Pleasantville weekly press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1890-1911, 1898-07-27
Whole Number, 44O.
A DISGUSTED REPUBLICAN.
He Severely scores Assembly,
man Ashley.

Atlantic City, N. j., July 25. 1898.
To the Editor Of the Pleasantville Press
Your Atlantic City correspondent,
"Argus", in his letter of July. g, hit the
nail on the head in regard to the ability
and usefulness of Assemblyman Ashley,
to Atlantic County. II there ever was q
dummy" in the Legislature, (and the
county has been accused of sending
several), it is the present member. The
question often arises in the minds of the
citizens of the county, and it is often
publicly discussed, whether the Assemly-
man knew what he was sent to Trenton
for. But it must be remembered how
ever that he is genius on selfpreserva-
ton. For instance it was generally
understood, in fact Mr.. Ashley promised
the delegates to the convention, that
should he be elected to the Assembly he
would resign his position as Deputy
Sheriff, which he did (?) with great
diplomacy. i. e. during the session Of the
Legislature, he put boy in his place as
Deputy Sheriff on half pay, and immed-
lately on adjournment of the legislature
discharged the boy. Surely none but a
bright mind could have "hoodooed" the
party 80. Then again, it is said that
MIR. Ashley pulled Governor Griggs' leg
for help, upon the statement that he was
not pledged for the United States Sen
atorship when it was a known fact to
most people that Ashley is owned by
Congressman Gardner, which makes him
(Ashley) pledged for anyone that Gard
ner wants. So in telling Griggs that he
was Otpledged he secured some material
aid, and as a lawyer would say told,
technically, the truth. Anyway Ashley
got the money which saved him from
making q contribution to the County
Executive Committee out of his own
pocket. So you willsee as finaucier the
Assemblyman is not SO dumb as he looks.
Five hundred dollars as salary as an
Assemblyman. Free passes for one year.
Salary as Deputy Sheriff going on. Leg
pulling from Griggs. So you see, boys,
that is not SO bad to take. But then, in
the language of a distinguished Texan,
what are we here for 2" The fears of
distinguished First Ward leader are over
for the present. The said First Warder
was awfully afraid that the capitol
buildings at Trenton would, like the
capitol buildings at Harrisburg catch on
fire and our Assemblyman would never
get out of the building. So the First
Warder and his friends are going to
provide a sliding-board for Ashley, in
case he ever goes back to the Assembly,
and by this means hopes to save his life
in case of fire. The only question is who
will put him on the board ? We can't
expect our Senator to do it as he will be
busy with the Governor soliciting a
fau so hn
the Senator wants to add another job to
his belt. Any old thing will do from
door-keeper to Chief of Bureau of Labor
and Statistics or Riparian Rights Com
missioner. But returning to brother
Ashley. Did the reader ever think of the
fact that the people of Galloway town.
ship, where Mr.. Ashley was born and
lived nearly all his life, that his relatives,
friends and neighbors there knew him
better than the convention that nomin-
ated him 1t will be remembered that
although Galloway township is usually
republican it turned its own son ashley
down and gave his opponent the demo-
cratic candidate, Mr.. Cope, big majority.
This also applied to Congressman
Gardner's home, Egg Harbor City. In
fact wherever Ashley was best known he
ran the poorest. 1t will be remembered
that although he ran $40 votes behind
the rest of the ticket, loss of over fifty
per cent and was by over 500 votes the
lowest man on the ticket, he wrote a
letter to the papers congratulating him
self and stated that his popularity saved
the ticket. l wonder if Congressman
Gardner will take chance and nominate
his man Friday, this year, with more
than an even chance of his being defeated
at the polls and Atlantic County voting
for Democratic United States Senator?
Third Warder.