Marble Hill press. (Marbel [sic] Hill, Mo.) 1881-1923, 1897-07-22
is going to pieces.


In five-column editorial in the
Peoples Party Paper he tells the
story Of the party which he says
was the altar upon which he placed
his political life for sacrifice.
The editorial is startling, even
when coming from Watson.
He goes further and says that nc
decent voter will tolerate the pres
ent policy of the party organiza-
ton.
The editorial is the most scath
ing Of any that has come in recent
years from the great populist lead
err. That it will create great sen
sation among the old-time follow
ers of the party is certain. 1t will
revolutionize populist thought and
sentiment.
1t will send the erstwhile popu.
lists back into the old parties like
prodigaI sons returning from theil
wanderings.
The editorial goes into all the
causes that brought about the dis
integration of the party, and tells
of the final crushing blow which
made the movement q part of the
past. Butler is handled unmerci.
fully. Watson accuses him with ac.
eomplishlng the death of the party
through his fusion policy, and de,
nounces the national chairman as a
snakein the grass to both friend
and foe, whostraded the party for
Office.
He speaks feelingly of the great
principles for which he fought and
tells Of how much he has longed to
bring about the union between the
south and the west.
Of this he says: "To bring about
this union | had put my political
life upon the altar and sacrificed it
when stepped out of the ranks OF
democracy and joined PETER, Simp'
son, Davis, Otis, Baker and Hal
vorsensin representing the new
party in congress. To effect this
great union was still my ardent
wish-for | knew that in no other
way could the money power of the
north and east be overthrown."
Watson explains why Dunning
went back into the republican party
and denies that Dunning was ever
q 60 between. He charges Butler
with the whole miserable fizzle of
the populist party in the last cam
paign.
Watson holds out but little hope
that the scattered parts of his party
can ever be reorganized. He only
offers this asa vague possibility:
aEf ever the peoples party be-
comes once more a moral power,
inspiring the masses with hope and
leading them onward to remedial
legislation, Butlerism and fusion
will have to be buried beyond res
direction. No party can survive
on the hessian programme of sell
ing troops first to one and to the
other. No decent voter will toler-
ate such a policy in the party lead
ers and office seekers after that
policy is understood.
NThe people are not seeking a
mere change of Office holders.
they want o change of laws. Flu
sion stops the growth of populism
and halts the decay ofthe parties
with which we fuse. Fusion props
the old parties up while 1T scotches
US. We are q minority, and fusion
condemns us to remain so. Laws
can't be changed under such plan"
Watson claims that he is still a
populist at heart. He says:
at is hardly necessary for nae to
defend my personal character or my
populist integrity from the attacks
of jealous trimmer like Butler.
l was populist, open and above
board, while he was yet playing
alliance democrat and I have al
ways been loyal and manly foe,
where he is a snake in the grass to
both friend and foe."
Watson goes on to say that he
predicted the breakup of the party
when Butler withheld his letter Of
acceptance, He says:
"That letter, mailed to Butle,
long before the campaign was ended
was my best vindication. 1t point
ed out then the blunders of Butler
and prophesied the disastrous re.
suits. The events happened just
as ! predicted"
Watson closes his editorial with
this to say of Buffers trade Of the
party:
"To sell out the party by fusion'
before it secures enough men ir
Office to change the laws even i
they SO desired, seems to me the
widest Of folly and the basest o,
treacbcry."