Tom
Watson was born in Columbia County, Georgia, on 5th September, 1856.
After graduating from Mercer University he became a school teacher.
Watson then studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1875. He joined
the Democratic Party and in 1882 was
elected to the Georgia Legislature.
Watson
helped form the Populist Party in 1891.
The party advocated the public ownership of the railroads, steamship
lines and telephone and telegraph systems. It also supported the free
and unlimited coinage of silver, the abolition of national banks,
a system of graduated income tax and the direct election of United
States Senators.
In
1891 Watson was elected to the Senate and served until March 1893.
After being defeated he returned to work as a lawyer in Thompson,
Georgia. He also edited the People's Party
Paper.
In the 1896 presidential election the leaders of the Populist Party
entered into talks with William J. Bryan,
the proposed Democratic Party candidate.
They thought they had an agreement that Watson would become Bryan's
running mate. After giving their support to Bryan he announced that
Arthur Sewall, a conservative politician with a record of hostility
towards trade unions, would be his vice presidential choice. This
created a split in the Populist Party, some refused to support Bryan
whereas others, such as Mary Lease, reluctantly
campaigned for him. Watson's name remained on the ballot and won 217,000
votes.
The
defeat of William J. Bryan severely damaged
the Populist Party. While Populists continued to hold power in a few
Western states, the party ceased to be a factor in national politics.
Under
the leadership of Watson the party moved to the right. He denounced
socialism and called for the reorganization
of the Ku Klux Klan. He was the party's presidential
candidate in 1904 but won only 117,183 votes. The party's fortunes
continued to decline and in the 1908 presidential campaign, attracted
only 29,100 votes.
Watson
also became hostile to Jews and Catholics. In 1913 he played a prominent
role in inflaming public opinion in the case of Leo Frank, a Jewish
factory worker accused of murdering a female colleague. In 1915 Frank
was dragged from his prison cell and lynched.
Watson
rejoined the Democratic Party and
in 1920 was elected to the Senate. Tom Watson died in Washington
of a cerebral hemorrhage on 26th September, 1922.
(1)
Tom Watson, People's Party Paper (31st July, 1896)
If the
Democratic managers should refuse to make any concessions at all it
would show that our efforts toward unity have all been thrown away.
If they continue to demand that the Populists shall go out of existence
as a party, they will prove to the world their object in adopting
our platform was not so much to get free silver as it was the bury
the People's Party.
(2)
Theodore Roosevelt,
Review of Reviews (September, 1896)
Mr. Watson
really ought to be the first man on the ticket, with Mr. Bryan second;
for he is much the superior in boldness, in thorough-going acceptance
of his principles according to their logical conclusions, and in sincerity
of faith. Mr. Watson belongs to that school of southern Populists
who honestly believe that the respectable and commonplace people who
own banks, railroads, dry goods stores, factories, and the like, are
persons of mental and social attributes that unpleasantly distinguish
Heliogabalus, Nero, Caligula, and other worthies of later Rome. If
he got the chance he would lash the nation with a whip of scorpions,
while Bryan would be content with the torture or ordinary thongs.
(3)
James K. Jones, Democratic National Committee, quoted in the New
York World (3rd August, 1896)
As a general rule the Southern Delegates were not a creditable class.
They practically admitted while at St. Louis that they were out for
nothing but spoil. They said that there was 'nothing in it' for them
to indorse the Democratic nominees, and this same spirit will probably
dominate their action in the future. They will do all they can to
harass the Democracy and create confusion, and in the end they will
just as they are doing now in Alabama, fuse with the Republicans and
vote for McKinley. They will go with the negroes, where they belong.
I suppose that Watson really believes that he can 'bluff' us into
withdrawing Mr. Sewall. Just as though such a proposition could be
considered for a moment by any right thinking man! Mr. Sewall will,
of course, remain on the ticket, and Mr. Watson can do what he likes.
(4)
Tom Watson, quoted in the New
York World (28th September, 1896)
The menace which endangers Mr. Bryan's success today is the profound
dissatisfaction which exists among the humble, honest, earnest Populists
who have built up the People's party. Through storms of abuse and
ridicule these men have fought the battles of Populism, preached its
gospel, paid its expenses and followed its progress with the hopeful
devotion of the Israelite who followed the pillar of fire through
the nights of dreary trial. Deep down in the hearts of men who want
no office and hunger for no pie, is settling the conviction that they
have been tricked, sold out, betrayed, misled... If McKinley is elected
the responsibility will forever rest upon those managers who had it
in their power to control by fair means 2,000,000 votes and lost them
by violating the terms of the compact.
(5)
Tom Watson, People's Party Paper (13th November, 1896)
Populism
is allowed to come to furnish all the campaign principles, all the
self-sacrifice and patriotism, and the two million votes which the
Democrats need, but they are not allowed to furnish a candidate for
either place on the ticket. It appears the Democratic managers would
be willing to make a sacrifice of both Bryan and silver, if they can
but destroy Populism.
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