The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1896-11-18
TOM WATSON'S LETTER

VI acceptance Wrlttcn Dy InOmaS Il. Wat
son, accepting the Populist nomination
for vice-president was today made pub.
lie. Seven columns of Watson's Peo-
pies Party paper are devoted to it. The
letter Is supplemented by four columns
OF advice to Populists to "sit steady in
the boat and hold their party together"
The editorial tone of the paper is one
of fulfilled prophecy Watson declares
that the failure of the Populists to sup
port Bryan in the close states brought
about McKinley's election. He goes In
to long review of the circumstances
leading to his nomination at ST. Louis,
and says he accepted. the vice-presiden-
tial nomination because said I
would" He declares that if the St.
Louis Populist convention had nominat-
ed a straight Populist ticket it would
have been elected. 1t would, he said,
have driven the Hills and Germans
where they belong-in the Republican
ranks-and the Bryans and Blands
would have joined with the Populists.
He complains bitterly of the treatment
ne has received at the hands of the
Populist leaders, and addresses himself
particularly to Senator Butler in this
way:
Senator, reform has no right to ex-
fst II 1t has no valid complaint to make.
Populists cannot denounce the sins of
the two old parties, and yet go into polit-
ical copartnership with them. The mo-
ment we make traety the war must
cease. And when we cease our war up
on the old parties we have no longer any
excuse for living. Whenever the right
compromises with wrong, 1t is the Ight
which suffers. The Democratic mana
gers seem to resent as strange piece Of
impertinence the fact that the Populists
dared to nominate ticket differing at
the rear end from theirs. Coming to
them with 100000 votes they we're beg
ging for and piteously needing, can say
with a perfect assurance Of telling the
unqualified truth that my arrival on the
field of battle was not welcomed as hear
tily as Blucher was received by yelling
ton at Waterloo. They want my rein
forcements, but they do not want me to
lead them. They need Blucher's troops
but they draw the line at Blucher. That
is hardly fair either to Blucher or his
troops, nor is it the best way to defeat
Napoleon.
For this attitude upon the part of the
Democratic managers 1 believe you
senator, are largely responsible. You
made no effort to have me recognized
You publicly stated that would not be
notified of my nomination. You went
into the fusion policy over my written
protest with all he zeal of man who
wanted to elect the Democratic ticket
In this 1 think you were wrong. AS
chairman Of the Populist committee, the
party expected you to do all you could to
elect the Populist ticket. Had you de-
manded Mr.. Sewall's withdrawal from
the ticket he would have been with
drawn. have letter Of yours in which
you state that the Democratic committee
expected you to make the demand, but
that you did not make it. From the
perversity of temper with which the
Democratic managers refused to do the
right thing by the Populists, it would
seem that they prefer McKinleyism to
anything which might seem to be partly
Populistic triumph. Their subtle pur-
pose is to couple the Bryan election with
the complete destruction of the Populist
Party. pc:
The position taken in this letter will
be bitterly assailed. Would that the
pathway of duty were always carpeted
with flowers. 1t really is. By making
myself and the great party l represent
a mere footmat for Democratic politi-
clans to wipe their feet upon could win
much applause from that quarter. But
if l were now lacking in the loyalty
which was expected of me when chosen,
[ would grieve the men who honored me,
trusted me, and defended me and
loved me.
No one regrets more profoundly than
do that the Democratic managers have
so shaped the campaign that the South
has again been told that she must
grovel in the dust and let an Eastern
plutocrat put his foot upon her neck.
Nor does any one regret more than I do
that the Democratic managers in shap-
ing their fusion deals have considered
those Populists only who are getting
loaves and fishes.
They have lost sight of the great
army of privates whose great hearts and
sincere souls form the strength of the
reinforcements that Mr.. Bryan needs.
These Populists of the rank and file have
the spirit of the crusaders, and. they
would die for a principle more quickly
than they would sell it. These men will
not vote for Sewalf nor for Sewall elecA
tors. If Senators Jones and German
really wish to defeat Mckinley let them
lose no time in realizing this truth
For this attitude upon the part of the
"The position taken in this letter will
During the campaign enough speeches
have been made, enough literature dis
tributed, enough money spent over the
comparatively trifling silver question to
have made this government a real repub-
lie. Do you think that if all this ener-
gy had been expended on direct legisla-
ton, that there would be voter in the
nation today that did not understand
the question? No, not one, and out of ev-
cry thousand of them excepting the
preachers and the idle rich) nine hun
dred and ninety-nine would demand it.
But politicians, the dear, good, sweet
scented politicians, who so admired the
great brain, Drawn, intellect, intelli-
gence, etc., ETC., of the "workingman"
neglected to mention it during the cam
paign. Direct legislation furnishes the
only remedy at the ballot box-it offers
the only peaceful solution to economic
questions through the vote. See that
your friends understand the question.
You will be astonished at the ease with
which they can be converted, and how
enthusiastic they will become as the
idea filters through their brain.-Coming
Nation.