Omaha daily bee., 1896-11-12
TOM WATSON ACI
= NOMINATION.
Accompanies the
Letter with "a
: licntion of His
"a of nutlcr.

Letter with st uf butler.
! ATLANTA, Ga, : 1.-THE letter OF
acceptance written m Watson accept
ing the populist no lon for vice presi-
! dent was today N public. Seven col
| umns Of Watsons f,ot s Party Paper are
! devoted to It, The letter is supplemented
SSno,,s5g by -four columns. columns Of advice to to
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 support Bryan
In the close states brought about McKin-
| leys election He goes into a long review
| of the circumstances leading to his nom
| nation and accepts the vice presidential
! nomination, because | said | would" He
| declares that II the St Louis populist con-
vention had nominated a straight populist
| ticket 1t would have been elected II would
he said, have driven the Hills and the
Germans where they beonged-in the re-
publican ranks-and the Bryans and Blands
would have Joined with the peoples party.
He complains bitterly OF the treatment he
has received at the hands OF the populist
leaders, and address, himself particularly
TO Senator Butler, in this way:
Senator, a reform has no right to exist
II 1t has no valid complaint TO make. Popu.
lists cannot denounce the sins OF the two
old parties and yet go into political copart-
nership with them. The moment we make
a treaty, the war must cease. And when we
cease our war upon the old parties we have
no longer any excuse for living: whenever
right compromises with wrong ii is the right
which suffers. The democratic managers
seem to resent as a strange piece OF imperti-
nence the fact that the populists dared to
nominate a ticket differing at the rear end
from theirs. Coming to them with the
1000 600 votes that they were begging for and
piteously needed, | can say with perfect
assurance OF telling the unqualified truth that
my arrival on the field of battle was not
welcomed as heartily as Blucher was re-
ceived by Wellington at Waterloo. They
want my reinforcement. 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 u the best way to defeat Ma
poleon. For this attitude upon the part of
the democratic managers believe you. SEN
ator, are largely responsible. You made no
effort TO have me recognized. You publicly
stated that | would be notified of my nom
nation. You went into the fusion policy
over my written protest and with all the
zeal OF a man who wanted to elect the dem
Ocratic ticket. In this ! think you were
wrong. As chairman of the populist commit
tee, the party certainly expected YOU to do
all you could to elect the populist ticket
Had you demanded Mr.. Sewall's withdrawal
from the ticket he would have been with
drawn. have a letter of yours in which
you state the democratic committee expected
you to make the demand but that YOU did
not make It. From the perversty of
temper with which the democratic managers
have refused to do the right thing by the
populists II would seem they prefer McKiu-
leyism to anything which might seem to
be partly populist triumph Their subtle
purpose is to couple the Bryan election with
the complete destruction OF the popuist
party The position taken in this letter
will be bitterly assaied Would that the
pathway OF duty would always be carpeted
with flowers; ii rarely is. BY making my
self and the great party represent a mere
footmat for democratic politicians to wipe
their feet upon. | could win much applause
from that quarter. But | were now lacking
in the loyalty which was expected of me
when chosen, / would grieve the men who
have honored me, trusted me and defended
and loved me.
NO one regrets more profoundly than |
do that the democratic managers so shaped
the campaign that the south has again been
told she must grovel in the dust and let an
eastern autocrat put his foot upon her neck |
Nor does any one regret more than | do
that the democratic managers in shaping
their fusion deals, have considered those
popuiists only who are getting loaves and |
fishes They have lost sight OF the great |
army OF privates whose honest hearts and
sincere souls form the strength of the re- |
Inducements Mr.. Bryan needs. These popu- |
lists OF the rank and file have the spirit OF |
and they would die for a principle |
more quickly than they would sell It, These |
men will not vote for Sewall nor for Sewall |
electors. II Senators Jones and German |
really wish to defeat Mckinley. let them |
lose no time in realizing this truth"