The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1896-09-17
GIVES REASONS why.
Colorado Hesaid Annoane~s Iss Arsx,.
80 WATSON

s1ee 80 WATSON
We have been asked shy We pre-
ferred Tom Watson 10 Mr. Sewall a..
q viee-presidential candidate. There
are several reasons, chief of which
Is. he has been tried, as q representa-
tive OF the masses, and found not
wanting, while We have no reason 10
expect any favor for the masses from
Sewan.
When tne union of labor forces in
the Sonth and West resulted in the
| election o. forty-one congressman in
1890. Ton, Watson was one of that
number. These members were then
virtually Republicans and Demo
Gratis, but they had pledged them
selvea To decline to enter their party
caucus or be controlled by il in any
manner whatever. This pledge was
exacted by the Farmers Alliance nd
other kindred and affiliated labor or
ganizations. OF he forty-one mem
bers elected by this union of labor
force IL 1890, thirty were from the
| South and eleven from tna West.
When Congress convened in 81 party
lines were closely drawn aud the
party caucus was all-powerful in
holding together the old party vote
IN the organization Of the House.
To the honor of the eleven Western
representative be ii said that every
one of them held firmly TO their
pledge not to enter their party eau
Gus, and to the honor of Tom Watson
be it said he was the one Of the thirty
Southern Representatives who held
his pledge to the people as a sacred
promise. He was the candidate of
the Western peoples representatives
for the Speakership, when he knew
it was hopeless race and an empty
honor, but he welcomed defeat and
accepted it in the discharge of what
he felt to be his duty.
Is it any wonder the people, the
rank and file of both the Democratic
and Populist parties, and farmers,
the mechanics and common laborers
trust and honor Tom Watson? More
than this, the tollers of the West and
South have long ago decided that the
| South had been held at the repent,
ance seat long enough. The prime
object of the Alliance movement was
to unite these sections on common
political grounds for the benefit OF
all. For thirty years the Democratic
party hadn't the honesty to leap the
barrier Of sectional hate and pref
udice and name even one candidate
on its National ticket from the South
yet for thirty years, with one excep
ton, received its solid electoral vote
For the past two years, if one
might judge by the utterances of the
Democratic press and Democratic
politicians, there appeared to be &
disposition on the part of the Demo
cratic party to seek to unite the Wes
and South; but when that part,
named its National ticket this yea
it was evident the union was to b'
one of sentiment only, in which tn
South had no representation.
The nomination of Tom Watson b,
the Populists for Vice-President wa
as much rebuke to this sectiona
spirit as it was declaration Of Pop
ulist Independence. Tom Watso,
stands to-day not only as the choic,
of the Populist party for Vice. Presi
dent, but as preference Of major
ity of Southern Democrats. His re
cord is clean, he is the tried and tru
friend of the masses, and if the. Dem
ocratic party cannot see its way clea
to removing obstacles it has place
in the way of his election it is mis-
fortune for which the. Democrat
party is alone responsible.