The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1896-07-20
Watson Not Consistent.


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Watson Not Consistent.
But our friend Watson forgets his usual
consistency i'm the editorial to which we
refer Mr. Watson in one paragraph says:
would it not be absurd for us to fuse
with the democrats on their national ticket
and fight them on their state ticket?
Would not such a position be ludicrous
to gods and men?
''Such a thing cannot be done. and II IS
idle to talk about il. If we support Bryan
we must support Atkinson. we must 20
the whole hog.
But Immediately following this declara-
ton. Mr. Watson continues:
"The hope Of a general concentration or
the silver forces passed away when the
democrats ignored Teller.
There was a man, high in positon'
strong i'm talent, and blameless in char
actcr. who had just cut loose from the re-
publican party on account OF ms loyalty 10
free silver.
"fIad The democrats nominated him. they
would have shown that they really put the
cause of silver ahead of the selfish interests
carried forward by this mighty impulse,
II is highly probable that the popullStS
would also have accepted Teller ana ne
would have gone into battle with the uiii'eu
cohorts of silver behind him.
Now let me ask my friend Watson II
there are not many precedcnts where polit-
ical parties. feeling that IL would Ice unwise
To embark in a national campaign. nave
maintained their state organizations ana
fused on presidential nominations with an
other party?
And again. Bryan is opposed TO the high
protective ideas of the republican party
while Teller has never rcpudiatcd this plank
In the republican platform. and had ms
convention indorsed silver and at the same
time upheld Mckinley i'm his extreme tariH
views. Mr Teller would never have walked
l...TN sfFHtfaf ffnf "a
and lnvaI member of the republican party.
BRYAN not only represents the free and un-
limited coinage of silver. at ratio Of 10
to l. hut opposes the robber tariff laws
fixed upon this country by Wi!liam Nc
Kinley and against which AR Teller has
never raised his voice i'm protest
Bnt the Issue that my populist friends in
Georgia must face is. DO they hold the
free and unlimited coinage of silver ut
ratio Of 1G to !. and which means emancipa-
tion for the people from the domination OF
the money power. paramount 10 the plitical
success Of their party? And do they not.
as reasoning and intelligent men, know
that il is q matter utterly impossible for the
cause OF silver to triumph with its friends
divided and split in twain. while the advo-
Gates Of the British gold standard are
united to a man and pulling together Mr..
Watson confesses that the populists hold
the balance or power. when he says.
platform is a prayer In these classic words
Help me Cassius, or 7 sink. -populism be
Ing the Cassius."
Patriotic Populists Appealed To.
But my appeal to the patriotic members
Of the populiSt party is not made in the
Interest of any candidate hut in behalf az a
struggling and long suffering people. he
ucvc that the 81. Louis convention will be
equal to the emergency. and like unto our
a. 1pl
principle paramount to party success If
MT Bryan and free silver win the victory,
and we can break the golden shacl,les that
Wall street aud ! omhard street have fixed
upon US, then it makes very little difference
to the people what be the name of the party
under which they nave triumphed. There
is nothing in a name. Shakespeare tells MS
that "a rose by any other name would smell
as sweet" What we want IS triumph of
our principles, and once fix bimctallismupon
this republic aud we can afford TO d.shand
the republican. the democratic and popullstS
parties.
feel authorized in thus addressing tho
populsts Of Georgia. for they are my
friends of yore. and wc have fought many
hotlv contested political battles together.
Besides | could but sympathize with them
in their Indignation, while dissenting from
the course that they pursued. And am
also free TO say thar had the Chicago con-
candidate. and adopted a British gold stan
dard platform, ana the st. Louis conycn-
ton selected Bryan as its nominee upon the
platform adopted by our recent democratic
convention, then / would unhcs,tatinSly
have given my earnest aud untring sup
port TO the latter ticket; and south caro-
lima would also have given to the popuI4sts
ber electoral vote. Therefore. 90 not
ask Of Georgia populist friends more than
] would have accorded then, had the sllua-
tion been reversed.
Let me appeal to the former alliancemen
and the populists Of the Empire state OF
the South To lay dslde. Tor TINS one tlllle'
their pOlit anlmoSiiieS ana reSeutlll'Nls
and ioin hands and forces with the friends
of silver The money of the world VIII De
turned against us, and 10 win the ighI we
must present an unbrokeu front 10 the
foe Remember that United stand.
divided We fan" Respectfully,
Opinion of Distinguished Populist.
Fditrr Cousttution-The action taken by
"a. democrats at the Chicago convention
seems to me TO be in every way patriotic,
ana as a populist l can also say that it is
10 me non partisan. The popuists them
selves could not have selected a better man
than Bryan to represent their demands
in favor Of the restoration of silver
| cannot see how the populists Will allow
| themselves to he tho willing tool in the
hands of the gold men to defeat Bryan
and Sewall and elect gold standard presi-
dent for il is now question between Bryan
and Mckinley.
l have been populist from the begin
ming of the party and never a prOnouncee
democrat. but now that the democratic
party has come forward in a manly and
courageous maCncr and declared itself in
favor of the people. for one can be recon
ciled undcr the broad banner OF PATRIOTISM
and help to force to the wall tsA enemies
of our country. But woe be the day to our
institutions when all honest mea fail TO
unite under common banner for the
protection of our homes against the per-
nicious policy Of the single gold standard.
/ cannot believe that there is pOpulist
in all this broad land-unless fr.a preiu-
dice or unholy purposes-that ~ refuse
to support Bryan and Sewall Tpsre is no
man. however ignorant. but v u knows
that division at this time eIo T in the
south or west means the compl rep 'ubjuga-
ton of the people to the doms . :. of the
British gold standard with gong rs at
tendant evils to the masses. 'Hredine sake
of suffering humanity. and e lins we
ought TO hold dear, let all N w unite
and rise above prejudice. h8Dns; ealousy