The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-02-20
POPULISTS HAVE SPLIT
NEW NATIONAL COMMITTEE
FORMED BY ANTI-FUSIONIsTS.
Row mt Yesterday's Meeting-Attempt
by Bryanites to Ride Rough Shod
over "Middle ROaders."

LINCOLN, Neb., Feb. ia split and
walkout followed turbulent meeting OF
the Popuist national committee tonight,
the anti-fusion leaders, after having
number Of their followers turned down
by the credentials committee. organizing
a bolt and forming new committee. The
members favorable to fusion, after adopting
the report of the credentials committee,
adjourned until tomorrow, when, in all
likelihood it will empower the chairman
or a 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 this morning
among the contending factions betokened
unharmonious meeting of the full COM
mittee, which began at 8 o'clock this after
noon in Representative Hall of the State
Capitol, and the indications that breakers
we're ahead was emphasized ten minutes
after Chairman Butler called the commit
tee to order and announced that 1t would
at once go into executive session. The diff
ferences of the members, Of whom there
were about eighty present, but holding
proxies for nearly the full committee,
hinged primarily on the old question OF
fusion. The element led by Senator Allen,
with apparently the strongest following,
insisted on fusion and to that end that
committee be appointed with power to call
the convention for the same day and place
as the Democrats. Senator Allen said: 81
am not in favor of admitting to the COM
mittee meeting this afternoon or recogniz-
ing as members of the committee any man
who participated in the Cincinnati conven-
ton that nominated Barker and Donnelly
in favor of recognizing proxies from such
men, neither am In favor of
recognizing any such man who holds
a proxy. I do not believe the COM
mittee should admit any member who is
supporting a ticket other than the one to
be nominated in the convention this COM
mittee shall call. The committee should
throw over the transom every member
who has no right to participate in its delib-
erations and believe it will do it,
j. A. Parker. of Kentucky, replied on be-
half of the middle of the road or anti
fusion men. The calling Of the list of COM
mitteemen proceeded without incident to
the end, when Mr.. Parker asked why the
proxy of Committeeman A. w. Files, of
Arkansas. Robert McReynolds. of Lincoln.
had been omitted. Robert Schilding, of
Wisconsin, said he challenged the right OF
any man to sit in the meeting regardless
of his credentials who had taken part in
the Cincinnati convention which nominated
Barker and Donnelly.
Chairman Butler ruled that the whole
matter must go to the committee on cre-
l,4 her 1;,,to
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 middle
of-the-roaders, who denounced his action
partisan.
When the committee reassembled at S:45
the anti-fusionists presented the following
proposition THAT the committee recog-
nize only legal proxies, stamped with rev.
enue stamps according to law. That the
roll of the meeting at Omaha in 1895 be ac-
cepted as the roll of this committee, ex-
cept where subsequent state conventions
have elected new members. except that
cases of contests shall go before a COM
mittee composed of five members. two to be
selected by the friends OF Butler, two by
friends OF Parker. these four to select
fifth member: and that In settling these
contests no votes are to be cast on these
cases by either contestees or contestants,
until all contests are settled. This prop
osition represents fifty-seven votes in this
committee, which is a good majority of the
members in attendance here and we de-
mand these propositions in the name of
honest Populists of this nation who are op-
posed to rascality in politics"
This was signed by 10 A. Parker. Ken
lucky; r. II. III. Wheeler, Ohio: Newt
Gresham. Texas; ]. B. Osborne, Georgia;
j. l. Knott, Maine; Robert McReynolds,
Arkansas, and ID. Glenn Deaver Of Nebras-
ka, together with a number OF others not
committeeman.
The proposition was ignored by the full
committee the committee on credentials
reported excluding all but five of the anti
fusion members and In the midst of an up
roar the le-of-the-roaders, led by Par
ker of Kentucky and Weller of Iowa left
the hall, engaged room down town and
organized a bolting meeting
An address was issued by the middle
of-the-road" faction tonight denouncing
the action Of the Butler faction.