Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1904-11-17
WATSON HAS A PLAN
Late Populist Nominee for President
Issues an Address.
Democratic Party Hopelessly Divid-
ed, Says the Georgian-Favors
Merging of Anti-Republican
Forces Under New Name.

/
Merging of Anti-Republican
Forces Under New Name.
New York, Nov. 14.-Thomas e.
Watson Sunday gave out the following
statement: 1T should be borne In
mind that at the time the Springfield
convention rendered me the presiden-
tial nomination the peoples party had
had no real existence as a factor in
national politics for eight years. In
the presidential election Of 1900 1t
gave to it's nominee only 5000 votes.
TO that extent had the fusion Of 1896
swallowed up a movement which in
1894 counted nearly 100000 of votes
and about 1900 active newspapers
that We had to build from the ground
up in 1904. My opinion is that re-
ceived something like 100000 votes
scattered through so many states, north
and south, east and west, to indicate
that the sentiment which gives its
moral support to the peoples party is
national and not sectional. / have
found everywhere that the current was
strong and deep in favor of Je!fer-
sonian democracy. I believe that II
all those who believe in that theory
of government could be united in har-
monious action we could sweep the
country.
"Mr. Roosevelt's overwhelming ma
jority was not to much due to the fact
that our people believe in class legis-
lation and the reign of special privi-
leges. Mr.. Roosevelt's majority over
Mr.. Parker was due mainly to two
things. One was the immense per-
sonal unpopularity Of Mr.. Cleveland's
second administration. Unfortunately
for Mr.. Parker he became SO complete
~ identified with the marauders who
plundered the government during Mr..
Clevelands second administration that
he had to bear all the odium which
they had incurred. The people have
never had a chance to show just what
they thought of that second admins
tration. Mr.. Bryan's two campaigns
did not give them the opportunity; 1t
was only when the old Cleveland COM
bination secured the defeat Of Bryan
and Hearst and dictated the nomina-
ton of Mr.. Parker that the masses
got the opportunity to vent upon a
national candidate the intense hatred
which they had been nursing for years
against such men as Olney and Bel
mont and Carlisle and Cleveland him
self.
"My own plans for the future en-
brace a complete organization Of the
people along the lines Of Jeffersonian
democracy, the re-establishment of re-
form and systematic propaganda of
Jeffersonian principles, in order that
In 1908 there shall be a party Of gen.
uine opposition to the republican party
and its present policies.
81 have no faith latever that re-
forms will be accomplished by the
democratic party. 1t is discredited in
the eyes of the people by a series OF
crushing defeats and 1t has been SO
vacillating in its course, 1t has changed
Its principles go often, has run from
ore extreme to another so recently,
had such a magnificent opportunity In
1922 to work out the reforms to which
1t stood pledged and made such
wretched use Of that opportunity that
1t cannot inspire the confidence which
leads to success. Since 1892 the demo-
cratic party has almost entirely boxed
the compass in political profession OF
faith. 1t has been for pretty much
everything or nothing, according to
the Interpretation which the voter
chose to put upon its ambiguous plat
form. Mr.. Bryan, while great demo-
crat, is not the democratic party.
I'm short, the democratic party has
this hopeless situation: The Bryanites
cannot drive out the plutocratic Gle
ment, the plutocratic element cannot
drive out Mr.. Bryan. They exhaust
their strength with internal struggles,
leaving the party where its enemies
can always defeat It at the polls.
There is this further weakness in the
programme of Mr.. Bryan: The pluto
cratic element has shown that 1t can
safely defy him and combat him, al
though he is the nominee, whereas he
submits to them when they put up
plutocratic nominee. From a party
SO hopelessly divided, 1t Is the rankest
folly, In my judgment, to expect any
reforms. From year to year 1t Is
dreary go round and round Of one fac
ton fighting another faction, each OF
which alternately whips the other and
neither of which ever whips the enc
my. I should only be too glad to CO
operate in parallel lines and honor
able terms with any Jeffersonian
democrat like Mr.. Bryan or Mr.. Hearst
or George Fred Williams to accomplish
purpose which is common to US all,
but | believe that the best way to as
sure the final success Of the reform
movement Is for us to build up a party
of Jeffersonian democracy on solid
foundations where unity Of sentiment
goes hand in hand with unity Of pur-