Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-10-05
I: Interviews Sage Of McDuffie"

yielding me a cash income of $4,000
a year, which at that time was doing
pretty we'll for a country lawyer
practicing in a country county where
most of the people were poor.
I'm 1890 l was elected to congress
and served one term. [ quit the law
because I got tired of deYoting my
life to individual litigation affecting
individuals only. l wanted to give
myself to something that would be
wider service.
II have devoted a; considerable part
of my time to lecturing. ut 1 have
always found it to be het der than
ploughing in oats"
Mr.. Watson was then asked to tell
INV breakfast consists usually of
lust a cup of coffee, or perhaps two
cups" he said. II am at my desS
by 8 o'clock. L open my mail, read
the papers, and work until the bell
sounds that calls the field hands to
dinner In the afternoon L go to the
McDuffie bank, of which L am preslc
dent, and devote myself to attalrs OF
the bank During my campaign TINS
routine necessarily was interrupted.
II don't use tobacco in any form.
T eat no hard, rough food. Instead, L
confine my diet to light meats, soups
and lots of sweet milk.
"For recreation l once liked TO
hunt, but 1 gave that up some tli Lne
ago. because it took all the pleasure
out of the sport for me to see inc
wounded birds killed. If the birds
that YOU hit could fall dead when you
fire. [ would still enjoy partridge
hnntinr But to kill the wounded
n one after they have fallen, robbed
the sport of all enjoyment for me.
II formerly rode horseback, put
nv horse has developed the VICIOUS
trait of kicking, so have given up
siding for a time. I intend to gee
another horse. I walk a mile or SO
day. in the ,s afternoon m 3he noru uHu e.
I believe that takes out of a man
the freshness he should give to his
work" ,3a+ 80
books qbsd he sa5 Mr't Of o1d l Rome,
n nstoT1 of France France" Life of Napo-
leon" bethany" a novel dealing
with farm life as Mr.. Watson mas
seen it; life and Times Of Andrew
jackson S1e cterida ana Ta sGfa PTim-
err" and "short Talks to Young
when I get a little more leisure"
said Mr.. Watson, 81 am going 10
enlarge that last book. by sugges-
lions to young men on what they
Speaking of historical writing,s\ he
Most historians are inclined to be
oracular, and the result u.s., thelr
readers are inclined to go TO sleep:
"From dusty books on country
bookshelves and old records in state
} archives I have extracted much un-
usual and veracious history" he re-
| peated
81 wonder" he added at this
point, "why some one doesn't write
a drama of the Ninety Days IN
French history, which embrace the
return of Napoleon from Elba, his
march to Paris. his reception, the
| celebration in memory OF the olu
kings, and his hurried journey 20
catch up with his army? +,d 1t :, is the the
of the world. 1t seems to me that
nothing could lend itself better to
| the stage. 1t could be made to
rival the historic dramas of Snake
| Speare."
He referred next to his book on
II have been accused of being :,
Socialist" he said, and yet in that
book I wrote as strong an attack
against Socialism as could be ut
tered. The charge that l have So
cialistic leanings ois due to the fact
that l have said-and say--that
Eugene Debs, now in the, Atlanta
federal penitentiary, is as harmless
as any pet about the house"
For moment the question OF re-
ligion was preached.
az am not what the French call a
religionist," he said, "but I think
that the man who understands the
powerful hold of religion on the
! world is without reasoning power
He couldn't tell sweet milk from
sour. AS Napoleon said: IF we
didn't have a religion we would
! have to make one.