The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1900-02-20
Middle-Of-t he-ROaders Leave
POpulist Conference.
ORGANIZE MEETING OF THEIR OWN
HopeIessiy split Over Fusion, the Question
Of Holding the National Convention ON
the same Date n the Democrats Affords
Occa sion for an Tproar and BOIt->ena-
TOT Aliens FiaI-fooied -fand-Conyen.
ton Date 10 BE Fixed To-day.

Lincoln, Nebr. Feb. ia split and a
walk-out followed a turbulent meeting of
the POpulist National Committee tonight,
The anti-fusiOn leaders. after having
number Of their followers turned down
by the credentials committee, organizing
bolt and forming a new committee. The
members favorable to fusion after adopt
ing the report of the credentials commit
tee, adjourned until Tomorrow, when in
all likelihood it will empower the chair
man or a committee of three to call the
national convention for the same city and
at the same time the Democratic cOnVen-
ton is held
Caucuses and conferences this morning
among the contending factions betokened
an inharmOnious meeting of the full COM
mite. which began at o'clock this after
noon in Representative Hall OF the Capt.
tol. The indication that breakers were
ahead was emphasized ten minutes after
Chairman Butler called the committee to
order, and announced that il would at
once go into executive session.
The differences of the members, or whom
there were about eighty present. but hold
ing proxies for nearly the full commit
tee, hinged primarily on the old question
of fusion. The element favorinG fusion.
led by Senator Allen with apparently the
strongest following insisted on fusion,
and to that end that a committee be ap-
pointed with power to call the convention
for the same day and place as the Demo-
Gratis. Senator Allen said:
senator Aliens Fiat.
az am not in favor of admitting to the
committee meeting this afternoon. or rec
OgniZing as members of the committee,
any man who participated i'm the Cinein-
natl convention which nominated Barker
and Donnclly Cor President and Vice PTesi-
dent. l am rot in favor of recognizing
proxies from such men, neither am / in
favor of recognizing any such man who
holds a proxy. | do not believe the COM
mittee should admit any member who is
supporting a ticket other than the one
to be nominated by the convention this
committee shall call. The committee
should throw over the transom every
member who has no right to participate
in its deliberations, and l believe it will
do it,
j. A. Parker of Kentucky, replied on
behalf of the middle-of- -the-road, or anti
fusion men.
Names of Proxies Omitted.
The calling of the list of the commit
teemen proceeded without incident to the
end. when Mr.. Parker saked why the
proxies of Committeeman A. w. Files. of
Arkansas, and Robert McReypOlds, Of
Lincoln, had been omitted. Robert Schil-
ling, of Wisconsin. said he challenged the
right of any man TO sit in the meeting, re-
gardless 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 Gre
dentials. AMI he thereupOn appointed as
such 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 mid
dle-of-the-roaders, who denounced his ac-
:ion as partisan
When the committee reassembled, al
| S:45. the anti-fusicnists presented the fol-
lowing 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 COM
Tnittee, except where subsequent state
conventions have elected new members.
except that cases OF contests shall 90 be-
fore committee composed of five mem
bers two to be selected by the friends cs
I Butler, two by friends of Parker, these
four TO select a 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 set
/ tied.
This proposition represents ffty-seven
| votes in this committee. which is a good
mGjO-ity of the members in attendance
here, and we demand these propositions
| in the name of the honest PopuIists OF
this nation who are opposed TO rascality
| in politics"
Aufi-EusiOuisfs RoIt