People's party paper. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1891-1898, 1892-08-12

[Reported Expressly for The Peoples Party
Paper bS j. l.. Driscol.]
THOMSON, GA, Aug. 8, 1892.
If the Hon. Thomas e. Watson had
anv resentment ranking in his bosom
on account of the 'slings and arrows"
from unscrupuous partisans and syco-
phantic admirers of purse-proud plu-
tocrats, he certainly found compensa-
ton in the ovation which he received
en- route to his home in Thomson from
Atlanta last Tuesday. The fun began
at Madison. Quite a crowd had col
lected at the depot, and your reporter,
not giving the fact that Mr.. Watson
was on the train a thought, was trying
to surmise cause, when a sturdy son
of the soil asked, "Is Mr.. Watson on
this train ?" Being answered in the
affirmative, he quickly made his way
to the door and rushed up to shake
hands. while many chung to the train
until it got under good Roadway, and
as we rapidly receded the voices could
be heard in the distance rending the
air with such expressions as "HeIlOe,
Tom; hOwdy, Tom" and "Good-bye,
JIM The last expression seemed to
be infectious, and | fancy thay Mr..
Rack will become accustomed to it
between now and the ideS Of NOvem-
her. The scene at Madison was inten-
sified at ell the other stations between
that point and Thomson, with the ad-
ditional incident at Norwood, that
delegation of lovely ladies presented
beautiful shield of lowers with the
following note attached:
Mr. WATSON: Your lady friends of
Norwood and vicinity beg leave to pre-
sent YOU with this bouquet Of flowers as
q token of esteem in which you are held
as the honored representative of the
Tenth district. May you live long to
defend the rights and interests of the
belpless and oppressed, and with voice
and vote uphold the motto of the Peo-
nile: Equal rights to all special privi-
Ieges to none"
Retween Norwood and Thomson, the
saving applicable to an omnibus
sshere's always room for one more,
would scarcely apply; but on reaching
Thomson, to use a very original reporto'
rial phrase, the scene beggared descrip-
tion. The mass of struggling humanity
ON the train, packed like sardines in q
box. looked down upon a mass of strug-
Cling humanity in streets, packed ditto,
Broad street, from the depot to beyond
the courthouse Ia distance of five or six
souares}, presented the appearance of a
sea of heads Mr.. Watson was caught
ND on the shoulders of his sturdy ad
nsirers and borne in triumph to a car
rage, gaily decorated, which was in
waiting. The people came to see and
hear Watson, and would not brook de-
Law. The line of march was imme-
diately taken to beautiful grove about
half a mile northwest of the town,
where a small platform had been
erected for the speaking. So eager were
the people to get near, and so densely
were they packed around the stand, that
it was with great difficulty that your
reporter made his way to the platform.
Many estimates were made of the
number present, ranging from five to
eight thousand. 1t was standing joke
among the people that the Augusta
Chronicle reporter professed to believe
that there were not more than two
thousand people present, but nobody
thought he believed it. How this accom-
plished prevaricator must have turned
green with envy, however, when he
learned that the accomplished Journal
young manO reduced the crowd to
about nine hundred Nobody, how.
ever, expects Augusta to hold candle
to Atlanta.
Two bands were in attendance and