Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-08-30
Lawyer and Historian.

There is a renewal of the report that
Thomas E. Watson will abandon politics
for the law and literature. The one field
has proved to be profitless and discourag-
ing: the other invites him because of sue
cesses he has already achieved in part of
il. and because, he believes. still greater
successes await him there He has recently
appeared in court in cases yielding him
large fees. and this points the way to the
building up of large and lucrative law
practice. His aspirations to shine in lit
erature have less. far as the public is
aware. to support them. Their origin is
not disclosed. He has not, as yet, con-
tributed anything to literature. A history
of France, and study of the life and
achievements of Joan of Arc, are slated
by the report for his pen. Not unlikely
some personal experience in the line of
leadership and martyrdom has led Mr..
Watson's thoughts to the career of the
maid of Orleans.
Mr.. Watson's case serves very we'll for
illustration at time when so many men
are coming forward with the spirit of lead
ership strong within them. Only a few years
ago he was an ambitious young lawyer liv-
ing in small town in Georgia, a democrat
in politics. with his eyes fixed on a seat in
Congress Suddenly, populism appeared
and began spreading over the south. 1t
threatened to engulf the democracy of
Georgia. and really affected the situation
there to such an extent that many of the
tenets of the new faith were adopted by
the democratic leaders. Mr.. Watson. in an
ardent moment. adopted them all. He re-
nounced democracy and embraced popu-
llSm-became a leader in the new camp
and advocated radical changes in the whole
structure OF government, state and national.
Nor did he shrink from giving every
earnest of a complete change of faith He
made sacrifices for the cause. For one
thing. he offered up. bodily Thomas E.
watson. attorney at law. That individual
ceased TO exist. The funeral pyre was built
with the watson law books. Populism de-
houhced lawyers. 1t held that they were
but the creatures of the money power en-
pioyed, in Congress and out to do the
money powers bidding, and that not until
they We're utterly cast out could the people
hope to come honestly by their own. Mr.
Watson bowed his head TO the decree. sold
his law books. gave up his office and be-
came farmer and populist editor Com
plete identification with populism brought
fame and influence in populist councils
and finally the populist nomination for the
Vice Presidency.
But the dream is over Mr.. Watson he
gins to see things again little after the
old fashion At any rate, he is parting
with some of his populist prejudices He
no longer regards Practice of the law as
unworthy of an honest man and a patriot.
He has gone back to it himself His Single
Is out. and. with new library, his SER
vices are again at the command of those
who need them and who have the money
to pay for them He may even, in time, be
retained by some corporation with business
in court demanding the attention of an at
torney of experience and ability. But Mr.
Watson is not the first man to discover
that the world cannot be reformed in a
day by overmuch oratory and proclama-
ton. nor is he likely to be the last
They come, they go; some fast, some
slow"