People's party paper. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1891-1898, 1896-11-20
Tom Watson for tho second place

Wa. " ShoVus bHaI lucy were tAcIoOy
endangeFing she election Of Mr.
Bryan. They were told in SO many
words that Populists would not vote
for MIR. Sewall, on a fusion ticket or
otherwise. MIR. Jones, tho chairman
Of the Democrats committee, re.
piled that Populists were of no &C
count anyway, aad lei them ego to
the negroes where they belonged"
About this time the chairmsn Of
our committee, Mr.. Butler, COM
mence1 fusion dicker with the
Democrats. MIR. Watson warned
him that he was "dead opposed to
any such fusion, aud that he knew
perfectly well that Populists would
not endorse it by their votes" He
gave both committees timely notice
Of the mistakes they were making,
yet they treated the msn and tho
warning with the supremest con-
tempt, except to abuse and SANDER
him. Butler and Jones ran the iu
sion abortion until they were kicked
out Of six States, Georgia and Ala
bama among the number, where
they had perfected all arrangements
to count in Mr., Bryan and pre-.
ferred to d. that rather than
give the white Populists of the
white counties q a chance to vote
for him on a fusion basis. The
campaign conduct of the Democratic
party 40 carried out was to take our
platform bodily and Mr.. Bryan a
middle-of road Populist for the
5rst place, and then cater to the
banks and money power by taking q
plutocralio banker for the second
place, and then make a trade with
the Pops to take down. Mr. Sewall
and put on Mr.. Watson-snd then to
show the cloyen foot, by gong back
on the contract to take down Sewall,
and to kick the Pops clean off their
own platform and wipe their feel On
them after they were off-and order
Thorn TO go to the negroes where
they belonged.
The ostensible leaders among the
Populists--namely, Butler, Allen,
Stewart, Dunning and others who
might be mentioned, are none of
them really Populists. They are
nondesoript, mugwump, reform Dom
oorats. In this campaign they have
been traitors to the Populist party,
and as far IS they could, have
slaughtered the one grand, true and
CREST leader in our party, Tom Wst-
son, of Georgia.
If Populists could have stood all
this bad treatment and the slaughter
Of their only leader, and then gaze
in the face OF it all and voted for
Bryan and Sawall. They would not
be human. They could not do it,
but resented the insults and abuse in
many States and places by staying at
home. It was perfectly natural thai
they should have done this.
The Democratic leaders seem to
have concluded from the manifest
patriotism OF tbs Populiats, and their
record for sacrifices and loyalty so
the reform cause, that they could
take their platform away from them,
kick them off of it, wipe their feet
on them and tell them to go! and
that then the Pops would get down
on their knees TO them and ask for
the privilege of voting for Bryan
and Sewau.
There is another cause for Mr.
Bryan's defeat which is perhaps more
potent and far reaching than the
above, namely the revolt Of the gold
standard Democrats. "a houe d.
vided against itself can't stand"
neither can it win in our election.
Under all the circumstances The
Tribune is not displeased at the re-.
suit. The good we see to come out
Of it all is this: The utter extinction
Of the Democratic party as such,
The noble, peerless Tom Watson
will be understood atlarge hereafter,
and he will be appreciated according
to his real worth and matchless pat.
riot SIN; while the leaders Of the
Damo ratio party and those of his
own who have betrayed him will
drop out Of sight in the Aear future
and 60 down to obsouriy uahon-
ored, unwept and uusung,-Gadsden
Tribune.