The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1896-10-13
HIS OlII,. >;,n:,IECT
Mr.. Watson Says He Very Seri-
Cusly Desires to See Mr..
Bryan Elected.
Would Be Willing to Waive Per-
sonal Considerations, But
Not Honor.
Fusion Deals May Defeat Them
selves by Disgusting Populist
Voters.

New YORK, Oct. 13.-A special to
The World from Thompson, Ga, says !:
New York papers have alluded to the
editorial "No Watson, No Bryan"
which appeared i'll the Peoples Party
Paper of last week, and they attribute
1t to me. This is erroneous. resigned
the editorship of the Peoples Party
Paper just after the campaign opened.
Mr.. James L. Sibley, the present editor,
wrote the article alluded to. Neither
directly nor indirectly am responsible
for it. 1t represents his individual sem
timents and he had the right to express
them.
My own position is different from the
beginning of the campaign, l have
given my loyal adherence to the St.
Louis compromise ticket, and shall con-
tinue to do SO to the end.
Would Make Personal Sacrifice.
i would make any personal sacrifice
rot involving honor and principle, to
aid MIR. Bryan, regardless of the conse-
quences to my political fortunes. AIy
protest against fusion la not 60 much
that IL pushes me or t11e r1cget, as ri-ur
it compels Populists to vote for man
who does not represent their principles,
and whom their national convention
rejected ut st. Louis. Partly for
that reason, Populists seeing this,
grew discontented and their dis
content threatens the success of Bryan.
Especially does the solution in KAN
sas and Colorado endanger Bryan's
success in other states. The fact that
these Populist states have put out no
Populist ticket, and the entire electoral
vote has been sold to the Democrats for
local offices,
Spreads Indignat:on Among the Populists
in every state in the Union. I have
mingled among the people in this cam
paign more informally than any of
the candidates or any of the managers,
and know Populist resentment at the
manner in which their party is being
: wrecked by mere place-hunters jeopar-
dies Mr.. Bryan most seriously.
For the sake Of preserving our party
organization, insuring the success of
the reform principles and solidifying
the Populist vote for Mr.. Bryan, have
repeatedly asked that justice be done
the Populist national ticket in Kansas
and Colorado. have also felt free to
condemn the deal in North Carolina, by
which Populist votes are expected to
give a majority in the electoral college
to Mr.. Sewall.
This arrangement is not only unjust
on the face of it, but may defeat itself
by disgusting the Populists. In other
words, it has seemed to me that the
very best way to assure Mr.. Bryan
the Populist votes necessary to his elec-
tion was to treat the Populists fairly as
friends, allies, not as mere political
Hessians who had been hired to fight as
hirers might dictate.
BY continually calling attention to
this weak point in our lines, my purpose
has been to help Mr.. Bryan, not to hurt
him. At no time have uttered the
sentiment that Bryan must be defeated
unless Watson could be elected. At no
time have harbored such a feeling. At
this time, as upon all other occa-
sions, have felt the supreme import
ance Of 'Bryan's election. regardless of
what might happen to either sewall or
Watson, but have also felt that in
their stubborn, unyielding and insult
ing policy of trying to force the Popu-
lists to vote for Sewall in these fusion
deals, the Democratic managers were
clearly making a sacrifice of Bryan in
the interest of Sewall>
THOMAS r WATSON