Evening star., 1896-10-29
WATS0N'S LETTER
Populist Leaders Are Indignant Over
the Georgian's Course.
DECLARE BE Is NO LONGER A FACTOR
The Derocratic View of the Effect
of the Quarrel.
WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN

The letter published by Tom Watson in
the Atlanta Journal declaring his intention
not to alter his letter of acceptance in ac-
cordance with Senator Buffers suggestions,
and his intimation that that epistle was
delayed in this city by some connivance on
the part of Secretary Edgerton, only tends
to make more pronounced the position in
which Mr.. Watson has placed himself be-
yond the lines of the conservative element
of the populist party.
When Mr.. Edgerton read Mr.. Watson's s
in5lnuation regarding him this morning he
was somewhat inclined to be indignant at
such charge, but he soon took a calm
view of 1t and proceeded to take action
which would relieve him from the possibil-
ity of such charge being circulated with
any effect. He requested statement of
the exact manner in which the letter was
delayed on account of a lack of proper
postage from Postmaster r. A. Dobbin of
the Senate post office. Mr.. Dobbin will
furnish him statement on this subject
which will be in accordance with the eX-
PLANTATION given in The Star yesterday.
Mr. Edgerton knew nothing of the letter
from MIR. Watson Until he saw it in the
hands of Senator Butler, who secured il
direct from the Senate post office, as he
does all his mail.
POpulist Leaders Are Provoked.
This little tempest in a mail bag having
blown ever the case of Mr.. Watson stands
clearer and clearer before members OF his
own party who are not of the radical mid
ole-of-the-road type The officers of the
populist party here decline to discuss Mr..
Watsons actions and mis- Querulous state
mentS which he causes to be put in print
every day or two, because they still re-
gard him in the light their candidate for
presidency.
bers of that party find II difficult to discuss
their candidates actions without losing
their tempers- They declare Watson to
nave killed himself for all time as a factor
in his party, except amcng that class
which they say Is diminishing in size eyery
day, known the ''middle-of-tne--oad''
men.
Judged by His Picture.
They say that Watson's picture is an in
dex TO his character. That the picture which
hangs on tie wall of the populist headquar-
ters In the Wormley building shows the
face of a physically weak and nervous man.
with small. pointed chin and a nervous
fagged-out look in his eyes, There is soma-
thing of the look of the student who has
become querulous by loss of sleep, and of
the eSotist who can be kept in good humor
only by constant attention; of the small
man whose tIorghtS are thrown around
himself and his personal ambition, and who
1alls to take broad view of any question
Hls power over men has always been chief
ly because of his fiery mode of addressing
al ld1ences, and of his radical utterances
which do well in agitations before people
but partly informed on affairs but which
utterly fail of effectiveness when an at
tempt Is made to give his faculties national
scope There is no doubt that Watson is
merely regarded as querulous sorehead
by this element of his party.
Watson's Next Move a Question.
What the Donulist candidate for tho ,,ioo
presidency may do next is known only to
himself. Mr.. Butler will NOT make public
his letter Of acceptance. and if it sees the
light of publicity, it will be through the
Georgian himself. Fear is expressed that
Watson will make the letter public, charging
both Jones and others with bad faith, and
that he will even make it stronger than
1t was by scorching Senator Butler for re-
fusing to publish his letter. What Is fear
ed from this course is that Watsons letter
viii be taken up by the opposition press
and given the widest possible circulation
In states in which the populist vote is an
important element in the coming election.
Watson may yet prove thorn in the side
OF the democracy, though his conduct dur
Ing the past two months, 1t is claimed, has
discred1ted almost anything he can do.
The Democratic View of 1t.
1t is said in democratic circles that what
ever Mr.. Watson may do at this late day
will not hurt Bryan. They say that It will
hurt Watson most. They express the be-
lief that Watson has ruined all chances
of the vice presidency in case Bryan Is
elected. They hold that If Watson had
played second fiddle to Bryan without in
Producing discord in the music ne would
have stood a splendid chance for the place
of presiding officer Of the Senate for the
reason that many democrats look upon
Watson with more favor than Sewall