The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1917-02-22

THE: eJEFFERSONIAN
PAGE SEVEN

battle of liberal democracy against selfish mon
arch.
But who is this man, Watson, whose mastery
portrayal of this apostate church brought OBJ
Rome's hatred and prosecutions? Below is a brief
sketch of his life and labors:
Hon. Thomas E. Watson, the statesman, pub
lcist, historian and Journalist, who was marked
for destruction by prosecuting Rome, and who
was triumphantly vindcated in the United States
Federal Court on December 1, 1915 has behind
him splendid record of high service to cur
fundamental democracy and the free citizenship
of the nation.
In 1882, while member of the Georgia Legis-
lature he distinguished himself as the uncom-
promising friend and champion of the peoples
rights and Of moral and civil righteousness Dur
ing this period, of the most important bills
before the legislature was a temperance measure.
1t required much moral courage in a statesman m
those early days to champion measure which
would arouse the implacabe enmity of the power
full liquor interests. Mr.. Watson became tha
champion of this temperance legislation and be-
cause of his activity and his ability, he was Sc
lected to close the great debate in this bitterly
contested battle. The measure was passed and
through this law whiskey banished from four
ffths of the counties of Georgia
In 1S9l-l893, he wasin our National House OF
Representatives where he made splendid record,
becoming one of the most eloquent and convinc-
ing tribunes of the people in the great popular
renaissance of the early ninetes One of the
measures he made especially his own was the
rural free delivery of mails, and it was through
his mastery advocacy that the first appropriation
for the purpose was voted by Congress. He has
D0en justly termed the 'Fatner or the American
Rural Postal Service" He was TN eloquent ad-
yocate of the eight-hour law and led a successful
fight to compel railroads to put automatic cOuplers
on freight cars. Through this victory many lives
OF railway workers are annually saved.
In 1896, Mr.. Watson was nominated for vice
president by the Peoples Party and ran on the
ticket with William Bryan, and 1904 he
the presidential candidate for that party.
In the field Of letters Mr.. Watson occupies a
high and enviable place, being the author of the
most lucid and fascinating history of France to
no nOIi oh Na1h31 nc
Thomas Jefferson" is unquestOnably the abest
biography of the author of the Declaration of In
dependence that has been written. His Life of
Napoleon and that of Andrew Jackson are bril-
liant and important contributions to the perma-
nent literature of America. His semi. historical
romance Bethany, is exquisite story CT
Southern life, rich in human interest and pre-
senting vivid picture of Southern life after the
War while THE Roman Catholic Hierarchy the
Deadliest Menace to American Liberties and
Christian Civilization is volume that should
be in the home of every family.
In 1905, Mr.. Watson started WatsOn's Maya
zine, and some time later The JeffersOnan,
weekly paper, was founded. These periodicals,
published at Thomson, Ca. have been his chief
organs of expression in recent years.
And this is the man that the Roman Catholic
hierarchy, through the American Federation of
Catholic Societies, has been bOycotting, persecut-
ing slandering, villifying calumniating and drag
ging into the courts for the last five years. This
is the man whom the conscience, intelligence,
patriotism and civic righteousness of Ameri-
can jury indicated on December l, 1916.
Let those who love religious liberty, at least,
encourage and help those who stand in the fore
front of the battle. We know that God is our
only refuge and safety, but this does not lead TO
inactivity and se1f-security Safety is in the path
of duty, in the battle for the right and is closely
following the Captain of salvatiOn.-R. H.
Pittman, in The Primitive Baptist, Martin, Tenn.