Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-11-12
THE WATSON LETTER
AT LAST IT is ALLOWED no SEE
THE LIGHT OF DAY.
WHY IT WAS SUPPRESSED.
This IL Made Evident by Pernshi
of IL, Contents-Blttcrncss Against
Democrats and the Engineers "i
Fusion.

Fusion.
ATLANTA, GA, November 11.-Thomas
y. Watson's letter accepting the vice.
presidential nomination Of the Popuilst
marty has at last been given TO the public.
II was written on October 18th last to
Senator Marion Butler chairman OF the
Notification Committee and manager OF
the Populist campaign. 1t was suppressed
by Senator Butler during the campaign
for reasons that are obvious from peru
sal Of its contents. The document would
make seven columns in a newspaper MI
Watson will publish his letter in full IN
his official organ, The Peoples Party
Paper. which comes out tomorrow. Be
low are some extracts:
Hon. Marion Butler Chairman ex-Oiilcio
Of the Notification Committee:
"Dear slr.-Your letter giving me formal
notice Of my nomination by the Peoples
party for the Office of Vice-President has
| been received
at is solely because Of my promise 20
do so that / accept the nomination. The
unusual conditions confronting US muse
be my excuse for submitting to the public
a fair statement Of the facts touching this
remarkable campaign, in order that an
all unprejudiced minds may reach just
| conclusions.
"As the time for beginning the presi-
Dental campaign OF 1896 approached. the
| Democratic party found itself In a dying
| condition. and 10 resOrted 10 desperate
remedy TO save itself from dissolution.
| II public renowned the Republican poll
des which il had already enacted mo
| law. and professed the Populist creed.
! which Il had bitterly assailed. Having
| closed the doors Of the minis 10 silver.
| having sustained Mr.. Cleveland I'm his re-
fusal to allow the seigniorage 10 be
! coined. having condoned his issue of
! bonds I'm violation Of law, having ace
I ouicsced I'm his contraction policy OF de-
stroving the erecnbacks; having heipel
| TO feed the trusts by the passage OF the
/ Wilson Gorman-Joncs tarin Dill, inc
Democratic party. realizing that 1t had
lost the respect, the confidence, ana the
! naticnce Of the people. determined 10 an-
| tiripate the triumph Of Populism by
public confession Of political guilt an
earnest assertion OF change OF heart, and
devout acceptance Of POpulist princi-
pics and modest demand that the
PEOPLES party should vacate its quar-
ters and surrender its political posses
sons
a very staggering piece Of political
impudcnCe was this. il was not mi
nority OF the Democratic party which
murdered silver IN 1898. 1t was mrori-
~ that did tia Majority majority I'm
the House. a majority in the Senate. And
the men who committed the deed can
not now promise more solemny 10 undo
their work than they promised in 1892
! TO DO it.
CHAMPION OF THE PEOPLE.
During the dreary years Of 1Sg2-93-9i
| and 'g5. when Republicans and Democrats
alike were falling over each other in tho
| effort to be first at Wall streets feet. and
! lowest i'm the dust Of political self-abase-
! ment to the trusts. the national banks
! the railroads the bOndhOlders. and the
| gold spectators, the Peoples party was
| the one champion of the people. 1t stood
| fearlessly against the hungry hordes of
| class legislation. 1t proclaimed constant
| ly its undying antagohism 10 Wall street
! and its policies II held aloft the sacred
] banner Of a peoples rights. and called for
| patriots to rise and defend the republic
! Since the bugle-note Of Rhoderick woke
| the Highlands, and the fiery cross sped
| from mountain to glen, and from glen O.
hamlet. there has been no such sponta-
neous outburst Of popular enthusiasm as
marked the growth of the Peoples party.
| one creed. one purpose one hope. one In
spiration moved US all. and had we nomi-
mated a straight Populist ticket AT St
} Louis. one man from the West and one
1 from the South we would have swept
| this land from sea TO sea.
AT Chicago. the Democratic Managers.
having adopted the leading Populist prin-
ciples. nominated for the first place ON
! the ticket a candidate who endorsed those
principles"
Mr.. Watson ectes the fight in the
! Populist convention at st. Louis between
the Bryan Populists and the 'middle-of-
| the-road" men. 81 was asked TO allow
the use of my name 10 harmonic all the
differences which existed I'm the conven-
ton. and consented upon that express
condition.
"There was no doubt that among the
voters of the Democratic party. South
! and West. there was an earnest desire
that the Populists should be met half
way. The people wished for union among
the advocates Of silver, and they felt
that union could not be accomplished by
demanding an abject surrender at the
hands Of the Populists.
FUSION.
"Tha leaders Of the Democratic party,
however. having secured Populst endorse
ment of Mr. Bryan by direct vote In the
convention. determined 10 secure it for
Mr.. Sewall also. and for this purpose they
have resorted 70 the policy Of fusion.
INSTEAD Of meeting the Populists half
way. the Democratic managers have de-
manded that we furnish all the patriotism
which the occasion requires, and they not
only refuse TO make any concessions at
all. but they treat with public insult the
party whose votes are necessary to Demo
cratic success.
"Bv listening TO the overtures Of the
Democratic managers. our party has been
torn into factions. our leaders deceived
and ensnared. and the cause we represent
permanently endangered. II not lost. The
labor of many years is swept away, and
the hopes of thousands Of good people are
gone with il.
.'The Democratic managers, however
not only claim the Populist vote for Mr
Bryan. who is our nominee, but they
claim IT also for Mr. Sewall, who is not
our nominee, and who was overwhelmins
ly rejected when offered to the st. Louis
convention
eve are now told that We must not say
ANYTHING against Mr.. Sewall. We mus
NOT explain TO the people wherein he is
an Objectionable candidate; and we must
not mention the fact that he is ma
tional banker. a bondholder, a railroad
magnate. a corporation millionaire, an
enemy to organized labor. beneficiary
of trusts. a seeker after subsidies foi
the merchant marine. and a protection
list of the Mckinley variety.
."These things must be kept from th'
neouIe | am told Why so? Have moi
| ,foht a kpaW fag whom