Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-09-27
WATSON VS.. SMITH.
Former PopuIist Wants Split In In
terest of Clean Politics.


terest of Clean Politics.
To disregard the nomination or
Hoke Smith for governor on the
ground that Democrats are not bound
by the primary which chose him, be-
cause of the methods by which the
primary was conducted, was the ad-
vice of Thomas L. Watson, once Pop
ulist candidate for the presidency, in
speech at a mass meeting called by
himself in Atlanta last Wednesday
night. He urged Democrats to vote
for Gov. Joseph NJ. Brown for another
term, although Mr.. Brown is not a
nominee, declaring that voters are
free to treat the Smith nomination as
null and void.
What Watson called "bossism" and
the alleged use of money and whisky
i'm elections, and the securing of nomi-
nations by fraud and deceptions' were
the reasons he gave for insurging
against the regular Democratic nomi-
nee. Watson referred to Smiths
statements of $17,5OO campaign ex-
penses, declaring that this did not COW
er more than half of the total expenses
from other sources.
He objected to the use of so much
money in campaigns as a dangerous
tendency He claimed that in the
nominating convention the represen-
tatives of $4,000 Democrats who voted
i'm the primaries for Mr.. Brown were
reduced to silence by the convention
rules; and that then the representa-
tives of the $1,000 who voted for Smith
were "subdued by those new rules into
state of speechless imbeciity."
The uproar which cut short his pre-
vious speech here, Watson charged,
was instigated by what he called the
rule or ruin" clique which dominat-
ed the Democratic convention.
Speaking further of this Interrupt
ton, Watson said:
although no such idea was in my
mind at the time, l have been firmly
convinced by subsequent developments
llldl SOllle Ol lue IlOlelS nave dSSdSSl-
! nation in mind.
The situation in Georgia bears a
striking resemblance to that which
existed in Tennessee just before Car
mack was killed.
when southern congressman" said
the speaker, assist standpat Repub-
| licans to put tax of 81 per cent, on
the rich mans champagne after hav-
| ing taxed the poor mans blanket al
l65 per cent, what better evidence
| would you want that the voice Of the
people is no longer heard in the max
| ing of our laws"
| Watson charged that vote bartering
existed in the highest legislative Of
| fees of the country and that "our
representatives sell out, betraying their
constituents for a mess Of Federal pa
tronagc."
He predicted that unless this spirit
| of lawleSsneSS' is checked, "Our wives
and daughters will be subject to insult
wherever they appear alone on side
street"
He advocated changing the national
Democratic convention so as to give
| full representation to those states
which go Democratic and proportional
representation to those which do not
| move WHICH, he Stilu, "Oulu De lHe
SOuth's first step Ito recover her ante
| bellum power in the Union"
Near the close of his speech, Mr.
| Watson said:
| II am authorized to say that If the
people call on Gov Brown he will
serve. Today | had a confidential talk
| with J. X. Smith Gov. Browns cam
paign manager), and Mr.. Smith will
help in our fight.
| Asked after the speech whether
Gov. Brown had authorized him to
| make any statement. Mr.. Watson said
| the governor had not, but that he was
confident the governor would accept If
| reelected.
| Mr.. Watson did not propose any
plan To place Gov. Browns name on
| the official ballot
| Mr.. Watson spoke in a local theatre
| which was largely filled through ad-
| mission by card before the doors were
| thrown open to the general public
The place was packed and the meeting
| orderly throughout.