People's party paper. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1891-1898, 1892-09-23

Reported Expressly for the PEOPLES
PARTY PAPER by j. L. Driscol, Law
and General Reporter. -
In presenting this, the fourO so1
the series of joint discussions (ha Jag
missed the third, at Sanders1Ille
September 81, 1 reiterate all that
said in the introdTqtories to the frs
and second, without quoting in refer
ence to the obligation resting upor
the reporter to the public, to the
speaker or speakers, and last, but
more important to himself, to do full
justice to all-injustice to none.
This is not report it is 3 photo
graph of a scene ALMOST beyond
belief in a civilized community
Where did the responsfy lie? In
answer [ have only to say, read
the circumstances of Mr.. Watson
against an evident determination tc
prevent him from speaking for par
ty, for principle, and for honor,
which is dearer than life. Read the
pathetic appeals of Mr.. Black to
have respect for him, if not for Mr.
Watson; read, also, his covert threat
to withdraw from the race if fair
hearing was not granted. Read
the futile efforts Of Judge Eve and
Mr.. Weisiger to bring order out OF
chaos. Read the manly confession,
without avoidance, of Hon. Pat
Walsh, and you have a better idea OF
where the responsible y lies than ]
can possibly give.
The trip from Atlanca Augusta
was void Of interests Y train
reached Cammack, the the
Macon branch of the all
road. At that point ing
detachments Of Mr.. BIZ Fers
from Macon, Sparta and points
along the line we part
of the regular lite a
long string 81 Cars Hancock
county contingent, in Brds of a
member of the party one hun
dred and seventy-fv y wear
ing, in most cases, busters
white plug hats apd . gus de-
meanors. Ten nj ! brought
us to Thomson, The home Of MIR.
Watson and the scene of the great
ovation which awaited him on his
return from Washington, August 9.
In and about the Arlington every
thing betokened an overwhelming
Black gathering. Bands paraded
the street; men paraded the pave
ments, decorated with Black badges;
John Barleyoorn seemed to be taking
a very lively interest in behalf Of
the Augusta and Atlanta politicians,
and I must say that Mr.. Watson's
chances seemed slim. My heart
sickened at the thought of one man,
brave as he is, facing this bowling
mob Of demons, who were lashed
into the most malignant hatred by
a body Of trained falslfers.
The press! What a power for
good! What a terrible instrument
of evil how unscrupulously has 1t
been used in this campaign! It is
sad, too, to think how it is destroy
ing its own usefulness, in case truth
full impulses should return. Con-
fdence once destroyed is hard to re-
cover. I venture to say that at
least three-fourths of the people Of
the Tenth District would suspect
the mans honesty or sanity who
would say seriously that he believed
that great dailies of Georgia or that
they themselves believe the reckless
charges made about Mr.. Watson,
and the glaringly false accounts of
the meetings. How any man will
risk his reputation in saying that the
Peoples Party comprised not more
than one.tenth of the meeting at
Augusta, knowing well that every
man, woman and child in that vast
auditorium knows it to be false,
passes my comprehension.
THE MEETING.
The Exposition Cotton Ware
house, an immense building, capable
of seating, as I was informed, seven
thousand people, was the place
selected. Eight o'clock was the
hour, and on my arrival about half
past seven the hall was packed more
than two thirds of the way back
from the stage. Reaching the plat
form and taking a seat at the table
nearest the front, | had ample OPP
portunity to survey the scene and
give the result to the reader which I
now proceed to do.
The roof was supported by i'm
mense pillars at intervals through
the building, and immense cross
beams, running lengthwise, in tiers,
served to form a frame work for a
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