Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-09-09
Political Attitude of the Pop
ulist Voters.
MANY FOR ROOSEVELT
BRYAN DEMOCRATS EXPECTED TO
SUPPORT WATSON.
Former Senator and National Chairman
of the Peoples Party Will Sup
port the President.

play an important part In the November
election He believes that Tom Watson,
the candidate of the populist party. will
poll at least $4,000 and perhaps $1,000 votes
in New York city, while in New Jersey,
Connecticut, Indiana. Illinois and other
states that are important in the election
the populist vote will be sufficiently large
to set the leaders to making calculations
on it when they attempt to fibure out the
probable result of the campaign.
Mr.. Butler was chairman of the national
committee of the populist party until
recently. He desired to retire from that
'place because of the demands his business
is making upon him and because he wished
to be at liberty in this campaign. to do
about as he sees fit without the responsi-
bility of the Craftsmanship resting upon
him. He Is paying very close attention to
the national campaign, however, and ex-
poets to see President Roosevelt elected. =.
In New York city, said Mr., Butler,
men who voted for Bryan and formerly
for Henry George are refusing to vote for
either of the candidates of the old parties
and they will vote for Watson. A great
many of the Bryan democrats do not WISH
to vote for Roosevelt, but they will abso-
lutely not vote for Parker. They want to
vote for some one, and in order to do it
they will vote for Watson. There are other
populists who prefer to cast whole vote
against Parker instead of a half vote, and
they will vote for Roosevelt direct.
Admired by Many Populists.
President Roosevelt in my opinion. will
get about half of the populist vote in this
country. He is greatly admired for his in
dependence and honesty, without regard to
party lines. l heard a populist recently say
that he was the most Independent char
acter in public life since Andrew Jackson,
ny,I fhoN hc sod 90 out hi
other populist remarked that Roosevelt
might make mistakes, but they would be
his own mistakes, and he would make
amends for them. This feeling Is giving
the President much support among the
populists. and those men who do not want
to merely vote for sentiment will vote for
him,
1.-The bringing out of the race question
will not cut much figure in the campaign
outside of the south. The great mass OF
populists know that there are greater is
sues at this time than the race question.
The negro has been DISTINGUISHED so large
ly that to talk of negro domination IS
merely to waste words. The race question
is brought out whenever political necessity
seems to demand it. In spite of that Mr..
Roosevelt will get the votes of many men
WHO do not agree with him on that ques-
ton. The fact is if the race question were
not so prominent at this time he would get
the votes of an immense number of Bryan
democrats in the south AS it is he will
get a good many of their votes.
Populists Acting for Themselves.
Il have no doubt that Mr.. Bryans speech
es viii keep a good many democrats within
the party in this election. But populists
who voted for Mr.. Bryan are not looking
for the advice of any one, nor will they fol-
low the advice of any one. They are doing
their own thinking. A great many of them
who see opposition to the PRESIDENT De
cause of the independent course he mas
taken. feel that it would not be right TO
permit a man to be stricken down in this
country because he opposed corporate IN
terests when he believed they were being
worked in opposition to the law. ihey see
honestly and courage in the course he has
pursued and whether they like his party
or not they don't propose to be made a
party to a scheme to strike him down. 10;
Then, too. there are great many other
reasons that influence them. If Parker is
elected he will naturally control the next
democratic convention. If he is defeated 1t
is possible he may do so anyway, but in
the event. of his election that result is ab-
soiutely certain. Bryan democrats and
populists too are looking forward to see
ing Mr.. Bryan control the next democratic
convention. He will have fighting chance
to do 1t if Parker Is defeated The demo-
cratic party is now trying an experiment.
1t has sacrificed it's principles in order to
win in this election. and if it fails it may
go back to what are the real principles OF
that party. 1t is this view that is causing
Bryan democrats to vote against the cam
didate of their party or to vote for Wat
son in order to give the country an object
lesson as to what they can do.
THAT the pOpulists may give their stamp
of disapproval IN no uncertain way a gen
eral policy has been adopted favor1ng
national populist ticket in all the states,
but with no state ticket They have state
tickets in Indiana and Illinois, which 1
think is a mistake. BY having only ma
friends n
cratic state candidates can vote for them
while thty vote the populist national
ticket. In New York there is no state
populist ticket, and l think it would have
been better not to have had a state ticket
anywhere.
I'm a general way l should say about
half of the pOpulists of the country will
vote for President Roosevelt and the other
half will vote for Watson. The populists
want to vote for some one. They are not
the kind of people to be satisfied with not
voting at all. In 1896 we polled over 1000.
900 votes in the state elections and Weaver
got about 300 600 votes. So you can see
that the vote will be an important ele-
ment in this election.
Democrats for Watson.
While Mr.. Bryan will have an influence
with many o{ the democrats. at the same
time many Of them who do not disap-
prove his course in sticking to the demo-
cratic organization with the hope that it
may be redeemed four years hence will
vote according to their own convictions.
They see how disastrous it would be to
turn over the party to corporate influences
that have been traded with in order to at.
tempt to secure political victory. They
will largely vote for Watson rather than
go over entirely to the republican ticket
so far as / am concerned, propose vot
ing for President Roosevelt. | would vote
for Watson if 1 could see chance to elect
him, but l prefer giving my vote to Mr..
Roosevelt. With many others l admire his
independence of character. l admire his
honesty, and 1 want to do anything that Is
within my power in order to prevent the
defeat of such a man because he has those
characteristics.
Mr. Butler does not expect to do much
campaign work owing to the demands of
his business engagements. He may get out
in some of the states that have a large
popuist vote, but in any event he will not
make many speeches.
Tri-State Tennis Tourney.