The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-11-21
Tom WatsOn's Mission.

An interesting open letter has been
| addressed by William NJ. Watson. of
this city, to Thomas K. Watson, Of
| Thomas, Ca, the recent candidate Of
the Peoples party for vice president
In 1t he says:
Allow me to say that 1t seems to me
and many others you are perhaps building
better than you are aware or, ana are
laying foundations that will not only work
for good to our common country and herl-
tage. but will in after years be inonu-
ment to your pluck and energetic perse-
verance. Looking at your heroic efforts,
almost single-handed and alone. your
courage deserves some recognition from
| to your self-sacriicing efforts. Let me
specify more particularly few points
wherein We believe that when you en-
tered protest against the hoary old
Bourbon Democracy of the Southern
states, you were as truly man of destiny
as was the immortal Lincoln who gave
sacriioial offering OF himself for his
country's cause, and who was raised up
by devine hand to emancipate one race.
We believe you have also a mission and
equal destiny to release the Southern
states from the thraldOm of the despotic
southern Democracy. which has practi-
cally disfranchsed great race through
that awful nightmare of "Negrophobia."
No nation can or ought to survive such
barbaric wrongs as have been perpetrated
on the defenceless negro. You, my dear
sir. are doing and will accomplish the
very work that this government attempt
ed to do, but in vain: namely. the against
hatred and wrong Of one-half Of the legal
citizens Of dark color. who have in
name at least, all legal rights before the
law and are subject to taxation and con.
scription in time of war.
The letter further goes on to say:
While in Georgia last winter the writer
learned that you are also a victim of the
same cruel and tyrannicaI acts as were
practiced on the Republicans Of the South
for long years past. My authority was
a Methodist minister. who declared that
you were elected as member of con-
gress and that had you had your rights,
you would now be member Of the lower
house at Washington. This Is but logic
al working out of the vile frauds practiced
and perpetrated on other helpless victims
of another color We are glad that a re-
tributive justice Is OH the heels of those
who have countenanced these fra0Js. Go
forward, therefore, and run the plOw- share
of outraged Justice clean through the
solid South. which has not only defraud-
ed you out of your rights. but many 9th
ers, and has kept the Southern states
about nifty years behind the age ofprog-
sir: push the fighting all along the line.
and thus carry out your self-evident di
vine mission of Emancipation. You will
De Deneiactor IN your day and genera
tion; you have begun a glorious work, so
cary II forward to final and triumphant
consummation.
We do not share all the local Mr..
Watson's enthusiasm in behalf of his
Georgia namesake, but there is no
doubt that the political ripping asun-
der of the solid South by the Populist
movement will In the long run prove
OF inestimable benefit, however dis
couraging may be the surface appear
ance Of the revolution at the time.
We are taught by science that every
weed has its uses. every insect its
value. We remember that Shakespeare
In one of his finest figures puts In the
toad's head Jewel of great worth.
On these grounds we salute Tom Wat
son.