Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1895-01-05

That this New Year crowds before us,
Seem to fill the very air.
In the Old World, always restless,
AS the tempest tortured sea,
There are some historic matters,
We will mention, two or three.
First the war about Korea,
Was there ever such sight,
AS the bulky Chinese nation
With the little Jap in fight {?
Why the mighty pigtailed brother,
Isn't hardly in the war,
Hardly knows the use of powder,
Hardly knows what guns are for.
What will be the final outcome?
Wouldn't be great surprise,
If the Japs got into Pekin
And abolished rat tail pies.
Hark, muffled bell is ringing,
'Tis the funeral cortege tread,
sTis the Gar of all the Russians,
Alexander 3rd that's dead.
Fairly quivered in the balance
All the peace of Europe, till
Grand duke Nicholas gave assurance,
And foreshadowed peaceful will.
Now another fun'rars passing,
Not this time a monarch's head,
But the great Hungarian patriot,
Louis Kossuth-honored dead.
How our nation one time loved him,
And asylum gave him too;
Clay and Webster babe him welcome
In the days of Fifty Two.
Still the death roll slowly passes,
How have fallen noted men.
Generals, scholars--what harvest
Death has made of sword and pen.
General Banks and General Early
Whom our people knew so long,
Wrapped their martial cloaks about them.
Went to join the silent throng,
'Mong the journalists we notice.
Childs, philanthropst and friend,
While the racy writer, Hatton
Ofthe Post, lays down his pen.
Curtin, too, of Pennsylvania,
Austin Blair, of Michigan,
Famous governors of the war time,
Paid the final debt of man.
But of all the noted fallen
None were better, wider known,
Than that grand old sage and poet,
Dear old Oliver Wendell Holmes.
But we pass to other matters
And before us swift arise,
Railroad wrecks and foulest murders,
Broken hearts and weeping eyes.
But assassination bloody,
BY the law is brought at last,
To full complete atonement,
In the death of Prendegast.
All, what sound is that now rising
Like the oceans restless roar,
IT'S the voice of troubled labor,
Knocking loud at Pullman's door.
FIercer wages now the battle,
Every where are angry mobs,
Strikers quit their trains and workshops,
Won't let others take their jobs.
Uncle Samuel would not stand it,
And his soldiers soon you see,
Marching up and down Chicago,
Setting all the railroads free,
And the strike was quickly ended,
AS indeed all strikes must fail,
And the leaders, Debs, and others,
Finish up their strike in Jail.
While Chicago rolled in riot
And the Strikers work was done,
Coxey with his Commonwealers,
Made his march on Washington.
Like the Hermit Peters preaching,
'Gainst the Infdel and Turk,
Coxey's preaching n owed the masses,
Specially those who would not work.
Day by day the papers noted,
How he marched towards Washington,
Stealing rides and begging rations,
Here and there. with lots of fun.
Till at last the city entered,
Then it really came to pass,
That our Coxey got in limbo.
Just for stepping on the grass.
Populistic speculation.
Henry George and single tax
With little Coxey nonsense
Make some people Gueerly act.
Harkl What murmurs now are rising,
Swelling up in thunder rolls
IT'S the people, fierce and angry,
Casting ballots at the polls.
From st. Lawrence to Pacific,
See the people in their might
Charge the Democratic party
Put its leaders all to fight.
Such mighty revolution
In the nation meier was seen,
And the peoples voice emphatic,
Tells us what the people mean.
Why, just look at West Virginia
In that struggle, what sight,
As the democratic forces
Rush republicans to fight
From Potomac to Kanawha,
Long the mountain side and glen,
Every where Projections forces,
Net and vanquished free trade men
Wilson braYely led his army,
Clothed in English mail and crown,
But our Dayton's sling and pebble,
Brought the free trade giant down.
In this battle of the ballots,
Dovenor over Howard won,
Miller mopped up Judex Harvey.
Huling cleaned out Anderson
And about the legislature,
No one scarcely hoped to win,-
Still the gerrymander busted.
And has safely let us in.
This means Elkins for the Senate,
Which the democrats must lose,
And so certain, Camden wired
Elkins where to leave his shoes
And no man is more deserving
Than our stephen for that place,
He's the man to take and fill it
With ability and grace.
But my muse is growing weary,
And begins to settle down,
Bids me turn to other matters,
Solid facts about our town.
Death the angel has not passed US,
But the Grape upon the door,
Out at Boydvlle. silent tells us
OF loved one now no more
Henry Matthews, grand old printer.
Many years how well we knew
At the case and in the press room,
As a typo always true.
Gone another well known land mark,
Adam Shober is no more;
Lived his three score-ten allotted
And then crossed the river DER.
Here we note the serious illness
OF our old judicial friend,
May the angel health restore him,
| And his lease Of life extend.
Martinsburg has many churches,
Many pious pastors, too,
| Who have labored long and faithful.
In the holy works they do.
Honor to them fer their IabeFs,