The herald., 1898-07-17
FRESH FROM The FRAY
HOW THE VICTORY FOR FUSION
WAS WON
Nathan Cole and Noonan Phillips
Proved Too Hot Team for
Baker and Gator

DR.. Hill has just returned from Sacra-
mento and San Francisco. He thinks great
credit is due to the Silver Republicans and
especially to Mr.. Cole and Judge Phillips
for the good work which they accomplished
at Sacramento in bringing about fusion
DR.. Hill said:
After arriving at Sacramento we soon
found out that there were two programs.
An agreement had been reached with the
Populists before we arrived at Sacramento
as to the offices which should be assigned
to each of the three parties. The Silver Re-
publicans were to have one of the justices
Of the supreme court for Judge Van Dyke
of this city and secretary Of state for Nc
Craney of Sacramento. The Populists were
to have lieutenant governor, controller and
superintendent Of public instruction. The
Democrats were given the balance of the
offices. This arrangement was afterwards
modified by giving to the Silver Republicans
the clerk of the supreme court, instead of
secretary Of state.
"Now. the first program was to have the
Populists leave the governorship alone. not
to make any nomination for that office, but
leave it for the Democrats to name the man,
who should subsequently be endorsed by
the Populists.
1.-THE second program was that the Popu-
lists should nominate Mcguire.
shortly after we arrived at Sacramento
we learned that the middle-of-the-roaders
were going to nominate Shanahan. His
nomination was advocated by Gator, Baker,
Nordsal and Gore. The same men were
fighting Mcguire. We then saw that to
effect fusion and carry out the union agree
ment the convention must either nominate
Mcguire or permit the middle-of-the-road-
ers to nominate Shanahan. We knew very
we'll that il Shanahan were nominated that
he would refuse to get off the ticket for
Mcguire, and thus thwart the whole ar
rangement. The Populists saw the mat
ter in the same light, and 1t was finally de-
termined byi the Populists in favor OF
fusion to then and there nominate Mcguire
and settle the whole matter OF fusion. 1t
was a straight, open and fair fight on the
part Of the Populist fusionists. Mcguire
was nominated and the Populists are en-
titled to great credit for their firm stand in
the face of such powerful opposition and for
taking the only step which makes fusion on
the state ticket possible.
"All this talk about leaving the head OF
the ticket blank is nonsense. 1t was just
what the middle Of the-roaders wanted. 1t
was their scheme from beginning to end
to blum the majority Of the convention to
leave Maguire's nomination for future con-
sideration, knowing that under these cir
cumstances Shanahan would secure the
nomination, and thereby they would accom-
plish their object-would prevent the NOM
nation of Mcguire.
1.-THE nomination Of Mcguire was the only
solution of the situation and the only
means of accomplishing fusion on the state
ticket. The Democratic committee, which
made 1t a condition of fusion that the Pop
ulists should leave all offices assigned to the
Democratic party blank, did not under
stand the situation at Sacramento, or they
never would have imposed such conditions,
and when the committee reached Sacramento
and learned the true state of affairs they
accepted the inevitable without objection
II desire to say here that but for the gen.
eralship Of Cole and Phillips it is doubtful
II fusion would have been effected at all.
Gator and Baker combined are no match
for Cole In playing on the checker board Of
politics. Cole has the faculty Of grasping
on the ground, and it was he who saw that
Mcguire must be nominated or that fusion
would fail. Judge Phillips played no small
part In the fight either. His speech before
the convention was the turning point OF
victory. Gator attempted to stem the tide,
but II was a feeble effort as compared to
that Of Phillips. Gator will have no love
for Phillips in the future and will feel like
hiding himself II he has any sense Of de-
cency left in him.
"But the Populsts are entitled to more
credit than anyone else. In fact, they are
entitled to the whole credit of nominating
Mcguire and thus making fusion possible.
what about.Nan Dykes nomination?
"Cole managed the whole matter with his
usual cleverness. There was no opposition
from the Populists and he received his NOM
nation, to the entire satisfaction of every
body. talked with several old-timers up
there who knew Judge Van Dyke, Repub-
licans at that. and they told me that they
would support him on election day. From all
I could hear on the subject he is pretty
we'll known UP there and will poll heavy
vote He will undoubtedly receive the DEM
ocratic nomination"