel
outraged and they are bound to beat fu-
son. No county convention which rati-
fies fusion is recognized by the State
Central Committee"
A howl of indignation is being raised
throughout the State by circular which
has been sent out by George D. Gillespie,
secretary of the State Central Committee
of the fusion Pops. 1t is sent to State Cen
trail Committeeman and levies a tax of 80
cents upon each candidate who comes be-
fore the several county conventions of the
Peoples party desiring nomination for
public office, whether the candidate Is
successful before the convention or not"
This applies to Democrats seeking fusion
nominations as well. 1t is explained that
expensive legal battles are in sight and the
four-bit pieces are wanted to fight those
who are attempting to steal the party
name"