The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1902-04-03
PRESIDENT CONVICTED.
Mr.. WatteTson Llksns Him to Mexico's
President.

president.
Washington, March 24.-About 15O
guests were present tonight at the BIZ
ennial banquet Of the Virginia demo-
cratic association, held in the banquet
room of the Metropolitan hotel. They
included democrats OF national promi-
nence and most Of the political leaders
and democratic members OF congress
from the Old Dominion. Those who
spoke included the followingi I. w.
Bullock, second vics-president Of .he
association; Col. Henry Watterson, OF
Kentucky; Senator Carmack, Of Ten
nessee; Hon. Lewis Nixon, the leader
Of Tammany hall; Representative W.
W. Kitchens, of North Carolina; Rsr-
resentative DsAFmOnd, of Mississippi,
and members of congress from Virginia.
COL. wATTERsoN's ADDRESS.
Col. Watterson urged on democrats
general union OF forces in opposition to
imperialism in all forms. He said:
"There is no drop of blood in my
veins which is not Virginia blood. AL
though for purposes of my own, having
deep design beneath them, choose
this capital Of the nation for my birth
place, my earliest vision of paradise
the very dawn of oil my conceptions Of
honor and duty and glory-nsstled
among your hills across the Potomac;
and, when 1 go hence, my ashes shall
repose upon the bosom Of Kentucky,
Virginia's first born and fairest daugh-
tor.
"We are democrats. We love our
country. Our hearts beat true to ito
institutions. We would rescue The gov
ernment from the hands of those who
are converting it into 9 government Of
the trusts for the trusts, and by the
trusts, and restore it to the hands Of
those who will have some regard for
the rights Of the people. The republi-
can party is 3 syndicated party. Arbi-
trary power is its motto, the almighty
dollar its trade mark. II it be not
checked in the gait it is going, it will
in the end surely Mexicanize this re-
public.
Once again in the white house we
have the man ON horseback. Affecting
the simplicity Of the cowboy, he con-
ceals beneath the Self-confideDce aud
queer manners OF the ,broncho buster
the sentiments and ambitions, il not
the talents, Of Diaz. To him, little
thing like treating an admiral OF the
navy, wearing the laurel leaves Of i'm.
perishable renown, as il he were O baby
in arms, now to be dandled and now to
be spanked, is merely an undress affair
begun and ended during off moments
between breakfast aud luncheon. Tc
him, the reprimandiIg of the lieuten.
ant-genoral Of the army, grown gray il
the fighting of the battles OF his coun
try, becomes an amusing horseplay
meant to relax his muscles and illus
trate his high mightiness, whilst warn
ing lesser officers Of the army to OBEY
orders and say nothing. Az thes'
things go forward, pArtaking somewha
Of the character OF feats to divert ant
blinds to hoodwink public opinion,
bill for army reorganization is prepares
and urged upon congress which, il !
becomes law. will make tho power o
the president absolute, and which, it j
. not too much to say, ought 10 be enti
ltled AN act to mako the president 0
the United States g military dictator.
. Because the lieutenant-general answer
ing the summons of committee Q
congress-as was his duty-expresse
an opinion adverse to this bill, it i
proposed to retire him from the service
Taken in connection With some othe
matters Of more or less sinister sugges
tion, these are msnaces of most omir
ous import.
PAYS HIS RESPECTS CONGRESS.