The menace. [volume] (Aurora, Mo.) 1911-1920, 1915-12-04


staged one OF the most remarkable
trials in the annals OF American
Jurisprudence There Thomas F.
Watson, editor Of The JeFcrsoniaH
and WdtsoH's Magazine. faces the
modern Inquisition. aud because OF
this the attention Of the entire ma
ton il focused upon that otherwise
unimportant community.
To-day Tom Watson, devoted pa
triot and fearless fighter. is the most
conspicuous figure in Georgia, bulk
ing 80 big that he oyershadows in
importance the governor Of the state
and all other public pcrsuuages.
His name fingers upon every lip
and Is displayed prominently in
every newspaper. His position Is
unique. Concerning this man, pub
lie opinion and sentiment are di-
vided most distinctly and most dis
tantly. One part Of the populace
execratcs him ne a demagoguo while
the other part exalts him as a
demigod.
Everybody knows Tom Watson"
saws tho staff correspondent Of the
Boston Trareler. who has been sent
to Augusta 10 report the trial.
Everybody has an opinion about
him He is a fool; he is q fanatic;
he is q menace; he is crazy; he is
anarchistic'-that is one side. The
other is: We are with YOU Uncle
Tom; You are the greatest friend
Georgia ever had.'"
Such division Of sentiment makes
Watson's trial a problem Of great
perplexity TO the court. II is be-
lievcd that il will he nearly impos-
sible TO find in the entire judicial
district twelve men Of unbiased
opinion for a hearing Of the case.
As the Trapeior puts it, Watson is
"the most hated. feared and checrcd
man in Georgia"
Who and What is Watson7
Who is this man whom Rome has
put upon the rack of her modern
lnquisition, and what has he done 2
Tom Watson is a great writer, a
{ great orator, a great lawyer, a great
man. Above all else, he is a per-
fervid patriot. OF his "Lifc Of
Napoleon" Tor was it "The Story
Of France"?), so acceptable an au-
thority as Arthur Brisbane, editor
Of the New York journal, said: at
is the greatest book ever written"
Such is his scholarship that "The
Story of France" is a standard his
tory in French schools. He has
written many other works Of liter
ary rank equally remarkable.
At a former trial under an iden-
tiCal indictment, Watson acted as
his own attorney, and some idea OF
his abilities both as an orator and
as lawyer may be gathered from
this comment, BY the Boston
Traveler, on his address to the
court; "When he spoke his own
causo, his words tipped with fame
and his satire exquisite, his plea
was characterized as one of the most
masterly in the states legal annals"
/ In the past, Watson has been a
power in national politics. As a
member Of the House of Repre-
Sentatives, he was instrumental in
procuring much progressive legis-
'ation, and forced "the first appro-
priaton for free delivery Of mails
IN rural districts which Congress
ever passed" The votes he received
rs candidate for president and for
vice president Of the United States
showed the great strength Of his
following. Put to the popular vote,
without manipulation by the politi-
al machines, Watson easily could
he elected governor of Georgia TO-
lav.
lhls is the man ana these are
come of the things he has done.
Key TO the Persecution
Another thing he has done was
70 tell the rottenness Of Rome. For
this, Rome is striving for his
crucifiXion.
Watson was a pioneer patriot in
his lstter-day crusade against
Catholicism. His brave voice was
me of the earliest to be lifted in
challenge 10 the church. and most
laringly has he defied the wrath of
Rome.
Watson frst was arrested at the
'nstigstion of Rome, June /. 1919.
The complaint upon which the in
hctment was based was filed by
Knights of Columbus. The evi-
lence consisted of excerpts from the
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