The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-05-08
BRYAN AND JONES on FUSION.

Elsewhere in this issue will be found
letters from Mr.. w. J.. Bryan and Sem
ator James K. Jones to Judge Powers
on the question of fusion. Presumably
these letters are in answer to letters
addressed to the above named gentle
men, for the views expressed in them
are much the same as the judge is I'M
derstood to have expressed on several
occasions.
What is the occasion for these letters
at this particular time? They are but
a repetition of views and arguments
that have been advanced repeatedly in
the past.
There seems to be a strange coinci-
dence between their reception and pub
LEGATION at this time and the visit to
our state of the chairman of the silver
Republican national committee
While Mr.. Bryan is fully advised as
to the status of political affairs in all
the states, he can hardly be so init
mately acquainted with the exact sta
tus of political affairs in Utah as Sen
ator Jones is. Nor is it easy to believe
that he would write such a letter as
the one above quoted were he aware
that it would be used to further the
idea of fusion in a state where fusion
means but one thing. The fusionists
viii use this letter to advance their
own schemes, when it could never have
been intended for such a purpose, as
that would be a direct interference
with the political affairs of the state,
thing that Mr.. Bryan positively re-
fused to do in the case of the election
in New York.
Senator Jones is most fully advised
as to the situation in Utah, and his
letter was undoubtedly written to
definitely influence party action. This
presumption is warranted from the
fact that he has on several occasions
addressed letters to prominent citizens,
the direct and sole purpose of which
was to influence the action of the
Democratic party, and to influence it in
favor of those who give no allegiance
to that party. We frankly confess
that we think Senator Jones has gone
much further in his advocacy of fusion
in Utah than his position as chairman
of the Democratic national committee
justified him; in fact, his advocacy has
been little less than interference.
1t is urged that Democrats are not
asked to surrender any principle when
they are invited to fuse with other
advocates of silver. If party princi-
pies are not to be surrendered, they
are to be held in allegiance, which is
practically a distinction without a diff
ference. But Democrats 60 believe in
free silver; they are the hope of free
silver; it is the leading plank in their
national platform. What greater de-
votion to the cause of free silver can
they give than adherance to it? The
man who is an earnest advocate of free
silver and, cannot stand on the Demo-
cratic platform is strange advocate
of free silver indeed.
The Democrats of Utah desire to
have Democrat elected to the United
States senate, and fusion means the
election of some one who is not a Dem
ocrat. If there are any Democrats in
the state who desire to see some one
elected United States senator who is
not a Democrat, then to work for fu-
sion is the way to go to work for the
accomplishment of that end. We wish
to see Democrat elected United States
and we believe that the best
interests Of the state and nation re-
uuire the election of one. Neither the
silver cause nor the Democratic party !
In this state has anything to gain from |
fusion; and the party has much to lose
by it. The very forces in Utah that |
are most strongly urging fusion are the
natural and hereditary enemies of |
Democracy, and they wouldn't urge it
if they thought that the Democratic
party would profit by it in the least;
they also know that the silver cause |
in Utah is safe, fusion or no fusion.
We are fairly well acquainted with
the sentiment of the Democrats of
Utah on the question of fusion, and it
is against it. What the attitude of
the party on fusion will be is a ques-
ton for the state convention to decide.
and by its decision we expect to stand.
This is certain: Fusion in Utah means
confusion for the Democracy. And
none know this so we'll as the party's