The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1894-06-21
SPEECH OF
HON. THOMAS E. WAITS son,
Delivered at DeGive's Opera House,
Atlanta. Georgia, May I9. 'e4.


stage. he was greeted by loud and
prolonged applause. When 1t had
subsidized, he spoke as follows:
Ladies and Gentlemen: | thank
YOU for the warmth Of your welcome,
and am glad to believe that the
time draws rapidly near when there
is no considerable audience that can
be collected in which there will not
he many good friends of mine, and
good friends Of the cause | represent
Fellow citizens, | congratulate you
and my party upon the fact that
angry passions Of 1892 have suDsid-
ed; that prejudice is dying away, an"
that throughout all the ranks OF Geor-
ria life. there is an inclination to eX-
change ideas; to listen to argument;
to hear facts to the grand end that
we NAV have better government
Applause.
I do not for one moment question
your sincerity or your honesty. l
sometimes find it very difficult to drum
up much respect for your judgment.
(Applausc.) You ought not doubt
our sincerity or our honesty, and the
question rs to whether you will ad-
mire our judgment, depends upon the
can,lor with which you will listen, and
the frankness with which you will en-
ter into deliberations on the subject
(Applausc and cries Of That's so)
| have an abiding faith that if YOU
are right, | am going to go down; but
that if am right you are going TO 90
down. (Applanse) And il you are
right, want to 90 down. Continued
applausc) If l am right, YOU ought
to want to know it. If | am wrong
want to know it; convince me OF it
and | will shed these principles IN {;
moment. applause and cries OF
'.That's the way to talk") | yield t'
no man in my love for :he common
wealth. yield to II" man my adml
ration for our institutions. yield L
no man in my pride of race; but | be
lcve that no question can be sct'le'
unless we take God into it. CAY
plause.) | believe that no qucstio
can be permanently settled until it
settled right Build your house III
on the sands and it is ut the mercy O
the storm. Build 1t upon the etcrna
q rocks and it will be there when &:
briel blows his horn. Great applaus
and cries of "IIurrah for Watson y
The pathway of the reformer la
never been pathway of flowers
Ever and always it has been 4 roc
road; ever and always the crown {
the reformer has been. Il crown {
= thorns; ever and always his feeling
were outraged, his motives m!scol
structed: his life endangered, b
peace disturbed. and nothing but IL
courage of right ever has maintalne
reformer in making battle again
wrong. Continued app!ause.)
} speak tonight in the capitol eli
Of my State; speaking to elegant, I
fined and educated ladies. speaking
elegant, cultivated gentlemen: spea
ING to representatives OF the be
blood. the best brain. the best char;
ter that the State Of Georgia attor,
and | ral them to witness that I
rights which they enjoy tonight
civil liberty, religious liberty, poll
cal liberty. each of them have be
sustained with the blood of the IN
vino died to give them to us. e.
p!ause.
How many Of this audience will
member the day when the poor N;
unable to pay his debt. was treated
\ criminal; was incarceratec betwt
the four walls of comfortle>s pri>
and this party having been adjuds
4 criminal on account of poverty
crime there was no hope for him
cent to be left writhing within
,ri,on walls until his lie ended {;
he had paid the penalty OF poHe
with his life. How did that ceaS
Brave men said it was wrong;
name men said it WAS shame.
formers. those who combat eviI, tn