Evening journal., 1904-10-10
WATsON'S ACCEPTANCE.
The Presidential Candidate Of the Peo-
Plies Party Presents His Views.


Plies Party Presents His Views.
Birmingham, Ala, Oct. 1O.-'The Hon.
Thomas r. Watson, candidate Of the
Peoples party for the presidency Of
the United States, has issued his letter
OF acceptance Of the nomination. The
letter is in part as follows:
When two great political parties have
IN turn governed a country and have be-
tween them brought about unsatisfactory
conditions II is but natural fact that
third party should arise. Citizens who
have looked IN vain 70 "the two great
parties" for remedial legislation lose con-
ndence in both after awhile and adopt
one OF two courses they either submit to
the evils OF bad government or protest by
organizing third party.
God never made a grander home for his
children than that which the cavalier in
Virginia, the Dutchman in New York
and the Puritan in Massachusetts sought
as refuge from the systems Of the old
world. What has become OF it7 With be-
wlldering rapidty # has been taken from
the common people and given to the cor
porations IL belonged to the govern
ment, TO all the people. II was meant TO
supply homes to individual citizens and
there was enough Of II to last for many
generations To the extent OF about 200,-
100000 acres Il has been given to railroad
corporations, and now when a common
man wants home in all that vast do
main he must go to the railroad corpora
tions TO get II.
Once upon a time we had financial
system OF our own. Placed in the consti-
tuition as part Of our fundamental law, II
seemed to be firmly fixed. For a hundred
years this money system was In operation
lmoDg us. II remained in force, giving
he
In Its march OF conquest found II 10 be a
barrier. The money power demands a
standard which IL can control and one
metal is easier TO control than two. For
the same reason II opposes governmental
issues OF paper money and will never be
content until the greenbacks are called in
and destroyed.
One OF the worst features OF our imam
,ial system is the farming out TO the ma
tional banks OF the power, privilege and
profit OF supplying the country with paper
currency. Instead OF using its own credit
Tor the equal benefit Of al the people the
government lends this credit to the ma
ionai banker to be used for the benefit OF
he banker
We have given to the various corpora
ions which control our telegraph, tele-
ihone. express and railroad business such
normous powers that the government IT.
elf is dwarf among these giants. Their
l 'tNcuNtS arc greater .lnNn those OF the
government. Their power to tax falls not
'nly upon the public. but upon the gov
/ 'rnment itself
A third party has no right to exist un-
ess there are abuses in government
Which "the two great parties" refuse TO
eform. Unless both the two old parties
! ire wrong there is no room or excuse for
1 third. But II both the old parties ~
equally guilty OF class legislation and are
equally subservicnt to the benefciaries OF
| special privilege. then II is not only the
| right OF the patriot 10 form a party Of
protest. but duty.
The statement has been made that In a
speech In Atlanta ! expressed a prefer
once for Mr.. Roosevelt oyer Mr.. Parker.
Neither IN that speech nor in any other
have l done SO. Being q candidate for
the presidency myself. / would have made
myself side show TO whichever Of the
other two candidates ] expressed a pref
erence, for whereas am in full, militant.
aggressive control OF an Independent show
of my own.
Much abuse has been heaped upon me
because more time was devoted by me to
denunciatinn Of Parker than Of Roose-
welt. The reason Is obvious enough.
Roosevelt is % straight out Republican,
who declares boldly for Republican prin-
ciples denantly defending existing condi-
tions with Mr. Parker It is different.
He is not a Jeffersonian Democrat. yet he
seeks TO secure the support OF Jeffersoni-
ans. II he would speak out plainly and
| tell The people that he Is In principle the
same thing practically that Roosevelt is
the Bryan Democrats would fall away
from him by the millions
That the government is run with a
reckless dlsregRrd Of the middle and lower
classes. who pay most Of the tariff taxes,
Is known OF all men But who believes
that either OF these "two great parties is
going to retrench expenditure2 Appropr-
ations for administrations are on the in
crease everywhere.
The Peoples party makes no war upon
private ownership. upon honest wealth or
| legitimate profits II simply combats the
legislation which builds up one man at
/ the expense Of another which discriini-
mates against a citizen or a class of citi-
gems in favor of others. In short, the
| Peoples party declares its hostility to
! privilege and demands legislation whose
motto shall be equal and exact Justice 10
all. without favors to any"