The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-08-13
Watson Does Not Intend TO
Be Swept Off His Feet.
The Candidate Pays His Re-
SpectS to the West.
And Gives His Opinion Of German
and Candidate Sewall.


morning publishes a signed statement,
written by T. Z. Watson. the Populist
nominee for vice president of the United
States. In this statement Mr.. Watson
says In part:
when the national convention Of the
Peoples party adjourned, after the nom
ination of Mr.. Watson as a second to that
several days in which II was difficult to
see whose triumph IL was. Had the
Democrats absorbed the Populists or
had the Peoples party absorbed the
Democrats? Would the Populist NOM
inee be able to hold the rank and file of
his party as against the fusionists, or
would he be swept off his feet by the
tide? AS the third week has passed
away IL Is now quite clear that the
Populists' nominee has not been swept
away. and that his position grows
stronger daily. Feeling that the rank
and file of his party would look to him
to maintain the Populist organization
in this hour of its danger. Mr.. Watson
plainly and promptly stated that he was
in the fight TO stay. This statement
carried encouragement with IL, and re-
moved all doubt on that point from the
Populist mind.
The great fusion movement thus far
carried but four states, while straight
Popullsm carried l3, and ii is fighting
its opponents to standstill In the
others. If the rank and file can be heard
from in all the conventions, we are In no
doubt of the result. and the rank and
Vie will probably be heard from.
Mr.. Watson has asked the national
committee to send him TO the west. lie
believes that he should appeal TO these
people face to face in this crisis. The
west sent her Weavers and her Simp-
sons and her Mary Ellen Leases to the
south in 1880, asking that the south
break away from old party ties and meet
the west in a new organization, whose
aim should be to write west and south
in political brotherhood. The south re-
sponded, and the congressman from
Georgia, who took his life in his hand
and stepped forth to meet Simpson and
Davis and PETER Of Kansas. now wants
to meet tive brave men Of the west and
ask them whether they won't stand by
southern ropulism in this day Of peril.
He believes they will win.
Sewali ~ the chain OF the Bryan wheel,
the brakes to his car. The money power
dictated his nomination, counter move
to Bryan's In no other way can anyone
explain why the south was passed over
in the choice OF a vice presidential nomi
nee. Gorgaan, the gold bug and protec-
ZIONIST, is controlling Bryan's free sill
yer campaign, and Sewall, the typical
eastern plutocrat, Is Bfyan's running
mate. What does this argue-that IL
Eewall remains on the ticket and Cor
man continues to pull the campaign
wires, the whole country will see clearly
enough that Mr.. Pendleton Of Georgia
was right, when he said that he was
going 20 support the Chicago ticket, for
the reason that no free silver law would
be passed.
We cannot be guilty of the absurdity
~ choosing a national banker as our
leader in a fight a.ain-t national banks.
We cannot hope 10 escape -ridicule and
Just reproach. IL we choose an eastern
plutocrat tu lead us in a contest against
plutrocracy.
We cannot believe that we could keep
our own forces straight II we should
start on "a cruise against corporations
under the command of corporation
king. Hence, we cannot, under any cir
cumstances, vote for Sewall electors.
Any policy, other than the st. Louis
policy, means death TO Populism. and we
ought not TO be asked to kill our own
party.
The south furnished the electoral vote
which elected, but she dared not write
the platform nor dictate the nominees.
1t was the rise OF the Peoples party
which united south and west, transferred
the balance of power 10 the west. and
completely relieved the south from the
necessity OF sitting at the footstool OF
that twin brother of Republicanism,
northern Democracy.
Populism. having accomplished these
good results while out of power. has az
last earned the right To live. Hence, as
the third week since the st. Louis
convention passes away, IL becomes
more and more apparent that the Peo-
pies party viii stand by its nominee, and
that the southern Democrat OF the rank
and file, if left to his choice, will vote for
Bryan and Watson, rather than for
Bryan and Sewall. The southern Dem
ocIat feels that Watson is in accord with
their principle their platform, their sec
tional pride and their material inter-
ests, while Mr.. Sewall Is not.