The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1904-08-11

l.aQleS ana *GeHllemeu. lie p[ettS-
ant duty of Introducing to you gal
liant son Of the south has been placed
upon me- Our nominee for the presi-
dency is native son OF Georgia. He
is this side of fifty years OF age. He
is an. author. and writer of some OF
the hest and strongest history that
we have in our libraries today. He has
been a warrior. and strong gallant
fighter for populist principles ever
since there has been ,populist party.
(ApplauSe.) He served two years in
the United States congress and from
the very moment that he entered. that
moment he assumed leadership OF
that small but energetic band Of men.
They labored for the best interests OF
the country as they saw it, the pOpu-
lists of that day One of the meas
ures that our candidate for the preSi-
dency offered in that body and secured
its passage, is the bill that provided
for the rural free delivery system. In
February, 1893. when the postoffice
bill was up for consideration he OF
fered an amendment that $4,000 of
that sum should be set aside for the.
experimental use of the rree delivery
of mail outside of the cities and towns;
and our candidate for the presidency,
Thomas e. Watson, thereby secured
into law the first great principle Of
the populist ideas. the looking after.
the interests of all the people of our
country, and it is Thomas E. Watson
to whom is due the nonor or being
the father and originator OF the rural
free delivery system and the first sue
,cessful one to secure an appropriation
from the government for the benefit OF
all the people of our great rural COM
munity. Ladies and gentlemen, have
the pleasure and honor Of presenting
to you ollr gallant standard bearer,
Thomas E. Watson oil Georgia. lGreat.
applause)
tMr. Watson S speech reported stem
ographically by ]. e. terris.) y
Mr. Chairman, Ladies' and Gentle
men; For the first time in eight years.
1 assume to make political apeechJ
For the first time in eIgnt years / takei
part IN a political campaign. In 1896.
/ met you people CT Nebraska, and SO
far as knew, proclaimed the
principles of Jeffersonian democracy,
those principles upon which popular. !.
government must rest, no matter
by what name you ca'I them, the right
OF the people To dictate their L. a us US,
mold their institutions and shape the
destinieS of their government. tAp-
piause) All over the broad plains Of
Nebraska, as far as my strength would
allow. | fought Loyalty for these prin-
cipies and did my utmost to bring
success to them. The eight years that
have interviewed have net been hap
py ones to me. The eight years that
have interyened have been years of
sorrow to me- But l come back to
Nebraska in 1904 / can look you
sQuarely in the eye, meet you front
to front. and foot to foot, and tell |
you that the fires of populisln that
burned in me thea, burn just as
brightly today. tApplause.) | am
proud to believe that | represent a
people that stand for principles, prin-
ciples which are necessary to good
government, principles. without which.
the name democracy is but deusion
and snare. people who, planting
themselves upon the rock OF what they
believe to be right. are not TO be |
shifted back and forth at the ballot |
boxes. but will stand by their prinei-
pies as long as their conscience die
tates to them that they are in the
right.
In 1898 the populists OF Georgia
rendered me the nomination unani- |
meusly. OF governor II was just aft
or the great campaign of 1896 II was
not possible for me To accept that
had something then TO
fight for, and In declining that n0mi-
nation. | said In 1913 To the people OF
my state as follows.
let no man believe that despair
of your principles. for | do not YOU
stand for the upward tendency N the
and lower classes. You stand
where the reformcr has always stood.
for improvement. for beneficial aivan-
tages. for recognition of human broth
nrhood In les highest sense; for egaal-
ity OF all men before the law, and for
mn Industrial system which ia not
based upon the right OF the strong
" plpndcr the weak: you stand a.