The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1900-02-20
MIDDLE -ROADERS BOLT
Stormy Meeting of Populist
National Committee.
ANTI-FUsIoN1sTs THROWN DOWN

Parker and His Followers Excluded From
the Convention NIiddle-o -of-the-R Road
Crowd Call Their Convention to Meet
Cincinnati, May o.
LINCOLN, Feb 20.-A split and a walk
out followed a turbulent meeting of the
Populist national committee last night,
the anti-fusion leaders, after having a
by the credentials committee, organizing
bolt and formed new committee.
The members favorable to fusion, after
adopting the report of the credentials
committee, adjourned until today, when
in all likelihood it will empower the
chairman or committee of three to
call the national convention for the
same city and at the same time the
Democratic convention is held.
The boilers secured q room at the
Grand hotel prepared an address and
called national convention for Gin
cinnati on Wednesday, May 9.
Caucuses and conferences yesterday
morning among the contending factions
of the Populist national committee be-
tokened an inharmonious meeting of
the full committee, which began at p.
m. in Representative hall OF the state
capitol, and the indications that break
ers We're ahead were emphasized 10
minutes after Chairman Butler called
the committee to order and announced
that it would at once go into executive
session. The differences of the mem
bers, of whom there were about so pres
ent, but holding proxies for the whole
committee, hinged primarily on the old
question of fusion. The element led by
Senator Allen, with the strongest fol-
lowing, insisted on fusion, and that
committee be appointed with power to
call the convention for the same day
and place as the Democrats.
Allen Declares Himself.
Senator Allen said: II am not in
favor of admitting to the committee
meeting or recognizing as members Of
the committee any man who partici-
pated in the Cincinnati convention that
nominated Barker and Donnelly for
president and vice president. am not
| in favor of recognizing any such man
who holds a proxy. do not believe
| the committee should admit any mem
ber whois supporting ticket other than
| the one to be nominated in the conven-
| tion this committee shall call. The
committee should throw over the tran
som every member who has no right to
participate in it's deliberations and I
believe it will do it."
j. A. Parker of Kentucky replied on
| behalf of the middle of the road, or anti
| fusion men.
The calling Of the list Of committee
men proceeded without incident to the
end. when Mr.. Parker asked why the
proxy of Committeeman A. w. Files Of
Arkansas, Robert McReynolds of Lin
coin, had been omitted. Robert Schill-
ing of Wisconsin said he challenged the
right of any man to sit i'll the meeting,
regardless of his credentials, who had
taken part in the Cincinnati convention,
which nominated Barker and Donnelly.
Chairman Buffers Ruling.
| Chairman Butler ruled that the whole
matter must go to the committee on Gre
dentials, and he thereupon appointed as
such committee, Allen Of Nebraska,
Weaver of Iowa and Tracey Of Texas,
and declared the meeting adjourned,
amid the protests of the middle-of- the.
readers.
When the committee reassembled at
S:45 the antifusionists presented a prop
osition that the contest cases go before a
committee of five members, two to be
selected by the friends of Butler, two
by friends of Parker, these four to se-
lect fifth member, and in settling the
contests no votes to be cast by either
contestees or contestants until all con-
tests are settled. The proposition was
ignored by the full committee, the COM
mittee on credentials reported exclud-
ing all but five of the antifusion mem
bers and in the midst of an uproar the
middle-of- -the-roaders, led by Parker OF
Kentucky and Weller of Iowa, left the
hall, engaged q room down town and
organized boiling meeting, with D.
Glenn Deaver of Nebraska as chairmon