The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-07-28
NnlarY Irndcau.
UITSON ERED Ar BRIAN.
Lampooned His Running Mate when Both
Were in Congress.


Were in Congress.
WASHINGTON. y. c.. July Gl.-Whcn
Candidates william z. Bryan and Thomas
H. Watson meet 10 talk over the poli-
teal situation and the details Of their
PopuHstic campaign IL is likely that their
old days I'm Congress will be one Of tho
subjects both will be anxious 10 AVOID.
Bryan and Watson served together I'm the
House Of Representatives I'm the Fifty
second Congress. and while Bryan made
his reputation there as y hoy orator.
Watson became notorious as a viliner Of
his colleagues and general crank Of the
purest water. Watson was essentially
a free lance IN the committee-rcoms ana
on the floor. His victims included all
who happened 70 excite his ire or his
riilcue and one Of the men whom he
lampooned was none other than his pres
ent running mate William Jennings Bry-
an.
II was on April lst. All-Fools' Day. that
he made an onslaught on Bryan. The
Tariff bin was under discussion. and
Watson was seeking 70 show that the
Republicans We're not honest In adyocat-
ing protection and the Democrats were
not honest in advocating revenue reform.
He took BRYAN as a type Of Democratic
Bryan.
ION the other hand We have -ir hand
some and brilliant friend from Nebraska.
who was put forward as the darling" #
the Democracy side of the House. tho
prctticst man I'm AN the bunch. and his
entire speech. which ranged from Tom
MOOre's poetry 20 Joe Miller's best joke
was the sum and substance Of the I'D
Democratic position on the tariff that
We will practice what is wrong while We
know what is right
ff-cr a burst of. laughter. Watson pro-
cecdec 10 serious features Of the tariff,
but soon returned 10 Bryan. and con-
tinued.
Now my friend from Nebraska. I'm his
brilliant speech. formulated the Demo
cratic platform I'm such attractive colofs
that he was loudly applauded upon the
Democratic side. What was that plat
form After AN the force Of his logic
after an the splen1or Of his rhetoric. AZ
ter all the driving Don tho direction Of free
trade. the gentleman shirked the issue
when he got To the actual euunciation of
the results Of his own Logic. lie an
nounccd HIS ideal Democratic platform
not platform YOU would have. but
platform you should have-a platform
You could have If man were sitting
quietly by his fire al night with his feet
in his slippers. cigar IN his mouth. a hot
toddy hy his side. nothing 10 disturb him.
and Ideal Democratic dreams in his head
NOW. what was that platform II Is
very pretty il has ail the vague charms
OF TIC underlined in has an the bopndless
ieatiy az landscape that he's nl limit
lie says ;hs phrase tario for protec
ten is the only tl.re % which he
conrl1ins. lie eays iY effect + DO not
chiecr 10 r. = il Gocs iy i~di-ection what
tho other said IT should do directly. nut
object n > tafi0 wnfth saws I'm plain
words what it is meant to do"
There was mu,h IT,. el.ttr on the Re-
pnolican side
Wotson quoted some Of Eryan's glow
Ing sentences and ten 2dded
INA; IS beautiful II Is HE the old
FISH trap. with one uNrth down tho
stream and the other up and II catches
'em a-comin' ana a-gwine. " Great
laughter
I'm ono Of his Congress speeches Mr..
watson made tae following Characters
ncally Populistic attack upon the United
States Senate:
I'VE know that the worry concentration
OF power the concentration Of capital.
the concentration OF privilege. which we
are lighting. Is enthr0ned and enTench-
cd I'm the Senate OF the United States.
No man can successfully deny b.. Every
great corporation Of this land has ms
agents. its attorneys there 20 defend its
interests. Every great railroad has rs
owaers and its attorneys there You strike
the oil company and their champions are
there Yod strike the manufacturers or
the county. and their champions are
thee. an 50 Nc are confronted 10y he
T1,'rI states Senate As the very type
Of cCnce ltratcd privilege or aggregated
wealth an centralized power. ana We
nig.L 90 well expect 20 sail without leave
IN lr~ the tVninE fortress Of Ginfatar,
Nopholed and armored from base 20 sum
nil. as TO Tass the Obstructons "pif n
n % presented 10 our progress there IL
would take the rod Of Moses 70 strike the
waters Of relief out of that rock"
Tcom a : siress-like common sense
standpoint ~. Watson was a hi'ma1
failure as a congressman. He introduced
a dozen bills. but not one Of them passed
or advanced beyond the initial stage.
These bins'.re characteristic OF radical
ism 10 the last degree One OF them was
FOR the sub-Treasury plan, an early ignis
fatuus OF the Populists, now discarded
and not found in the platform Just
adopted Another bill sought TO do away
with the gold reserve and turn 10 into
the Treasury as cash. Watson chafer
over the delay in securing attention FOR
his bills Most OF them went 10 the
ways ana Means Committee. and were
pige0n-holed.
watson was one OF the strongest advo-
Yates FOR an investigation OF the Pinker-
tons. and 1t was during the discussion
OF resolution TO this effect that he used
the following language:
1--WE are on the eve OF a social out
break. We are M the crisis or our re-
publican government In a few months
II will be decided whether we have
government or law and order. whether
peace can be maintained by the consti'
tuted authorities. or whether each SIDE
will arm itself with the deadly weapon
OF destruction and fight out their grieV-