Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-22
GOLD DEMOCRATS
Their Return to the Fold in
New York
WELCOMED WITH JOY
BUT THE UPSTATE PoPULIsTS
ARE DESERVING.
Effet of Tom Watson's Speech Being
Felt in the Country - A South
ern Statesman's Comment.
" ELCOMED WITH JOY

apparently laying a great deal of strees
upon the accessions to the democratic ranks
Of gold democrats in New York who have
voted the republican national ticket In the
past two presidential campaigns. The New
York World, which is supporting the demo-
cratic ticket this time, Is raking Manhat-
tan with fine tooth comb for expressions
from those democrats favorable to Judge
Parkers election.
1t Is a notable fact, by some politicians
considered significant, that while the World
is thus catering to the reluctantly return
ing gold democrats the American. Mr..
Hearsts newspaper, which supported the
democratic national ticket when the World
was backing Mckinley, Is exhorting its
readers to pay respectful attention to the
doctrines of Tom Watson, the populist.
Mr.. Watson, shown by his speech
of acceptance, has faith in the present
organization of the democracy, although he
has in times past hitched up with the
democrats when they were nearer akin to
his own party.
cares probably will have to ask In New
York probably will be Are we losing ten
populists where we gain one insurgent gold
democrat" The prodigal gold democrats
who are coming back for their prospective
veal are in the lower end of the state,
where their accession is not very badly
needed The populistically inclined vote is
upstate, in the counties where every vote
going to the democratic ticket would be
worth it's weight in gold, almost.
Counting on Populist Vote.
The democrats have been counting on
that vote In this campaign. They thought
that Judge Parker, honest and horny
handed farmer that he Is, would surely
stick wisp Of straw In his mouth and
captUre the whole outfit oF Neu vorLr pop-
ulists. OF course, it was to be expected
that their vote would be given the state
ticket also If it went to the national ticket.
But here comes Mr.. Tom Watson all the
way to New York to be notified; somebody
hires Cooper Union and the only thick and
thin democratic paper in New York. which
has stood by the democrats in the past,
regular Cascabianca, whence all but 1t had
fed, whoops it up for the populist meet
Ing. introduces Mr.. Watson with exceeding
warmth and plays up his remarks in type
so black that all who run may read.
The honest populist up state who had
been contemplating voting the Parker tick
ct was called upon to pause and consider
Mr. Watson made some remarks about the
endear that organization to the upstate
grangers. AS seen through Mr.. Watson's
specs, and he Is supposed to view for all
his followers, the democrat of today looked
as much like green-goOds man as the re-
publican, who up to this time has been the
bane of the simple-minded and unsuspect-
ing populist.
The populist vote upstate has been con-
servatively estimated at $4,000 In the last
gubernatorial election in New York the re-
publican plurality was about 1000.
A Southern Statesman's Comment.
Il don't kinder like the way in which
tha1e New York gold democrats are coming
bcak to the old homestead" said southern
statesman in an uptown hotel today
There isn't much of the prodigal son about
their present attitude. They are not COM
Ing back as prodigals but more as the heir
and owner of the place. sort of showing the
old man aside.
1T reminds me of something that hap
pened down In my state in reconstruction
times. We had hired colored orator to go
around among the colored folks and try for
few votes. He told about the south
coming back to the fold, after rebellion,
like the prodigal son. He thought as much
consideration ought to be shown the con-
trite south as was shown the prodigal son.
But republican colored man, who was
speaking in joint debate with him, kind Of
broke up our fellows argument.
I tells you about dis yere prodgal SON
he was sorry. He did not ask for anything
He was was willing to go round to de back
door and eat wild de fieI hands. But desc
yere southern folks, Is dey sorry? No, suh
Dey strops q six-shotter on and marches
into de place and says: "Whar's dat veal?"
1T seems to me that this is very much
the attitude Of our returning New York
gold democrats. although l may be little too
critical"