Omaha daily bee., 1900-01-17
NO FUSION ON CITY TICKET
That is the Eliot Of the Democratic Machine
Managers.
DEMOCRATS oNLYToRECElvE NOMINATIONS
BurlIey Said to lie slated for Mayor
atty Place, with Privilege
10 Name His own
Associates.

The big and little sachems OF the demo-
cratic party have held THEN council Of war
with the result that Frank J. Burkley has
been agreed upon for mayor, and he has
signihed his willingness to accept.
Burkley is not going to head fusion
ticket, for there will be no fusion about It,
as the Independent democrats have captured
the breastworks OF the party and boldly an
nounced that neither the populsts nor free
silver republicans will be permitted to have
anything to say in making UP the ticket
for the coming city election.
During the campaign last fall rumors we're
rife that the directors general of the
tripartite alliance were secretly connlving to
deliver the populists and free silver re-
publicans bag and baggage, over to the dem
ocrats and thus put an end to fusion. Though
pronounced untrue by the democratic leaders
In Nebraska and by the leaders of the pop
ulists and free silver republicans, who were
entrusted with the task of communicating
the deal, the rapid growth during the last
elk months of the county democracy" an
organization outspoken in its hostility to
fusion, and the action of that body now in
refusing to counsel with fusionists in maxi
Ing up the city ticket strongly indicates
movement of this kind. It is barely pos
sbe that some known as fusionists may be
being known as fusionists and being one
In reality are two different things
Entirely Democratic.
1t can be depended upon, as agreed among
the democrats leaders, that no fusionist not
secretly in accord with the anti fusion move
ment will be given a place on the ticket
Speaking of the matter, prominent mem
Der OF the independent County, democracy
said yesterday:
'The ticket will be made up entirely Of
democrats We are done with fusion. We
have got control of the machinery Of the
party and we propose to run things entirely
independent of the populists or free silver
republicans. We will not be weakened by
this at all, in my judgment. You see, many
democrats in Omaha fairly abhor fusion
Many of them, it is true, are gold democrats,
but many of them are ostranged now on the
question of anarchy than money. BY divorc-
ing ourselves from fusion we will reclaim
these voters from the republican party, and
while we may lose a few on the other side
We will gain a great deal more than we
will lose. Besides the populists will even
tually come over, for. like the shipwrecked
mariner, they will have to look for a harbor
Of refuge and they will come to us rather
than go to the republicans. Populism is
dead, that's certain. 1t may, like our In
dians, survive for a time in tribal form,
but as potent factor in politics, or as
companion piece to the democratic party, lit
is so no longer"
Whether there shall be a complete divorce
ment at this time awaits development, but
1t is certain that divorce in local affairs Is
contemplated on the part of the democratic
leaders and II one is not obtained it will be
because the nuptia ties will refuse to yield
to most extraordinary test of strength.
The remainder OF the slate is yet in a
chaotic state, and 1t is reported that Mr..
Burkleys acceptance is conditional on his
privilege to determine who shall and who
shall not go upon the ticket with him, the
leaders reserving the right to confine him
to democrats only. The promoters of this
Independent movement are in complete con-
troll of the democratic machinery and they
boldly assert that the ravenous appetites of
the populists and free silver republicans for
office can only be appeased by the latter
shedding the cloth Of their party and putting
their heads in the democratic halter.