Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1896-08-28

The populist candidate for vice presi-
dent, Tom Watson, Of Thomson, Ca, Is
nearly forty years old. 1t would sur
prise him to be called Thomas E. Wat
son. He is rather below the medium
size, thin, weighing 14O or $50 pounds.
His angular, freckled face Is always
smooth-shaven; his well-shaped head is
covered with thick crop Of hair Of a
color his friends call auburn, his
enemies red. He has a good flow Of
language; tears in his voice when he
wishes to touch his hearers feelings.
But he is fiery debater. No one has
doubted his personal courage. No one
doubts that, whether he is right or
wrong, Tom Watson believes he Is
right.
Mr.. Watson was born in Columbia
county, Georgia, Sept 5, 1856. He was
educated in the public schools and was
then sent to Mercer university, at Ma
con, Ga. He was too poor to go through
college and left at the end OF the sopho-
more year. Then he taught school for
two years. He read law under Judge
w. r. McLaws at Augusta, Ca, and was
admitted to the bar. He began to prac-
tice law in November, 1876, at his old
home, Thomson, Ga. He made a small
fortune-for Georgia-$40,00O or $780,
900, at his profession, the larger part
of which has been expended in legiti-
mately furthering his political ambi-
ton. Beside the law Mr.. Watson has
been and is interested in farming.
Scarcely had Mr.. Watson been elected
to the Fifty-second congress when he
wrote to Charles F. Crisp, a democrat
Of his own state, and candidate for
speaker of the house:
II feel bound to vote for that demo-
crat who has been the most active and
radical in his demands for tariff re-
form and who stands nearest to the
Ocala platform Of the Farmers alliance.
I have no hesitation in saying that the
Ocala platform meets my hearty en-
dorsement and that my chief hope for
any real reform, beneficial to the
masses, rests upon that order"
Mr.. Watson soon showed that he was
. populist, not democrat. He In
grated himself with the Farmers alli-
ance. He at once became identified
with the extreme, or third party ele-
ment, as opposed to the conservative,
or democratic alliance, of which Con-
gresham L. F. Livingston was the
head. When the lines were drawn
more closely and the alliance declared
openly for new party Livingston was
repudiated and Tom Watson became
the idol Of the farmers. His influence
was strong because it was based on the
belief that he was sincere.
In passing 1t may be said that Wat
son has publicly announced that he Is
fond Of his wife. In campaign speech
Mr.. Watson made at Augusta, Ca,
when his third-party constituents gave
him rousing reception, Mr.. Watson
said:
II thank you not only for myself, but |
in the name Of my good little wife,
who has shared every hour of my toll,
and without whose company I should
have been weak indeed. If have been
able to be true to you, which 1 think I
have; IL have been able never to for
get that down in the old tenth district
we're the warm hearts of the people
whose place I represented in the ma
ional halls who wished their views put
before the country; it was very largely
% that part Of the firm Of Watson and
wife which was the better member Of
he tuo." Cheers for Mrs. Watson.)