The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-02-20
THE MEETING Al LIN 0lN
THE ELEMENT LED BY ALLEN
FAVOR FUSION.
CREDENTIALS COM TURN DOWN AN IS
Butler Appoints Fusion Men on This Comm ttee
and the Middle of the Readers Bolt and
Organize Another Meeting. fus-
ionists Adjourn Until TODAY.

Lincoln, Neb, Feb. 19-A split and a
walk-out followed turbulent meeting
of the Populist National Committee to-
night, the Anti-Fusion leaders, after bav-
ing number of their followers turned
down by the Credentials Committee, or
ganizing a bolt and forming a new com
mttee. The members favorable TO fusion
after adopting the report Of the Gre
dentialS Committee adjourned until to1
morrow when in all likelihood it will
empower the chairman of q committee
of three to call the National convention
for the same city and at the same time
the Democratic convention is held.
Caucuses and conferences early today
among the contending factions betokened
an mharmoniouS meeting of the full
committee which began at three o'clock
this afternoon in Representative Hall of
the Capitol. and the indication that break
esrs We're ahead was emphasized 10, mi1-
utes after Chairman Butler called the
committee to order and announced that it
would at once go into executive session.
The differences of the members OF whom
there were about so per cent, but holding
proxies for nearly the full committee
hinged primarily on the old question of
fusion. The element fayorng fusion,
led by Senator Allen with apparently the
strongest following insisted OH iusi..ii Gill
to that end that q committee be appoint
ed with power to call the convention for
the same day and place as the Demo
Gratis. Senator Allen said:
Il am not in favor of admitting TO the
committee meeting this afternoon or rec
ogniZing as members of the committee.
any man who participated in the C1ncln-
matt convention that nominated Barker
and Donnelly for President aud Vice
President ! am not in favor of recognize
ing proxies from such mnn. lneltf, y
am ! in favor of recognizing any such
man who holds a proxy. | do not be-
lieve the committee should admit any
member who is supporting ticket other
than the one to be nominated in the
this committee shall call. The
cotmmitee should throw over the tranSom
every member who has no right to par
tic;pate in its deliberations and | believe
it will do it"
r. \. Parker, of Kentucky, replied on
behalf of the Middle of the Road, or
Anti-Fusion men.
Mr. Parker asked why in calling the
roll the proxies .of Committeeman Files,
of Arkansas, and McReynolds, of In
coin. had been omitted.
Chairman Butler ruled that the whole
matter must go to the Committee on
Credentials and he thereupon appointed
as such committee, Allen, of Nebraska:
Weaver of Iowa, and Tracy, OF Texas.
all of the Fusion faction. and declared
the meeting adjourned amid the protests
Of the AIiddle-of-the- Readers who de-
nounced his action as partisan.
When the committee re-aSSembled at
S:i5 the Anti-Fusonists presented the
following proposition:
THAT the committee recognize only
legal proxies, stamped with revenue
stamps according TO law.
THAT the roll of the meeting at Omaha
in 1898 be accepted as the roll OF this
committee, except where sub-State con-
ventions have elected new members, eX-
cept that cases of contests shall go be-
fore a committee composed of five mem
bers, two to be selected by the friends
of Butler two by the friends of Parker
these four to select a fifth member: and
that in settling these contests no votes
are to cast on these cases by either
contestees or contestants until all con-
tests are settled"
In the midst OF en- pproar, the Middel-
of-the-roaders, led by Parker. Of Ken
tuciy, and Weller. of Iowa. left the hall
engaged room down town and organ
lied a boiling meeting.
The main convention, shortly before
adjourned until tomorrow morn
ing.
The bolters called national conven-
ton for Cincinnati ON Wednesday, May
9th