The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1910-06-02
The Return of
Thomas Z. Watson.


In a recent card replying to Con-
gresham Thos. w. Hardwick, Of the
tenth Georgia district, who Is asking
reelection, Hon. Thomas e. Watson
announces that henceforth he will fight
under the banner of the Democratic
party. Mr.. Watson's words are to the
point and cannot be mistaken. He
says:
To ease the Hardwick mind-what's
left OF it, Will say that every energy
of my heart and soul will be consecrat-
ed heneeforth to doing something for
the good of the country, through the
Democratic party. Stern experience
has taught me that no other method
can succeed in the south. Asking
nothing for myself, viii labor with
all nv strength to restore to the COM
mon people the control of their pub
lie affairs; to elevate the old southern
ideals of craftsmanship; to unfetter
the south from the domination OF Re-
publican states in the national Demo-
cratic convention; to bring ante-bel-
lum Democratic principles once more
into the creed of the party and the
legislation of congress-thus redeem
ing the masses from the abuses of
special privilege and re-esetablishing
the Jeffersonian dogma of Equal and
exact justice for all men, without spe-
cial privilege to any,"
This probably marks the passing of
the Populist party as an organization.
1t means, too, the acquisition to the
ranks Of the Democratic party a man
who has his faults, but who is worth
his room.
There are no stated conditions to
Mr.. Watson's decision, as In the case
of Mr. Hearst. In fact, these two
men are not to be compared. Wat
to principle; Hearst's to policy, pure
and simple. The New Yorker has
been found on both sides of practically
every issue that has come before the
people of this country. One can never
place him. Not so with Watson, who
has been hewing to practically the
same line for twenty years.
Oven II we cannot endorse a mans
IDEAS, we should and do, respect his
courage and devotion to cause he
concetves to be Just. There is no
question that the Sage of Thomson
has pursued his course at great per
soral sacrtfcs-in fact, no man in
public life today has suffered the
humiliation through abuse and misrep-
resentatfon that Tom Watson has. he
bore 70 Ell with courage and unflinch.
fng tenactty that must command the
admiration Of unpretudiced men,. AT
the same time. be It remembered, this
sarne Watson, has never permitted an
OFFENCE TO go unresented. He has
proven himself amply able to take
care Of all corners, and in style that
could not DO easily understood. He
has handled public men in the ranks
of both parties without gloves, once
convinced that his man deserved pun
ishment. BY such methods, Mr.. Wat
son has perhaps inflicted wounds that
will be hard to heal. However. per
maps q closer communion with Demo
cratic leaders and a better sympathy
for our cause, win temper the fiery
Georgian in his attitude toward mer
IN the Democratic ranks, in which
case he will be of considerable value
to the party.
The Journal would like TO see Mr.
Watson exercise more tact than here
4ofora For ,,nouo-vtfOpabIvb a Sc n ~
with few intellectual peers, and If ht
viii accept a compromise on import
ant issues at critical moments wher
absolute harmony is indispensable tc
our party's welfare, he should prove 9
valuable find.
There is no danger of Mr.. Watson's
ever dominating our party and forcing
an Objectionable policy down oul
Threats. In the first place he seeks
nothing for himself; in the second
place no one man can dominate the
Democratic party to any serious ex
tent. The Georgian's Populist follow
ing is not so great in strength, but Il
is worth its room. The assimilation
of this element marks note Of har
mQny among all of Democratic inclina
tons. With the aid of the Populist
element, independent Republicans and
others, there is small doubt that the
Democrats will win in 1912.
We welcome Mr.. Watson and think
he has acted wisely.
z