The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-10-11
Watson AssaiIs Both Demo- crats and Republicans
STAND FOR THE SAME THING
Says He Cares Not From Whence He Draws His Votes So They Are True Jeffer-
 sonians.

Chicago October 1o.-Thomas D. Wat son. nominee of the peoples party for president, spoke here tonight to an au- dience which filled the Princess rink to overfiowing.
 The policies of both the republican and democratic parties were scored bitterly by MT. Watson, and his declarations were received with enthusiasm. MT. Watson spoke in part as follows
 'The most striking feature of the pres- ent campaign Is that there was more energy displayed in obtaining nominations than there has been in securing electors In Judge Parker's campaign, particularly there was ten times more industry, earnestness, systematic effort put forth to have him named for the head of the democratic ticket than is now being used to have him elected president. This Is certainly very peculiar situation. It re- quires explanation. How are we to ex- plain it? It is that the corporations in- fuences, which control the republican party, desires to perpetuate that system.
 Got 1t In Cheapest Way.
 "To do this they must. if possible, se- cure control of the democratic organiza- tion. Naturally they go about this in the cheapest most certain manner. and that consists of purchasing the delegates who make the nomination rather than purchase the voters who roll up the ma jorities. These corporation influences to which Parker owes his nomination were hell-bent on having him nominated, but il is a matter of indifference to them wheth- CT he be elected or not Standing on this kind of platform, controlled by the kind of influences that control him, his elec- ton would mean the continued existence l of the system just as the election of l Roosevelt would.
 'If Roosevelt be elected, the system stands pat. If Parker is elected the sys- tenn Is not hurt. Tn either event cor porate wealth wins the ballot. In this way and in no other can be explained the curious fact that Belmont, the Standard oil company, the kindred combinations of capital spent more money and put forth more effort to nominate Parker than they are now putting forth to elect him.
 People Do Not Initiate.
 "One of the great sources of trouble at l present, is that the people do not initiate l any policies; do not initiate any laws i do not nominate any candidates, do not l frame any platforms. They are only asked to submit to the law after 1t has been made, support the platform af- ter it has been framed, vote for the nom- inee after he has been chosen. Politically and financially the country Is goverened on the star chamber system. The se- cret back room committee, politically and financially, Is absolutely controlling the legislation and the destiny of the repub- Al. xH. I,f F from the hands of the people almost en- tirely.
 That Parker himself is an output oi this star chamber method of government no intelligent man will deny. And, thu reason why he cannot take any bold steI in any possible direction, nor declare him l self openly to be opposed to any principl, of the republican party. is that he dar' l not offend the star chamber influences l who purchased the editors anu the del egates and secured the nomination fol 1 him. This campaign to greater exten l than we have ever known. Is a campaign | of humbug. so far as Parker is concern ed We know where Roosevelt stands we know that we will get 1t If he i' | elected, for he las told us. We ar' against him upon 1t, and the peoples, party fights him on the principle II every speech and in every letter, I. al the standard bearer of the peoples part, | have combatted MT. Roosevelt with al the strength which I could command, bu at the same time he is the open enem, whom it is easier to combat. the differ ence between him and Parker being tha Parker is the enemy in ambush-the fo who wears a mask.
 Calls 1t Confidence Game.
 "The campaign Is an effort to delud the people, a confidence game as Bryai called it. and playing with loaded dice as Bryan called it another time. w have campaign against trusts, finances by the Standard oil company, a cam paign against extravaganza, led by tn men who when entrusted with power il 1902 on platform pedging them to rlgor ous economy, increased the public deb $262. 600 900 in time of peace without hay ing bought Panama or the Philippines o anything else except the paper parchmeh upon which they printed the bonds' l campaign against militarism, inauguratee by the men who loaned the United states army to the Pullman Palace Car com pany to quell a strike at the point oi the bayonet; and finally we have cam paign for tariff reform led by men Who opposed the income tax. and who when they had the power in 1892 to reform the tariff. depltzed democratic capinet 10 write the sugar schedule just as Have 7 | meyer uIstAths "A prohibition campaign led by the whisky trust: a labor movement lea Dy Bell and Prick and Peabody; crusade against gambling led by Richard Garfield of New York and Tom Taggart of ln- diana would not be more of a sef-evi- . dent and prazen attempt to deceive than this Parker campaign, which pretends to be against class legislation, and at the same time is led and financed by such benefciares of class legislation as Au- gust Belmont, the Standard oil company and kindred corporations of the Wal street sort.
 Standard for Same System.
 q am accused of drawing more votei from Parker than Roosevelt. Believing as I do that both of them stand for the same system which I combat, the source from which draw my votes is a matter of indifference to me- so that they arr genuine Jeffersonian democratic votes. | MT. Bryan had bolted the St. Louis con vention and called upon democrats every where to rally to his support against Wal street, Parker's campaign would have dies in its birth. The Belmonts and Gorman l and Olneys and Clevelands would hav'