The herald., 1898-05-25
Mr.. Cole on Fusion

To the Editor Of the Los Angeles Herald:
Kindly give me some Of your space for
short review of the present status OF the
fusion movement.
spent all last week In San Francisco
in an honest endeavor to get at the real
facts In this fusion question and also to
contribute in a modest way towards the re-
alization of a union Of the reform parties
of the state upon a basis at once just and
fair to all concerned. 1 believe gained
information that has not yet been made
public First, the minority. OF only one
vote of the executive committee OF the
Populist state central committee, Is abb
souteIy in favor Of fusion and is in favor
of a late convention. Second, the majority
Of this same committee is apparently OPP
posed to fusion and forced the hand OF the
minority In selecting July IL and Sacra-
mento as the date and place of holding
their convention. Third, the majority OF
this executive committee represents not
to exceed 10 per cent of the Populist party,
while the minority represents the great body
of the Peoples party In this state. In this
committee ii was a case Of tail wag dog
with the tail in such numerical strength
that any reconsideration OF Its action In
selecting July IL for its convention Is abb
solutely out of the question. These facts
came out in the conference OF Democrats,
Populists and Silver Republicans held In
San Francisco Monday, the 18th. While
all Democrats and all Silver Republicans
favor a late convention, as patriotic men,
we must accept the situation as 1t Is and
not as we would like it to be. am fully
convinced that no power that can be ex-
ercised would induce the Populists to
change their plans. Now the question
arises are we to play into the hands of the
middle-of-the-road contingent of the Pop
ulist party-the 10 per cent minorty-and
have our Democratic and Silver Republican
conventions at different time and place
than theirs, or are we to stand by our own
friends in the Populist organization. the
90 per cent of the Peoples party who favor
fusion, and meet them upon the 18th day
of July. If we do this, the Populist state
convention will enter into fusion with the
Democrats and Silver Republicans and this
union of able and patriotic men, together
with the strong ticket that win certainly
be nominated, will sweep the state at the
election in November.
I submit these views with conviction
that any other course than to meet the
EOpullstb al 0dCE VII tHc 4Itu udy VI
July would be fatal to the success of the
reform forces in California this fall. OF
course, IL the Democrats meet in San Fran
cisco on the 18th or 18th of July it would
be fully as effective as to meet In Sacra-
mento. In this event the Silver Republicans
should certainly meet with the Popullsts In
Sacramento upon the 18th of July. My
solcitude for complete fusion in this state
at the approaching election is so great that
I would advise the Silver Republicans to
withdraw all claims for recognition upon
the fusion ticket rather than have the plan
Of union fail. We would rather be "hewers
of wood and drawers Of water" to the Dem
ocratic and Populist organizations than
see the fruits Of victory appropriated by
the common enemy. A result certain II fu-
sion Is not effected.
NATHAN COLE, JR.