From Days Gone By Nov. 17, 1922

 November 17, 1922.

    All of Georgia mourned the death of Hon. Thomas E. Watson, noted statesman and newspaper publisher, who died at his post of duty in Washington early on September 26th.           Senator Watson was 66 years old and had been in the United States Senate for a year and a half and his service in that body rendered him a most conspicous figure. He was born in Thomson and for years practiced law before entering politics.                                                             He passed the state bar in 1876. Served in the Georgia House in 1882, and later in 1888 as Democratic Elector at large for the state. He was elected to Congress in 1890 and served till 1892 on the Populist ticket. After being defeated in the next two elections, Senator Watson was the choice for Vice-President of the Populist Party which indorsed William Jennings Bryan for President in 1896. He was nominated for President by the People's Party in 1904.                     About that time he began the publication of Tom Watson's magazine in New York and a year later the Watson's Jeffersonian magazine. The publications were suspendid during the Wilson administration when denied transmission through the mails after attacks appeared in them against the draft act, the espionage law and other war measures. Mr. Watson then began publication of the Columbia Sentinel at Thomson which he owned at his death.                    He was elected again to the United States Senate serving from 1920 until his death in 1922. He was an Anti-Wilson, anti-league and anti-war measures Democrat. After defeating Senator Smith and Governor Dorsey for the nomination he was elected over Harry S. Edwards, Independent candidate who favored American participation in the League of Nations by an overwhelming majority.                                       He was called the political "Hercules of Georgia". Through many stormy political battles did Tom Watson go and three times he was victorious, but more true of him is the fact that for the last score of years he weilded a mighty hand in the controlling powers of Georgia politics. Politicians sought his counsel and advice, Presidents conferred with him, and those inclined to run for any office beseiged him for his support because at one time or another a word from Watson was equal of election.                  His word was law with his followers, fifty thousand strong in the state. Watson's ability through his powerful writing of national impart gave a keen insight into his intellect and power to lead and direct. He was a student of everything that pertained to the welfare of his country.                                                                             There were those who were constantly at dagger's point with him politically but these, were now paying tribute to him and his magnificent and brillant career, as Georgia's stormy petrel, the Junior Senator from Georgia.       He authored a two volume book, Story of France and a biography of Napoleon. In a career marked by controversy, he was best known as the father of Rural Free Delivery.                                   Approximately 10,000 persons representing every walk of life from plough boy to U. S. Senator, gathered to pay their last respects. His silver-grey casket was taken from a special coach to his colonial home on Hickory Hill in Thomson. Then later in the afternoon they gathered beneath the stately Magnolias and fragrant tea-olives of the Thomson Cemetery just walking distance from Hickory Hill and stood with bowed heads as the Sage of McDuffie was lowered to his final rest.                       "Watson died as he always said he wanted to die---in the harness", J. C. Wall, a prominent merchant of Thomson told a reporter, "He died in the zenith of his career. He died fighting the fights of his people".