Omaha daily bee., 1908-06-13
nRr1N INn roM KArsoN

as tho democratic ticket at Denver
next month and grows quite enthusi-
astic in predictions OF a sweeping
demo-pop victory in case such nomina.
tion is made. The Constitution calls
attention to the fact that Watson
has a following reaching into the
hundreds OF thousands, distributed
variously In The straight populist align
ment or as ~'loaters' and independent
voters in the republican and demo
cratic parties" and adds:
To his lnnumerable host, located from
the Atlantic 10 the Pacific, Watson en-
bodies living. lasting principles, most of
them essentially democratic.
1t seems that Bryan's nomination at
Denver is a certainty.
Now, II Mr.. Watson be placed on the
democratic ticket with him. with all the
prestige Of a reiuvensted. a hopeful de-
mocrscy. what would develop1
Such a ticket would receive the undivided
populist support; by the Thousands upon
Thousands former ~populists In the repub-
lican and independent parties would come
back into the democratic fold.
The proposition sounds like a "hsrk
from the tombs" Of 1895, when Wat
son was one tail and Sewall the other
Of the demo-pop kite, of which Bryan
was the head. with the result of that
election a pseudo divorce was secured,
but in 1900 the fusion forces sue
coded in again making a partial COM
bination. with no better results than
were achieved in 1896. In 1904 the
separation was made complete. and. It
was generally thought, permanent. but
the Constitution scent to believe that
there is a prospect for another mating.
The Atlanta paper, 1t must be under
stood. IL thoroughly democratic, but 1t
has a warm spot in its heart for Wat
son, who has been highly successful
as an assistant democrat in accom-
plishing the defeat Of the Hcke Smith
wing OF the democratic party in
Georgia, which the Constitution has
been fighting tooth and nail.
Jay w. Forrest, chairman Of the
popnlist campaign committee, is not in
sympathy with the Bryan and Watson
proposition. In a pamphlet recently
issued he declares that at st. Louis in
1904 the "Old Guard was abandoned
to the mercy of the Taggarts, Murphys
and McCarrens. Bryan was roped
and branded" In the course Of an
imprisoned appeal to the populists to
forget Bryan and rally to the standard
of Watson, Mr.. Forrest says:
Bryan! Yes! We fought for you. suf-
fered for you. were ostracised for being
your friend. You ask us to again go back
and fight for you. under the leadership Of
the Taggarts, Murphy's Conners n Nc
Carrens, and our answer Is, No! An en-
phatlo MOI Populism has come again. and
our standard bearer lie the New jefferson
Of the south. Thomas E. Watson of
Georgia.
The men who in 1895 and 1900 made the
fight for Bryan, the men who were In the
thick OF the fray. the men who were in the
forefront on the firing line. were populists,
These men were forsaken BY Bryan in
1904. and the ideals" Of Parker. the gold
standard candidate. became to Bryan. My
Ideals"
The hearts OF the Old Guard were broken.
Faith in man was shaken to the very
foundation. Bryan was making speeches
by the dozen every day for Parker, the
Wall street candidate.
Yes! There were smiling. grinning.
laughing faces in hell the day the party
collar was riveted on the neck OF William
]. Bryan.
The proposition Of the Atlanta Con-
s%titution comes at a rather embarrass-
ing time for Mr.. Bryan. He has
never, be it said to his credit, denied
his sympathy with many of the popu-
list aims and principles, some Of which
he has made cardinal planks in the
platform of the Bryan democracy, but
he has been piping a little low on the
populist string for some time. His
campaign managers and lieutenants
have endeavored to make the eastern
democrats believe that populism and
no longer have even a
speaking acquaintance. The effect of
the Atlanta overture may be to revive
the eastern opposition to Bryan, in To-
where 1t appears to have been
dying out. Mr.. Forrest declares that
has come again. Fusion
has been killed forever" The Atlanta
paper declares that the time is ripe for
The democrats of the east
NAV take their choice,