Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1904-11-17
WATSON HAS A PLAN
Late Populist Nominee for President
Issues an Address.
DECLARES THAT BRYAN IS A LOSER
Democratic Party HoDeIessiy Divid-
ed, Says the Georgian-Favors
Merging of Anti-ReDublican
Forces Under New Name.


New York, Nov. A.-Thomas d.
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 its nominee only 5000 votes.
10 that extent had the fusion Of 1896
swallowed up q 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 Jeffer-
sonian democracy. l 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
ly identified with the marauders who
plundered the government during Mr..
Cleveland's 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 0lney 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 establishment of re-
form and q systematic propaganda OF
Jeffersonian principles, In order that
in 1908 there shall be party OF gen
uine opposition to the republican party
and its present policies. If political
history teaches anything 1t is that old
parties never accomplish any reform
unless they are irresistibly driven to
1t by pressure from without.
81 have no faith whatever that re-
forms will be accomplished by the
democratic party. It is discredited In
the eyes Of the people by a series OF
crushing defeats and It has been SO
vacillating in its course, 1t has changed
its principles so often, has run from
one extreme to another so recently,
had such magnificent opportunity In
1892 to work out the reforms to which
1t stood pledged and made such
wretched use of that opportunity that
It 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. It 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.
There are other distinguished demo-
Gratis who are yet to be heard from
and they may not indorse his popu-
list platform.
an 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 II at the polls.
There Is this further weakness in the
programme Of Mr.. Bryan: The pluto
cratic element has shown that It can
safely defy him and combat him, al
though he Il the nominee. whereas be
submits to them when they put up 9
plutocratic nominee. From Q party
90 hopelessly divided. II is the rankest
folly, in my Judgment, to expect any
reforms. From year to year It IL .
dreary 20 round and round Of one fac
ton fghting another faction. each Of
which alternately whips the other and
nalfher of which ever Wins the enc