New-York tribune., 1910-01-25
NOT HANDICAPPED BY mODEsTY.

The Hon. Thomas e. Watson has
never suffered from the handicap of
false modesty. He does not believe in
hiding his talent in a napkin or conceal
ing his light under a bushel. When it
comes to celebrating his accomplish
ments and achievements he IS ready 10
blow the horn himself if no other lung
power is available. Self-appreciation,
if frank, is often amiable, and Mr.. Wat
sons latest tribute to Mr.. Watson
through the columns of 1.-The Jefferso-
nian' has an engaging candor which
ought to disarm captious criticism.
The Georgia statesman and editor has
been conducting a controversy with
some Southern church newspapers over
the value of foreign missions. He wants
to engage in joint debate with some de
fender of the utility of foreign mission
airy work and has suggested that the
opposition enlist the services OF William
J. Bryan. The opposition seems to have
intimated that Mr.. Watson is hardly in
Mr. Bryan's class, whereupon the editor
of The Jeffersonian" has published Gn
article comparing The relative achieve
'ments of Mr.. Bryan and my despised
self" AS the two subjects Of this
comparison were once associated on a
Presidential ticket and have conspic-
uously represented In their political
careers the development of the Populis-
tic spirit which has been transforming
the Democratic party since 1896. Mr..
WatsOn's valuation of his own merits
and those of his fellow worker is an
exhibit of more than passing psychoiog-
ical and historical interest.
No parity whatsoever, the Georgian
declares, exists between him and Mr..
Bryan as lawyers. "Will any member
of our profession" he asks. ''say that
Bryan is my equal as a lawyer? Not
zone" AS II criminal lawyer Mr.. Wat
son believes that he stands with the
head men, of the profession. while Mr..
Bryan simply hasn't got the legal head
at ALL" Both were members of the
House of Representatives. In that body
Mr.. Watson alleges that he got the ali-
tomato car coupler bill passed and OBJ
tanned the first postal appropriation for
rural free delivery, while Mr.. Bryan
did nothing but the one thing he is
capable of doing-talked." Both are
authors. and Mr. Watson thus gently
differentiates their quality as such:
Again, Bryan and have each written
books. Where are his? They sold enor-
mously, when they first came out: that
was because of his reputation and popu-
larity. But who buys or reads those
books nOlcs Nobody. They are reposng
peacefully at the bottom of the sea.
They are as dead as Sesostris and Caesar
ana Semlramis. On the contrary,
my own books run through edition after
edition, and sell better at this time than
when they were first published At least
TWO of them are kept on sale In foreign
countries.
Both publish weekly newspapers de-
voted to the spread of their own po-
htical ideas. Mr.. Watson freely con-
cedes that THE Commoner has the
larger circulation, due to Mr.. Bryan's
uncontested leadership in the Demo
cratic party. But he is sure that 1t
iacks the brilliancy and virility of "The
Jenersonian." He suggests that 1.-The
Cohinoner' contains mo dynamic
thouHh'' is mot educational, evangelis-
TIC, lnspirational and does not create
puDilc sentiment" Queries Mr.. Watson
uhteeiingly: Would any vested inter-
"est, sacred or profane. give 10 cents to
nave Bryan's paper suppressed
In politics the Georgia lender thinks
that he has done harder and more effect
i've work to advance the principles with
when they both started than Mr.. BRYAN