Omaha daily bee., 1898-08-18
DEMOCRATS ARE IN REVOLT
Douglas County Bourbons Not Inclined to
Abide by the Bargain.
LOCAL FUSION GETS IN SHALLOW WATER
Demands of the Populists and Free
silver Republicans Too Much for
the Democratic Followers
of bryan.

The meeting Of the democratic county
committee. which has just been called for
next Saturday afternoon promises to be the
signal for the beginning of a break In the
harmony prevailing on the surface in the
fusion ranks. In other words, the democrats
in this city are showing signs of restlessness
under the operation of fusion agreement
which allows the populists to be dictators OF
the situation. This feeling has been quietly
spreading since the state conventions and
that its existence is recognized by the fusion
leaders is shown by the adroit appeal by
Candidate Poynter at the Jacksonian club
meeting Tuesday evening, wherein he urged
the democrats to lay aside all prejudice and
ill-feeling in the county campaign. remem-
bering only that Senator Allen is to be re-
elected next winter. That Is the kernel to
the nut
The local democrats take the position that
they are the strongest party in this county
associated with the fusion force and the
only one of the three which has even the
semblance of respectable organization. On
the other hand, they say that Senator Allen
Is a populst and that If they nominate
ticket of democrats pledged to his re-elec-
ton the populsts will have no other course
but to support it, because they can do moth
ing themselves and to assist in the defeat Of
the democratic ticket would be to contribute
to the defeat of their own candidate for the
senate.
So far as the silver republicans are con-
cerned they barely receive mention in dem
ocratic councils If they show a proper
spirit of humility and circumspection it is
said they will be allowed to name one candi'
date on the legislative ticket and no more.
If they act otherwise the threat is openly
made that they will get nothing, although
the leaders of this alleged political organiza-
ton freely express themselves as being en-
titled to and intending to demand one-thrd
of the delegation.
Where the Populists Come In.
The populists expect to be accorded one
| third of the nominations, as they were two
years ago, and think this is a big concession
| on their part SO long as the democrats are
given the candidates for congress and county
| attorney. The democrats, on the other hand,
say they will offer the populists two places
on the ticket and If this is not satisfactory
they will get none.
The hardest task at present before those
democratic leaders who favor harmony above
everything else Is to curb the demand in
| their party for straight democratic ticket
| in this county. The majority of the party
will not put up with the chickering's and
| trading which characterized the conventions
| two years ago and last year and the first show
| of rebellion on the part of the populists and
free silver republicans will be the signal for
move for a straight ticket. From present
indications the fusion at any price leaders
will be unable to stem the tide.
| Senator Allen has spent several days in
the city during the last week in an effort
| to pour oil on the troubled waters and to
induce his populist friends to accept the
| terms of the democrats. His work has not
| been crowned with success up to this time.
The Douglas county populists assert that the
| democratic deficiencies in the state ticket
are made up by the nomination of democrats
| as congressional candidates in one-half the
districts of the state, conceding them the
| Second, where, II the candidates should be
elected, 1t would be through the support
given by the populsts. They further assert
| that this is strictly county matter and that
| in all county and city campaigns the demo-
Gratis have habit of hogging everything
which they will not encourage
Poyntcr's Thankless Task.
| Candidate Poynter has devoted large por-
| tion of his time ir the city this week to
bringing harmony to the warning factions.
But he has not forgotten his populist train
/
| the democrats of the justice of the pOpulist
| claims. He answers the democratic state
ment that Senator Allen is a populist by
| saying that the one motive for fusion is to
make Bryan the presidential candidate in
1900 and for that reason the democrats are
under greater obligations for making present
concessions.
Jim Dahlman, chairman Of the democratic
state committee, has also made several re-
cent trips from Lincoln on the same errand.
He is for harmony and the secretaryship OF
the State Board Of Transportation, but it is
suggested by some Of those close to him
that he would not shed many tears II the
local democrats nominated straight ticket.
He is reported to be confident, with the en-
dorsement Of Allen, and with the prestige
of the senator behind them, the democrats
can win and will so be in a better position
to make demands upon the administration
il the fusion state ticket should be elected.
An influential democrat, who usually
knows what is going on in the inner Cir
cles yesterday offered to gamble that his
party would nominate full county ticket
of it's own. leaving the populists and free
silver republicans the alternative of support
ing 1t or by opposing 1t contribute to the
defeat Of Senator Allen.