Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1904-10-18
Mr.. Watson,s Indictment.

The Hon. Thomas E. Watson continues
to lay his finger unerringly on the sore
spot in the Democratic canvass. As the
Presidential candidate of third party
he feels it incumbent to justify his oppo-
sition to the two greater parties. "The
contention of the Peoples party" he
says in his letter of acceptance, "being
that both the old parties are wrong, We
wage war on both" But this does not
preclude his differentiating the grounds
on which he wages war on the two larger
organizations. He can aSsail Republi-
cans and Democrats impartially for mis-
reading or neglecting the teachings of
jefferson. But while condemning both
he can discriminate between the atti-
tudes taken respectively by the two
parties toward Jeffersonian doctrines.
He can respect the open and consistent
dissent from those doctrines asserted by
the Republican candidate and the Re-
publican platform, while utterly despis-
ing the sham adherence to Jeffersonian-
ism profesSed by the Democratic candi-
date and the Democratic platform.
At Albany last spring the state con-
vention which put Judge Parker for
ward as a candidate for the Presidential
nomination declared renewed fidelity
to the essential principles of Jeffersonian
Democracy" The Democratic National
Convention at st. Louis harked back
with fervor to "Jeffersonian frugality"
and "Jeffersonian simplicity" Judge
Parker has talked and written vaguely
in eulogy of Jeffersonian ideas and poll
cies. But there, as Mr.. Watson points
out, the Jefferson cultus ends. Judge
Parker is not Jeffersonian Democrat,
yet he seeks the support of Jefferson
ians." His whole canvass is based on an
equivocation-a false pretence. And
this false pretence of friendliness is to a
true JefferSonian like Mr.. Watson more
offensive challenge than the open de-
fiance he is prepared for from the Re-
publican organization. Says the Popn-
list candidate for President:
Mr.. Roosevelt will get Republican votes and
no other. He is not seeking the support OF
Bryan Democrats upon false pretences. He l.
not playing confidence game on the negro
question. He Is not attempting TO win Jeter'
sonians by sham adherence to Jefersonian
principles. In short there Is no danger that
Roosevelt will get single vote to which L. as a
Jedersonian In principle, am entitled. with
MFR. Parker Il Is different. He is not 3 Jener'
sonian Democrat, yet he seeks to secure the
support of Jefersonians. III he would speak
out plainly and tell the people that he Is In
principle the same thing, practically, that Roose-
welt Is, the Bryan Democrats would fall away
from him by the million
1t is, in fact, only on Colonel Bryan's
halting, eleventh hour guarantee of Judge
Parker's regularity and acceptability
that the Democratic managers now
count on holding or carrying states ab-
solutely essential to Democratic victory.
The Democratic candidate is to be
pictured in Indiana and West Virginia as
not really ''safe and sane" enough to
hurt, and the Democratic voters are to
be told that this election will not great
ly interfere with reorganization of the
party along lines of Jeffersonian radical
ism. On such disingenuouS expedients
the whole fate of the Parker canvass
hangs. So far has the party backtracked
in three months from its belauded pro-
gramme OF safety and sanity. Is not
Mr.. Watson fully justified in this scarifi-
cation of the Democratic party as now
led and organized:
Measured by the old standards Of jefferson.
Jackson. Benton and stephens, the party which
calls itself Democratic has no right to do so. 10
contains no Democratic principles. IL does not
seek TO accomplish any Democratic purpose. IL
has no harmony Of creed. no unity OF action. no
common legislative object One and all, they
would IKE to capture the offices; beyond that
they do not agree upon any earthly subject.
Faithful are the wounds of friend, I"
and wholesome, sometimes, are the casti-
cations of candid and logical critic
New York Tribune.