Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-10-05
WON ON SILVER R
Claim for the Victory III the Tenth
Georgia District.
CAPTAIN BLACK AGAIN WINS
Mr.. Watson Failed to Hold His Own
in PopuIistic Centers.
A RACE WITHOUT PRECEDENT

This second defeat of Tom Watson, the
pcpulist, by Capt. Black. democrat, in the
tenth Georgia congressional district, is COM
fcrting to the democratic managers to a
considerable degree. 1t argues, as they
think, despite all recent discoura gements
and predictions. that the party is still
holding together III its old strongholds, and
is in condition to Withstand the several as
saults there.
A Race without Precedent.
This race was without precedent in its
leading feature. Capt. Black beat Mr..
Watson at the regular election last No
vember, but the integrity Of the returns
was questioned by the populists, and Capt.
Black himself was not altogether satisfied
with his triumph. There seemed ground
for questioning the large size of his ma
jority, and being a sensitive man, solicit
Gus for his party's as well as his own good
anne, he ann ounced his willingness to re-
sign the office and run the race over again.
This he did as soon as the proper time
came. The populists, accepting his chal-
lenge, put Mr.. Watson up again, and both
sides began preparations for retrial.
Wisdom of the Move Questioned.
The wisdom of Captain Blacks move was
seriously doubted by many of his party
friends. They considered that it not only
east a reflection on the activity of his Sup
pcrters last fall. but that it was likely to
turn the district over to the populists. The
Congress returns everywhere outside of
Georgia were quoted. The democracy in
the country at large had been overwhelm-
irSly defeated. 1t was even suggested in
certain quarters that the party had :e-
ceived its death warrant. and that complete
reorganization, and possibly under a new
name, would have to follow.
Clcveland'x Gold Letter.
AS time passed this impression seemed to
deepen in the district. When the spring
opened. with Mr.. Cleveland's gold letter to
the Illinois democrats pointing to a new
line for the party. there was something like
CONSERVATION in Georgia. Silver democrats
took alarm. and declared that they would
not follow the President. He could not,
they asserted. lead them into the gold
camp To this the populists replied that lie
would If they remained democrats. The
only opportunity for serving silver was to
join the popuiist party. Mr.. Cleveland, rs
President. was the recognized head CT the
democracy, and with the enormous patron
age of his office. would be able to impose
his own financial policy on the party. Then
followed the pronunciamentos of Mr.. Car
Isle. Mr.. Herbert and Mr.. Hoke Smith, all
hitherto classed free silver men, but
row coming out for gold, and the populists
clinched.
Won on Free Silver.
In the face of all this, Capt. Black and
his lieutenants kept their courage. They
were for free coinage. continued so to de-
clare. ard went into the new campaign with
that flag up. This in a measure. therefore,
narrowed the fight down to the question of
a fair election, and such, it is agreed, was
held. Capt. Black won. Mr.. Watson failed
to hold his own, even in the populistic CEN
ters.
Here. then, as the silver democrats be-
Eeve is proof that the cause of free COIN
age is not likely to disrupt the democratic
party next year-certainly not in the SOUTH
The populists played their strongest cards
in this campaign. Their candidate had once
been in Congress, was well known, and,
with all of his eccentricities and intensities,
personally popular. He toured the district
and put the case in its most persuasive
form. He dwelt upon the bond issues, and
urged that the only relief was through the
agency of the populist party. But the old
line democrats withstood the appeal, and by
a substantial majority at the polls an
nounced that they would continue to make
their fight for silver within the ranks Of
their narty