* * * * *
_Thomas Knox, Bennett, Neb._
I appreciate reading your Magazine. I also appreciate your manly and
courageous way of putting the truth before your readers. My only hope is
that I would like to have the pleasure of knowing that the writings of as
strong a reasoner and clear thinker could enter every home of the common
herd so that reason could displace prejudice or party insanity. We all
regret the disconnection of that able defender of the common people, Mr.
T. H. Tibbles, from the editorial columns of the _Nebraska Independent_.
We hope for his health and his early return to Nebraska, to continue the
battle for us common people. In conclusion I hope for Mr. Charles Q. De
France’s health and happiness. May his labors be a power for good and
light to the people. I also hope Thomas E. Watson’s health and life may
be spared for many years in the good cause.
* * * * *
_H. L. Fagin, Kansas City, Mo._
Is it not good to feel that the present wave of civic, economic and
industrial righteousness seems practically certain to sweep every thing
before it? There is a quiet, studious earnestness and determination
everywhere existent, that portends certain and tremendous results. The
best part of it is that the masses have largely been educated to the
point where they no longer expect to accomplish everything in a day, but
rather realize that to get even a large share of what they insistently
demand they must begin in the primaries and conduct a continuous campaign.
You are doing a great work and you have your reward and will have it.
Every honest and ardent spirit everywhere communes with and strengthens
every other such. No more honest, open, fearless man than you is on earth
today. That might be better expressed, but the meaning is there—I will
let it pass.
The universal spirit of righteousness encompasses and permeates you—you
are surely a part of the divinest essence. Being a man, you must like to
know that other men appreciate and approve—and to the utmost. And that
they do in an ever expanding circle. The days of sophistry, of deception,
of class and special privileges, of municipal, state, and national
corruption are rapidly passing. The people are becoming wise. They know
their friends. They know who is true, despite the tremendous efforts
of a press, largely subsidized to mislead and deceive. But there are
newspapers and newspapers, just as there are magazines and magazines.
I need not tell you to keep on straight ahead. You couldn’t stop if you
wanted to. Tell the truth just as you are doing, and as much of it as
you have space for, in allopathic doses. I cannot agree with all your
conclusions, nor will any thoughtful student; but in most I do most
heartily concur, and I do know that all your influence is for good.
* * * * *
_John McFord, Sheridan, N. Y._
I like your Magazine very well, but I would like it much better if you
and your Magazine would come out flat-footed for Socialism. If public
ownership or collective ownership of the railroads, telegraphs, etc. is
a good thing for the people, why not have public ownership, or rather
collective ownership, of the lands, the machinery, etc.? Political
democracy without industrial democracy is futile and amounts to nothing.
I had the pleasure of voting for you in ’92, and it is a matter of
profound regret to me that you cannot see your way clear to step forward
into the Socialist Party, where all true middle-of-the-roader Populists
logically belong. Populism is a compromise, a half way measure. Socialism
is the whole cheese.
* * * * *
_John P. Thorndyke, Canaan, N. H._
You publish more _real stuff_ than any magazine I have ever read in my
life. I am sixty years of age, and we take seven other magazines, and
without any exaggeration it is but justice to your efforts to say that
there is by far more real, good, well-seasoned, relishable food for the
digestion of the average brain, than is afforded in any other magazine
I have seen. Having practiced medicine for a number of years, I have
sometimes volunteered my diagnosis of the disease troubling some of our
great (?) men and I flatter myself that an observance of that particular
case has proven the correctness of my examination at a distance. For
instance, I think the main trouble with our great Senate is constipation
of the brain, which invariably forbids the entertainment of honest
thought. Now I hope that some one with sufficient “sand” in his gizzard
will see that every member of the present Congress and Cabinet receives a
copy of your very valuable Magazine. It will be worth more to them than a
post-graduate course in the schools of Rockefeller and Morgan.
* * * * *
_John B. Bott, Grant, Pa._
To a constant and appreciative reader of TOM WATSON’S MAGAZINE (purchased
monthly at the Union News Co.’s stands) it does seem strange that so
great and good a man as “Tom” should, under the stimulus of praise and
success or the twittering of a pert maid, really become ashamed of his
familiar cognomen and his old clothes.
For two days I have been searching, here and there, high and low, for
_Tom_ WATSON’S MAGAZINE: always explaining that “_Tom_” has gone into
“innocuous desuetude” and “_Watson_” has stript himself of his old
clothes and donned _full regulation uniform_, but all to no effect.
Am hoping the new clothes won’t make _Mister_ Watson too vain, and that
at least his relations, Populist friends and host of well wishers will
not fail to recognize him in his docked designation and fine regimentals.
I wish to add that it was the “Tom” that appealed to me, above all things
else, when the news agent showed me No. 2 of Vol. I. and asked me if I
had seen TOM WATSON’S. I replied that I had not, but that “Tom” had the
true flavor and I’d take a dose.
There are, I am sorry to say, Watsons big and Watsons little; Watsons
wise and Watsons foolish; Watsons mediocre galore, but only one “_Tom_”
Watson, and he seems to be, God forbid, going to the bad.
* * * * *
_Robert L. Cooper, Savannah, Ga._
I have been, previous to the last year, what may be termed a “Tom Watson
hater.” Like a lot of other “pig-heads,” I have heard the other side all
the time, declining to read or look upon with reason anything you wrote
or said. I was prevailed upon to read your “Napoleon.” I followed it up
with “France” and “Jefferson,” together with a number of your speeches,
letters and magazines. I have arrived at the conclusion that of the very
few sincere men of the day, WATSON STANDS IN THE FRONT RANK.
You have my unbounded admiration and very best wishes for the
splendid fight you are making for improvement of conditions in our
country—especially our beloved state, Georgia. I may add that there are a
great many other young men in this community who are of the same opinion.
That your books are being read is attested by the frazzled-out copies in
our public library, and the difficulty one has in securing the use of
them even for the short time allowed for the use of a popular book.
* * * * *
_Aaron McDonald, Galveston, Ind._
I received a copy of the old guard news letter some time back, and was
not in shape to respond at that time, and when I got in shape to, I took
sick and was not able; but now as I am able and in shape I will send one
dollar to help pay expenses of organizing. It seems that through this
part of the country Populists are dead. There are lots that are sick on
account of the rascality of the officers of the old parties, but speak
to them about Populists and you can seldom get a grunt out of them.
It may be a calm before the storm. Hope it is, for I think there are
Independents enough in this neighborhood to cut things short when they do
get at it. The hardest pull seems to be in giving up the old name. They
seem to think that reform must come through their party. I have asked
several how they expect to get reform when Wall Street owns the Cabinet
and Senate. That is like putting the devil in the pulpit to preach the
gospel.
Hoping you will meet success.
* * * * *
_H. B. Paxton, Wheatland, Mo._
I am 66 years old, and have been in the reform movement from Cooper to
Watson, except once for Bryan. Everything is being quiet with us—politics
as well as everything else. We had at one time 500 Populist voters in
this Hickory Co., about one-fourth of the voting strength of the county.
As we haven’t any organization in the county, I haven’t much idea what
our strength is at this time, but there are quite a number of true blues
yet.
Your Magazine is all right. Will send my renewal soon and I assure you I
will try to get others to subscribe.
* * * * *
_T. T. Mattox, Hope, Ark._
I am still a Populist and read WATSON’S MAGAZINE. Think there are no
words nor figures to enumerate or define the good effect it is having
on the one big National party made up of the new parties, Democrat and
Republican. There are but two National parties now—the Watson and the
Swollen-tails. Good news gone to Canada and the nations of the globe.
Dear Watson, you are doing more good than if in office.
* * * * *
_H. E. Pomeroy, Mason, Ill._
I think you are fooling away time and money. Look at William J. Bryan in
the last National convention. See Judge Parker now. This nation is too
wealthy to be ruled by patriots. Wall Street is the government. You can’t
do anything with Wall Street. The masses have no principle above whiskey
and tobacco, and the churches are in the hands of priestcraft. If you
have a copy of Æsop’s Fables read about the fox and the flies.
* * * * *
_J. A. Dahlgren, Bradshaw, Nebr._
I cannot let this opportunity go by without telling you what I think
of your Magazine. It is undoubtedly the very best reform magazine now
published. Your editorials certainly have the right tone. Your article on
the situation in Georgia gives us Northerners new light on the subject.
While we do not have the negro problem to contend with here in Nebraska,
we nevertheless have the railroad question to fight over from year to
year. We must pay tribute to Harriman and Hill, and other Wall Street
kings, besides countless two-by-four politicians who apparently have no
other aim in life than to serve the railroads and betray the people. I
am glad to see that grand old man Tibbles writing for WATSON’S MAGAZINE.
Before I close I must ask you to give us another story something like
“Pole Baker.”
* * * * *
_George Chapman, East Cleveland, O._
I am prompted to write you from the fact that I believe you to be the
right man in the right place, and I honestly think that the seed that you
are now sowing will take root and bear fruit, as they are being sown in
fertile soil.
No party, or parties, can long withstand your bombardments, no matter how
well fortified they may be, as your guns are loaded with facts.
* * * * *
_W. S. Stanley, Logansville, Ga._
I feel it my duty to express that in my estimation, which I take from a
national and reasonable standpoint, Tom Watson is one of the greatest
Americans living and his Magazine the best I ever read.
I earnestly hope that some day not far distant, Tom Watson will be our
Commander-in-Chief of our National Government.
How any honest and patriotic man can oppose the principles advocated by
Tom Watson, I cannot see.
Tom Watson is a great man. Why? Because he is honest, brave, fearless and
aggressive. Because he is standing for the rights of the great mass of
people at large, leading them onward and upward from a Government of the
privileged few to a Government of the unprivileged many.
For the last fifty years our Government has been leading more and more
toward anarchy.
Tom Watson, may you live long to voice the principles of Jeffersonian
Democracy!
* * * * *
_J. J. Hall, Hutchinson, Ark._
Tom, why don’t you knock that “intrinsic value” rot into a cocked hat?
I think that policy is one of the greatest barriers to progress of the
masses in studying finance. The sooner they learn that value does not
exist in substance but in the mind, the better. This is the first and
most important fact to be learned by the student of monetary science, and
when once understood all the relative facts are easy. Take a shot at it,
Tom. You can make it both instructive and readable.
Yours for success.
_Of course I like the Magazine._
* * * * *
_Alfred French, Washington, D. C._
I look forward to the arrival of your Magazine every month with a great
deal of interest. Other magazines I give away, but yours I do not care to
part with.
I shall speak for it, have spoken for it, and very likely shall continue
to stand by it so long as you condemn the discrimination made by
officials in favor of the bankers. I have said for years that the men who
own the railroads and the bankers rule the country.
* * * * *
_L. R. Green, Spottsville, Ky._
I am proud of being one of the “old guard,” having marched without
halting in the “middle of the road,” without ever lowering our colors or
ever thinking of surrender.
Am proud of our matchless leader, Tom Watson, and his Magazine, his
two-edged sword. Friends of popular government, let’s give the Magazine a
million subscribers and make its editor President in 1908!
* * * * *
_Arthur F. Mann, Brooklyn, N. Y._
The Magazine is O. K. The February number is strictly 100%. It would be
cheap at 25 cents. Thank you for the sample copy received today. I’d
already purchased mine of my news-dealer. However, I’ll see the sample
copy is put into good hands and hope it will “work.” Mr. Watson, you are
doing “_us plain Americans_” a world of good. Keep it up. May your life
be spared to us for many years to come!
* * * * *
_F. F. Gordy, Richland, Ga._
Aside from the fact that both Howell’s and Smith’s friends claimed the
victory at the joint debate, was the further fact that Tom Watson got the
greatest ovation of any. The first half of Howell’s speech brought out
your name, which caused the audience to rise en masse and the applause
shook the building. While I am for Smith, still I am looking beyond him
to something better.
* * * * *
_C. Will Shaffer, Olympia, Wash._
The Magazine is all right and is on the right track.
* * * * *
_M. W. Henry, Waelder, Tex._
I am a reader of your most excellent and truly demo-republican Magazine.
Our adversaries assumed the garb of angels to serve the devil in. There
is not a single fundamental principle contended for by our patriotic
democratic-republican forefathers contained in either the democratic or
republican party platforms, but both parties are thoroughly Hamiltonized
and irretrievably committed to the aristocratic British Banking and
Bonding System which financiers know to be absolutely incompatible with
the perpetuity of democratic institutions. All of the enemies of our
free institutions are in one or the other of these parties and their
bosses are engaged in making dupes of the common voters. The interests
of the capitalists are the same whether North or South, and as they have
complete control of both the old parties the people have no reasonable
hope of relief from oppression from either. Direct legislation is
essentially democratic and is what the enemies of our free institutions
most fear. Its triumph will be the triumph of human liberty over
plutocratic despotism. It will restore the Government into the hands of
our people, from whom it has been wrested by the boodlers and grafters,
prompted by conscienceless greed and avarice. A victory along this
line will be a greater victory for humanity than that of Yorktown or
Appomattox.
* * * * *
_Thomas S. East, Anderson, Ind._
One of the very best magazines that I have ever read. I want to say to
you that the good seed you are sowing will live long after you and I
and others of the “Old Guard” have passed to the other side. And just
as soon as my business matters will permit, I want to send you a large
subscription list and in this way help on the good work. For I truly
believe all who have the cause at heart will at this time lend their
influence to the work, so that Plutocracy and all the attending evils
that flow out from the corrupting influences that spread and grow like
vile and obnoxious weeds in a corn field, may be rooted out.
Ever yours for the cause of humanity, I am in the fight to the finish.