The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1896-11-17
Mr.. WATSON'S LETTER OF AC-
CEPTANCE.
The I etter "That Came" But Was Not
Published---Et is "Red Hot Stuff"

Hon Marion Butler, Chairman Er
OftciO for Notification Committee:
DEAR SIR:-Your letter giving me
formal notice of my nomination by the
Peoples party for the cfice of Vice
President has been received.
1t IS solely because OF my promise to
do so, that accept the nomination.
The unusual conditions confronting US
must De my excuse for submitting to
the public a fair statement Of the facts
touching this remarkable campaign, in
order that all unprejudiced minds may
reach just conclusions.
As the time fer beginning the Presi
Dental campaign OF 1896 approached,
the Democratic party found itself in a
dying condition, and it resorted to q
desperate remedy TO save itself from
dissolution. Il publicly renowned the
Republican policies which it had al
ready enacted into law, and professed
the POpUlist creed which it had bitter
ly assailed. Having closed the doors
OF the minis to silver, having sustained
MI. ClevelaLd in his refusal TO allow is
| coined, having condoned his issue OF
| BONDS in violation OF law, having &C
| qIiesced il his contraction policy OF
destroy ing the g~reenbacke, having
helped TO feed the trusts by the passage
of the Wilson German Jones tariff bill,
the Democratic party, realizing that it
had lost the respect, the confidence and
the patience OF the people, determined
to anticipate the triumph of Populism
by a public confession Of political guilt,
an earnest assertion Of change of heart,
g dev0ut acceptance Of Populist prin
ciples, and q modest demand that the
Peoples party should vacate its quar-
tiers ard surrender it's political posses
sions.
A very staggering piece of political
impudence was this. IL was not a
minority Of the Democratic party
which murdered silver in 1898 1t was
a majority that did ia majority in
the House, and a majority in the Sen
ate. And the men who committed the
deed cannot now promise more solemn
ly to undo their work, than they
promised in 1892 not to do it.
So subservient was the Democratic
majority that they made no effort to
prevent Mr.. Cleveland and Mr. Carlisle
from destroying more than one hundred
million dollars of the paper currency,
in violation OF the plain language Of the
act Of 1878.
The Democratic me- 1rity could have
compelled the administration to have
coined the silver bullion purchased un
der the act CT 1890, and with these sill
yer dollars to have redeemed the treas
ury notes of 1890. The law so com
mands. Mr. Cleveland put the law
under foot, and thus paved the way for
payments in gold, and thus opened up
the opportunity for Issuing bord5, The
Democratic majority made no effort to
vindicate the law and save the people,
Such is the record-the undeniable
record.
During the dreary years Of 1892, 3,
4 and 5, when Republicans and Demo
Gratis alike were falling over each other
in the effort to be first st Wall streets
feet, and lowest in the dust of political
self abasement to the trusts, the Ma
tional banks, the railroads, the bond
holders and the gold spectators, the
Peoples party was the one champion
of the people. 1t stood fearlessly against
the hungry hordes Of class legislation.
It proclaimed constantly lis undyiUg
antegonism to Wall street and its
policies. It held aloof the sacred ban
Der of a peoples rights, and called for
patriots TO rice and defend the Repub.
lie. Since the bugle note Of Rhoderick
woke the highlands, and the fiery cross
sped from mountain to glen and from
glen to hamlet, there has been nc such
spontaneous outburst of popular en-
thusiasm as marked the growth OF the
Peoples party. One creed, one pur
pose, one hope, one inspiration moved
us all, and had we sternly put tempta.
ton aside, and nominated a straight
Populist ticket at st, Louie, one man
from the West and one from the South,
we would have swept this Land from
sea to sea Democrats like Senator
German and D. B. Hill would have
been driven to their true place-the Re
publican camp; and Democrats like Mr.,
Bryan and Mr.. Bland would have been
driven to their true place-the Populist
camp.
Thna Pnn11list nrinninlns wnI1Id hnun