The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-09-15
WATSON NOTIFIED BY BUTLER.
A Long Letter Reviewing Financial
Record of the Old Parties.

A Long Letter Reviewing Financial
Record of the Old Parties.
Washington, Sept. 14.-The following
is the letter sent by Senator Butler, of
North Carolina. the chairman of the
Populist Executive committee to Hon.
Thomas E. Watson, of Georgia, noti-
fying him OF his nomination as candi-
date for Vice-President by the Populist
National convention.
The letter contains /, }pO words, and
is devoted to a review of the two old
parties and causes which lead to the
formation of the Peoples party. He
says that the Populist declaration for
free coinage in 1892 was the first hon
est declaration made for the recogni-
ton of the rights of silver, and claims
that but for the work done by the Pop
ulist party the Democratic convention
in Chicago would not have risen to the
patriotism that caused them to re-
turn to the principles of Jefferson
and Jackson. Concluding, Chairman
Butler says:
That party in it's National conven-
ton nominated for the Presidency
William j. Bryan, a man who was
ready to renounce the false gods of
a corrupted Democracy, as Henry NJ.
Teller had renounced the false gods
of a corrupted Republicanism. The
Peoples party in its second national
convention, held a few weeks later, put
country above party and rose to a
higher plane of patriotism than has
ever been shown by any other party
it recognized in this young patriot Of
the West q man who stands in the
broadest and truest sense for American
institutions and Ameraoa principles
a man as worthy ana as true as any
one within our own ranks, and, besides,
one who had already several millions
of votes pledged to his support, and
who, therefore, we would be sure of
electing in the present contest. Thus
was presented to US an opportunity
to elect this year a man who would
be the first friend of the people in the
White House in twenty years, such
man as the Peoples party had scarcely
hoped to elect before 1900. If the Dem
ocratic party had been true to the peo-
pie and its own platform in its selec-
tion of a candidate for Viee-President,
we would not now have the honor of
addressing you, one of the worthiest,
and most beloved sons of the Peoples
party, in this official capacity, for
in that event the Peoples party would
have nominated the whole Democratic
ticket by even larger majority than
it nominated Mr.. Bryan. But such was
not the case. 1t seems that the party
was not able at one effort to purge it
self of its modern heresies, cast off its
plutocratic tendencies, and at the same
time it nominated Mr.. Bryan, give him
a running mate who had earned in the
arena of action, contending against
the foes Of the Republic, the affection,
confidence, and trust of the masses of
our people, as had Mr.. Bryan himself.
Had it nominated a man for the Vice
Presidency who was known to all Ann
erica as a chieftain and leader in de-
fense of the toilers and producers OF
the land-one who, by the use of voice,
pen, and means, had endeared himself
to the American people-one with a
past not obscured in a silence sugges-
tive of either ignorance or indlffer-
ence to the struggle of the people with
the money power, the occasion of this
communication to your worthy self
would not have occurred. The Peo-
pies party, true to its principles and
true to its teachings, nominated for
the high Office of Vice-President,
man worthy to have headed the ticket,
man who represents what Mr.. Bryan
represents, and, therefore, presents to
the people to-day in the persons of
Bryan and Watson, the best silver tick
ct in the fielda ticket more repre-
sentative Of American interests
than any other, ticket that stands
for just the opposite to that for which
the Republican ticket stands.
IF the people are in this fight for
financial reform, it must be accom-
plished by the cooperation Of the sill
yer forces Of all political parties. To
secure such cooperation of the differ
ent parties it is necessary to have CO
operative ticket. Therefore, Bryan
and Watson is not only the best silver
ticket, but it is also the true co-opera-
tive ticket.
I'VE have the honor of representing
the second National convention of the
Peoples party, to formally notify you
OF your nomination for the Vice~Presi-
dency of the United States, and hope
you will accept the high trust, and
carry our banner of "Equeal rights to
all and special privileges to none" to
victory against the combined forces of
special privileges, aggregate capital,
and organized greed"
DEBATE AT HENDERSONVILLE.