The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-09-06
A REPUBLICAN DEPUTY

A REPUBLICAN, DEPUTY
The experienced politician will not
have failed~to notice the extreme vigor
and activity injected into the campaign
of Mr.. Watson, candidate of the So
called Peoples party. 1t has been mat
ter of common wonderment among the
uninformed, because the Peoples party
has had and still possesses nothing but
a nominal existence, except in a few
isolated spots over the country. Why
should MR. Watson at once loom into
prominence? Why should the press
dispatches boom him in every possible
way? Why should he have already be-
gun an aggressive campaign directed
particularly against the Democratic
candidates, and from what source is
he deriving the sinews of war neces-
sary to put up SO bold front?
The explanation is no secret in New
York city, where the game started, and
should be none anywhere. Mr.. Watson
is running this year as the secret ally
and hired deputy of the Republican
party. 1t is understood to be putting
up the money for his campaign, and
it is directing his utterances and his
movements with sole reference to aid
ing Republican success Mr.. Watson
is to throw his entire strength into the
doubtful states. He is to assail the
Democratic ticket and Democratic poll
cies in the most violent terms. He is
to appeal solely to his Democratic hear
ers who may in the past have had some
Populistic Ieanings, urging them to go
back to their old relations. That is
what the Republicans are using him
for
We have no manner of objection to
this kind of campaign as long as it is
done in the open. We can understand
that Mr.. Watson and President Roose-
welt should entertain for each other
that sympathetic appreciation which
comes of having so many things in
common. 1t has been noted truly by
shrewd observers of men and politics
that leaders like Roosevelt and La
Toilette have more in common with the
old-line Populists than they have with
either of the two great parties. Their
central idea, in comparison with which
the unification and Capitalization of
power in the hands of a single execu-
tive. They advocate and urge an i'm
mense extension of governmental con-
troll over industry, over liberty, over
individual rights. This is a position
well advanced toward Populism. and
a way station far along on the high
way to socialism. There is nothing
particularly repugnant. therefore to the
ardent admirers of the administration
in an alliance with Mr.. Watson, but
| there is contemplate hypocrisy in its
| concealment.
1t is just as well for Democrats
everywhere to understand that Mr..
Watson in this campaign represents
Theodore Roosevelt He has not of
course, the remotest notion of obtain
ing single electoral vote in the whole
United States. 1t will be enough for
! him if he could divert a few from
! Judge Parker to Mr.. Roosevelt. No
matter what their previous affiliations
| voters must resent this course in the
highest degree. 1t is just as we'll for
Populists everywhere to understand
that the views which they sincerely
| hold and the movement which they
have revered is being used as a cats
paw by Republican politicians. 1t is
| just as we'll that the mass of Repub-
lican voters who, unlike some of their
| leaders, have nothing in common with
| Populism and reject it utterly, should
understand who are being made their
| bedfellows. Let this thing be done, if
| it is to be done, in the open, and we
think that the Democratic party can
very cheerfully abide by the result.
Labor day is too young, as an in
stitution, to be handicapped by tradi-
tons making it necessary for the citi-