The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1904-04-13
WATSON IN. REPLY.


The following letter from R~n.
Thos, E. Watson in reply to the above
is hot stuff and will be read with in
terest:
THOMSON, Ga, April 5.
To the Editor Of the Augusta Chroni-
Gle.
SIR: In your issue of yesterday you
publish letter written by MIR. CleVe-
land to my friend Hon. Charles Bart
lett.
This letter is dated March 4th.
Just why it was kept from the press
for an entire month, is not stated.
Mr.. Cleveland says that he does not
suppose that believed, or had any
reason to believe, that my charges
were true when they were made.
The intimation that would wilful'
ly charge upon him things which ]
knew to be false, does both himself
and me an injustice.
To publicly make against a man sc
prominent as Mr. Cleveland serious
accusations which were known to be
untrue, could only be the act, OF a
kpave who was at the same time a
fool. a slanderer who is simply q
knave may whisper falsehoods which
he knows to be falsehoods; but such
ISLANDERS are never published over the
signature Of the man who makes
them, unless the author is a fool as
well as a knave.
When Grover Cleveland assumes
that lam either a knave or fool be
will fird no respectable man Who
knows me to agree with him. The
gentleman to whom he addressed his
letter would tell him quickly enough
that any such construction put upon
my act, or any such imputation cast
upon my character, would be repudi-
ated by both the Democratic senators
from Georgia. and by at least a ma
iority of the Democratic delegation
from this state to the lower house.
PEOPLE Of the state in which my life
has been passed do not endorse my
politics, but they do not doubt the
honesty of my convictions nor the
purity of my character; and Mr.. Cleve-
land will not strengthen himself in
this state by rejecting upon either.
Now letus see what Mr.. Cleveland's s
letter amounts to, as reply to my
charges.
I beg to remind your readers that
the issue arose out Of the controversy
which ragged around the Booker Wash
ington incident.
A Republican member Of congress,
to Offset Mr.. Roosevelt's treatment of
Booker, had alleged that Mr.. Cleve-
land dined G. b. J. Taylor at the
white house. Mr.. Cleveland denied
the statement; and his card, when
published, was headlined in such a
way as to carry the impression that he
had never practiced social equality at
the white house.
In an article which was published
in the Atlanta News, l pointed out
that Mr.. Cleveland had confined his
denial to the negro Taylor, and that
the head lines went further than the
letter-as is often the case.
Furthermore, I added that Mr..
Cleveland had practiced social equali-
ty in three particulars:
/. In appointing a negro to be min
lister to one of the South American re-
publicS.
2. BY signing the bill for mixed
schools in New York.
3. By inviting Fred Douglass and
wife to his wedding reception at the
white house.
Upon what grounds were these
charges made?
Necessarily, they were based upon
current and contemporaneous news
paper reports which were not con-
tradicted. How else is citizen to
have knowledge Of public affairs? The
newspapers are the source Of our in
formation; and if public man allows
the newspapers to make gnerai and
repeated statements about bis con-
duct, he must expect such statements
to be credited, unless denied.
How do I know that Mr.. Roosevelt
dined Booker Washington? l was not
there. I did not see it. have not
spoken to any one who did see it. But
the newspapers made the charge, and