The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-07-03
TOM WATSON.
An Intimate View of Georgsa's Most
Interesting Personality.

interesting Personality.
Julian Harris. in Uncle Remus' Magazine.
Watson is in many respects somewhat
akin TO Roosevelt IN manner OF polite
al conduct. but the keen and able Thorn
son-Georglan has not the steadiness Of
purpose Of the Roswell-Georgian. Wat
son is the Souths nearest approach to a
statesman, and ne may yet earn the man
tie and honor. To do this, he has much
to cast away, remolding to undergo. Nor
does this refer to his big intellect and
marvellous knowledge of political and
economic history His vision is still
cIouded BY the miserable treatment ae-
corded him IN his last race for Congress
sionaI honors in the tenth district Again,
when he has sounded the tocsin Of right
and found scant followers, the fire of his
discomfort blazed anew; and he has met
frequently with unfair treatment.
All of this instead Of squirting him into
a bigger viewpoint and breadth Of judg-
ment has emblttered him, and made him
vindictive and forever on the lookout to
deliver a sting In an equal measure his
power for permanent good has been
dwarfed his able writings have been
read, not for what be uncovers or teaches,
but for their wealth OF vitriolic utterance,
abusive adjectives. whip-lash sarcasm,
and Implying irony.
Watson Is a born leader. and he is OF
a caliber for big things. but the small
things hold him back. His energies go
into interminable newspaper columns in
some petty dispute with a Congressman,
involving issues no larger than whether
be invited the Congressman to visit him.
or vice versa; whether Watson went
against Hoke Smith because some one
else did. or because some one else did
not, and so on. ad infnitum, ad nauseam
and the cards OF both Watson and the
Congressman are read 20 be laughed at
or devoured because they stimulate
hatred
Yet. great good will come from these
newspaper controversies If Watson is
rightly understood when he says:
Every energy Of my heart and SOU
will be consecrated henceforth TO doins
something for the good Of the country
through the Democrat party Stern ex-
perience has taught me that no other
method can succeed in the South. Ask
ing nothing for myself. ] will labor with
all my strength to restore to the common
people the control of their public affairs
10 elevate the old Southern ideals Of
craftsmanship 10 unfetter the Soutf
from the domination Of the Republican
States IN the Democratic national con
vention; to bring ante-belIum Democratic
principles into the creed OF the party ant
the legislation Of Congress-thus redeem
| ing the masses from the abuses OF specis
/ privilege, and re-establishing the Jeffer
sonian dogma OF Equal and exact justice
for al men. without special privileges Il
any
Some weeks before the foregoing wa
published Watson wrote an appeal TO al
| Democrats in the Indiana district interes
ed 10 vote for Beverage for Senator from
/ Indiana IN preference TO John W Kern
/ the Democratic candidate opposing tn
insurgent Republican.
/ II Watson enters the Democratic party
minus his spleen. and takes the sam
| high ground he viii be a power beyon
/ dispute; added 10 this II he viii work in
| constructive spirit-and he has not mad
a mark for this-he will be a tower o
! strength.
| II Mr.. Watson stands ready TO help lih
| crate the Democracy OF the South fror
| its crushing subserviency 10 the Democ
racy OF the North he has the chance 70
/ able service. What Democracy in tn
! South needs is less narrowness. less pot
| Shooting for character-bruises in primar
| opponents. and a closer. sober searching
out Of the devastating csnkers in tn
/ body uOlitic