[Untitled] That there is a big pot of money

Calling the opposition "pops," a diminutive term to dismiss and criticize the Populists and any of their allies, the Republican newspaper in Lincoln, Nebraska, criticizes Bryan's efforts to campaign for money reform as hypocritical and self-serving.

That there is a big pot of money at the disposal of Billy Bryan and the silver democrats and pops is very evident to the old political stagers, and it is said to have been contributed by the mine owners in Colorado, Montana, and Utah. Money makes the mare go these hard times and the demo-pops should not forget to insist on a fair and equitable distribution "directly to the people," as they say in all their platforms, this fall.

William J. Bryan's advice to the democratic nominee for congress in the Third district to keep in the middle of the road and refuse to get out of the way of the great man Devine, whom the pops have put up as their candidate, is perhaps impolitic. It is true that the arrangement he made with himself for the pops to nominate a democrat in the Third district is knocked out by the present arrangement, but a states man should not be a mule and since the thing is done, and it is undisputed that Devine is a great deal greater man than Thomas, it would be good politics now for Billy to change the program and withdraw Thomas and say no more about that equal divide.

It is pretty cheeky, anyway, for the democratic fusionists to demann [sic] an even division of congressmen from the pops, as the pops have at least 50 per cent more of the votes to furnish for the success of any fusion than the democrats will be able to trot out from present appearances.

William should take what he can get if he can't get what he wants. That is politics. The first district pops met yesterday to put up a candidate of their own. And it is their turn to have the congressman. They gave their votes almost solidly to the democratic candidate tow years ago, and turn about is fair play.

Billy Bryan's newspaper, the Omaha World-Herald, urges the democrats of the Fourth, Fifth and Sixth congressional districts to nominate pops for congress and the pops of the First, Second and Third districts to nominate democrats for congress and thus sweep the board. The two districts that have so far spoken, the Second and the Third, have neglected to take Billy's prescription.

What they will do in the others remains to be seen, but the cause of fusion has been gradually weakening ever since Billy claimed as the reward of his efforts to bring the two parties together his elevation to the United States senate.

Ordinarily in business matters it is well to have the conditions agreed to and specifically mentioned in the contract so as to avoid misunderstandings, but in politics this sort of dickering is not always the best thing to make public. Mr. Bryan had perhaps done better to conceal his aspirations for big pay for his services as a fusionist until after the fusion had been definitely accomplished. It is well sometimes not to show your entire hand.