The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-10-06
TRYING TO FIX UP FUSION
DOUBTFUL II ALL THE ELEMENTS
FAN he UNITED.
BE the Aim Of the Clark Campaign
Convention To-Day

There were more political confer
ences held in Butte yesterday than In
any previous day probably in Butte's
history. There were a number OF for.
NAL conferences n there were innu-
merable informal conferences. The
whole work was with the end in view
OF getting up the most desirable ticket
against the democrats. At the close
of the day nothing definite had been
agreed on. and IL seemed very doubtful
hat all the elements would be united
In a fusion against the democrats.
which has been the desire n aim of
the Clark campaigners all the way
through.
At the hour tina the lights were
turned out in the Auditorium last night
fusion was In a chaotic state. Things
may be fixed up to-day, but that may
be considered doubtful. The populists
will hold their convention at 2 o'clock
this afternoon n the Mckinley repub-
licans at Z o'clock this evening. But
at present IL seems extremely doubtful
II any sort Of a fusion Is accomplished
among these various political elements.
At Tuesday nights secret caucus OF
the gold republicans a committee of
five was appointed to see IL IL would
not be possible to effect a fusion OF
the gold republicans with something or
other-any old thing would do. That
committee met at 10 o'clock yesterday
morning and laid out a plan of cam
paign. They concluded to give every
thing a fair deal and make a fusion
with anything that came along. At .
o'clock in the afternoon they met a
committee of five who purported to
represent the Clark democrats" This
Joint committee decided that In order
to effect n winning fusion II would be
necessary To call the populists in. and
both sides agreed that the populists
would be easy prey and would jump
at any chance they could get. The
Joint committee arranged the following
plan OF fusion:
Old republicans-Sheriff. assessor,
county clerk. state senator. county at
torney and four members of the Iegis-
lature.
Clark democrats-Six members Of
the legislature and coroner.
Populists-Treasurer. auditor, super
intendent of schools. surveyor and two
members OF the legislature who should
be Thomas 5. Kilgsllon and John An
derson.
This plan Of fusion vas agreed To 10y
the Mckinley republicans and the
Clark democrats. but was objected TO
by the populists. They objected very
decidedly to the Clark democrats nam
ing the populist candidates for the leg
islature. They thought II Clark want
ed the complete legislative ticket he
should pay well for it-he shouldn't be
made "A present OF II. Tn populists re-
fused to agree To this fusion unless
they should have the naming of their
candidates for the legislature.
The populists having rejected all
oNertures. the Joint committees Of
the Mckinley republicans and the
Clark democrats then monkeyed
ms or these silver republicans was
held last evening at the Office of Lee
Mantle To see about efecting some old
fusion. The Mckinley republicans and
the Clark democrats agreed TO make a
fusion with the. silver republicans, pro-
vided the latter would reconstruct their
ticket somewhat. They asked that
Miles C~avanaugh be dropped as a cam
dldate for county attorney. for they
did not like his name. They also asked
that w. ID. Fenner and NJ. G. Harris
be dropped as candidates for the lecis-
lature-in order To give two more can
didates 10 the Clark people.
And on this rock they split"
The Mantle republicans were willing
TO sacrifice anything else. hut they
were not willing To sacrifice any OF their
candidates for the legislature. The
clark democrats, on the other hand.
willing To give up anything and
everything except the legislative ticket.
They could not lose that. The McKin-
ley republicans could not see how Il
was possible To elect both Clark and
Mantle legislative tickets and got dis
with both.
\ secret meeting ~ the Mckinley re-
delegates was held last night
at the Auditorium. They listened To
the reports and they found the situa-
ton not encouraging. They were dis
with the proposition both OF
the populists n the silver republicans.
was accepted. and unless some
Is reached to-day the re-
p%ublicans will kick against fusion. At
a late hour last night both the Clark
and the silver republicans
were wooing the Mckinley republicans
seemed disposed 20 be satisfied
with either dear charmer were the
other dear charmer away. 4 PROPOSE
ton was made at midnight by which
h silver republicans are to have six
representatives. the Clark democrats
N the Mckinley republicans
three and the senator and all the other
offices, but this does not seem likely To
carry. II this goes through. the popu-
lists will be left out in the cold. as
of the republican factions will
go in with them II they can get along
without them. A score OF different fu-
Zion propositions are likely to be
to-day.