southern state but the Democratic national convention re-nominated Grover Cleveland, choosing not to accommodate the uprising and leading the way to mass dissention towards the People's Party.19James Weaver's 1892 presidential candidacy, despite his strong showing, failed to win any electors in the South and led to the downfall of the Farmers Alliances in the North and South. Four years later, the Southerners switched sides in the fusion debate; they were not ready to give up the fight they had waged against the Democrats. In several southern states, the Populists even fused with the Democrats on the national level and with the Republicans on the state level. Fusion also reached the Populists in Congress, where few members identified themselves as Populist and more preferred to be known as Republicans and Democrats. The 1896 fusion strategy essentially ended the Populists role as an independent political force. That year, the Populists had decided to have their convention after the Democratic and Republican conventions, reasoning that once both parties had restated their support for the gold standard, the Populists would be the only voice for free silver. The Democrats, however, nominated William Jennings Bryan, who supported much of the populist agenda including silver coinage, for President and Arthur Sewall for Vice President, a banker and railway director who was unacceptable to Populists. The Democrats would have included the Populists as a full partner in the campaign had they endorsed both candidates. Facing a party split, however, the People's Party nominated Thomas Watson as their Vice Presidential candidate before nominating Bryan. As a result, Bryan never officially accepted the Populist nomination for President.20Populists increased their representation in Congress but faced a devastating defeat in the presidential election. Fusion was a desperate move by the more radical element of populism in competition with the "middle-of-the-road" element.21In 1897, two rival People's Party meetings, one of fusionists and the other of independents, met and agreed only to disagree. In 1898, Populists lost five of their 14 congressional seats and individual Populists switched parties, some to the Democrats and others to the Republicans.22By 1900, the Democrats ignored the Populists as fusion partners and the independent Populists won no major victories. In the 1904 election, the remains of the People's Party gave up the fusion strategy and nominated Thomas Watson for President but it was too late to make a difference; their vote total was roughly equivalent to that of the Prohibition Party.231Roscoe Martin. The People's Party in Texas. Austin, TX: University of Texas Bulletin. (1933), 263. 2Ibid. 248. 3Ibid. 257.

4Ibid. 246. 5James Reichley. The Life of the Parties. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littefield Publishers. (1992), 138.

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