The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-08-01
WATSON AND HISREC0RD
wHArTHE POPULIsTNOMISEE FOR
SECOND PLACEIS.
Made Sensational Charges Against Rep
res @ ntafiyes-The "Where was Az
Episode-His Later Fights.

ponulists for Nice-PreSlu'h'' - - pa
Georgian. thin and angular Win shaiP
face which ne keeps clean. maven anu
with red hair which caiiiioe ne MP III
order. He s nearly !" ye".s O'H' Ha''-7
heen horn on September 0. 1870, in Column
- ,,,,,,. "a His home Is at Thorn
son. ,ho o,,,,o,
sohools ~ HIS native place, he was sent
10 the Mercer University, at Macon, lot
a coiiege course. bat at the end OF ms
sonhomore year he wvs obliged to stop,
Co.. lacl, ~ money For two years there
,f,or he taught school. and during tnat
,i,o no studied law. Then he entered
the office OF Judge w H. Mcl.aNs' OF
Augusta. and after reading law there foF
. o., .vroeks was admitted 10 the bar.
IL. hocan tho practice OF law at Thomp-
son in November 1876, when he was ~
80 ola lie began very soon 10 interest
himself in politics. and was electeu 10
the Georgia Legislature as beIl'cIds
IN 1850 and served for one term. IN l,No
he was a presidential elecloI-a'-iars ON
the Democratic ticket. Besiues pracuolhs
law and politics, he Is largely ihtereS'So
In farming. ...,..,
I'm the country at large In lsZ. lie had
from his home district. beating his ke-
publican opponent. Anthony T.. Williams.
nv a vote Of 5.456 to Se7 No sooner had
Watson taken his seat at Washington az
n Democrat than he abandoned his party.
and refused 70 enter its caucus. anu
became the Populist candidate Tor the
spoakership. There were bui Ten fopu-
list members Of the House. and he was
not elected Watson not long aftorward
made the expression. where am ! at2'
known all over the Englsh-speaking
world by calling attention 10 the man
who "a . II and accusing niin or nclne
drunk on the floor Of the House. Tine
speaker was Mr.. Cobb. or Alabama
and he used the now famous expression
Ia debate upon the vcs-Rockwell
.le,tion-case. Watson's charge was not
sustained bv the House. Nevertheless. In
the summer of 1902 Mr. Watson repeated
the charge. not only against the same
member bv innuendo but also as q gene
raj one against many members Of the
House and brought about his ears vigo-
rous protest These charges were part Of
"The Peoples Party Campaign Book.
800" printed, as Watson said 10 IT'S pre-
face 'In order that editors. spf akers lee
turers. and voters might have in tho con-
vpnient store-hOuse Of one volume all the
scattered information now contained In
many and I'M order that they might have
a brief statement Of the line of argument
which We ADOPT upon all essential issues.
In this book Watson declared that. FIX
travagance has been the order OF the
day. Abscenteeism was never so pro-
nounced. Lack Of purpose was never so
clear. Lack OF common business prudence
never more glaring. Drunken members
have reeled about the aisles. "a disgrace
10 the republic Drunken speakers have
debated grave ISSUES on the floor. and in
the midst Of maudlin ramblings have been
heard to ask. Mr.. Speaker. where was I
at?' Useless employees crowd every corri-
dor. Useless expenditures peryade every
department"
Mr. Wheeler Of Alabama, brought these
charges TO the attention Of the House.
and committee was appointed to look
into them.
Watson reiterated the charges in the
House and said:
There is not n charge in this para
graph that has not been ~ ie from that
press gallery and sent ringing through
the newspapers OF this land. but now,
because / have made IT, AMI because ten
OF the Peoples party are here. powerless
In the grasp Of your tyrlnnical party.
you want 10 select me FOR a scapegoat-
for a martyr 10 your prejudice.
Il want no matter OF grace from the
Democratic majority that seeks 10 hiss
me down when am defending my char
acter here on the floor Of the House.
Jeffersonian Democracy grants TO a man
freedom OF speech and freedom Of press.
and If y0u want TO howl me down do
II, and ! will appeal from your tyranny
20 the fairer sense or Justice that abidcs
I'm the hearts Of the American people.
scOrn your grace ! scou your mercy"
The committee Of invesu gatiOn con-
sisted ~ Messrs BOatner WOlvertOn.
buchanan Of Virginia. Gr0lt. and Jerry
Simpson. The committee heard n num-
Der OF witnesses ana on Aug 3. tho last
day of the session. reported that tie
charges werc false aud iihellous IN the
sense in which they were made.
The descrton Of his party angored the
Democrats OF his district and they put mp
James g. g. Black an Augusta lawyer.
against Watson al the next election. Wat
son ran as the candidate OF the Peoples
party. lie was beaten hy vote of l17l2
for Black against 1852 votes.
I'm the fan OF 1924 Watson ran again
against Black for the Fiity-f0urth Con-
gross. This time be- ran as a POpuiist.
IT was n campaign of almost mriyallcd
bitterness. The country was arraycd
against the towns and prejudice and pas
siOns Were appealed 10. Black and Wat
son held "a number OF joint debates. ana
these seemed 10 increase the excitement.
Watson declared that Doe was In danger
OF assassination. lie sent out courers
through the country and summoned his
supporters from tho different COMMITTEES OF
his district. Thcy swlrmed INTO thomson
from AN sides. mounted aud armed. and
camped around his house 90 protect him
from being lynchei hy the Democrats.
Throughout the rest of the campaign Wat
son carried "a rife whenever he appeared
IN public. He was beaten iu the election
by majority for Black Of about 1000.
Watson then charged that he had been
beaten by frauds AT the polls and chl-
lenged Black 20 leave the decision as 10
who was properly elected 10 a commission
OF five. two TO be selected by each candi-
date, and the fifth by these four The
commission TO canvass the votes. and de-
clare who was rightfLlly elected. Mr..
Black replied. showing that no such COM
mission could have any authority. but
Offering to resign. and leave the matter
10 a new election.
Il am in no degree responsible for this
terrible state OF affairs" Mr. Black wrote.
FOR have preached no gospel OF bitter
ness. / have appealed 10 no prejudice. /
have not sought TO array the country
against the town. | have not taught that
there was natural hostility between ons
IN