The record-union., 1892-08-29
TOM WATSON, REFoRMER.

MI. IhomaS watson, Democrat and
populisr, erstwhile of Georgia, but now
citizen of the world, is perhaps the most
son who now yexes the political atmos-
phere. Mr.. Watson has not learned that
"'Tts better to cry truth lifetime to void air
Than hatter listening millions with one iie,"
and so he has gone forth with open
throttle to streak it through political
will find admirers and hearers, for these
are days when party lines are loosening
and the old edges raveling. Mr.. Watson
will find everywhere, as he goes humming
on, willing if not eager listeners among
the mass Of men who have not this year
decided so early in the season, as they
commonly do, how they shall vote.
There is considerable heavy standing
around about this time. Few patriots of
shifting opinions ever step boldly and
openly straight across from one party to
the other, narrow though the chasm be,
but they almost invariably leave main
lines and go out upon siding to blow
off, as it were, and decide about the max
ing up of trains and their destination
later.
1t is not too much to say that Mr.. Wat
son is to be striking figure in our fall
politics. In the first place he charged the
House of Representatives with being
drunken. This was sensational. The
charge was not true, but it does
appear that one member was unfortu-
nate enough to lose the place
in his manuscript, and also grossly
misused certain preposition-a part of
speech that has always been greatly over
worked everywhere south of Mason d
Dixon's line. Probably Mr. Watson
ought to have been reprimanded, sus-
pended or possibly expelled for his un-
tenable and inexcusable assault upon the
body of which he was member; but the
leaders of both the great parties thought
there was better way to help the hurt
that honor feels, and this was not to
trouble Mr.. Watson. And thus he came
out of the episode hero in the eyes of
his admirers.
But this itself was a small matter. and
in ordinary times would have not only
failed to help public man, but would
have made him ridiculous Mr. Watson.
however, kept right on assailing public
md n
posed before the country as the apostle of
a great moral reform. He paraded before
the people of the South, preaching the
most inflammatory and revolutionary
doctrines. In Congress members of the
two great leading parties not only made
the mistake of not dealing spiritedly with
his impertinences, but they failed to de-
nounce or even discuss his political va
garies.
He denounced the Government as cor
rupt, Congress as drunken, and the MEM
bers of all existing parties as slaves.
The sub-treasury scheme he pictured as
the panacea for all our alleged money
troubles, while he declared that all the
people of the country, and particularly
those of the South, demanded that the
Government should build warehouses
and take any imperishable land product
and make eighty per cent. advances upon
it. So fierce was the mans defamation.
SO varied his schemes and persistent his
attitude, that he has come to be regarded
as 8 real political leader, and has gone
back to Georgia and the South with not a
feather pIucked from his plumage. His
fellows did not dare to deal with his
charges as they merited, and the leaders
of the House, on both sides. failed to dis
cuss, OF in committee examine and digest
the matters which he and his compatriots
insisted were demanded by the country.
1t was said he must not be made mar
tyr by Furnishing him, and further that it
would do no good to seriously consider
the measures of which, by accident of