Pleasantville weekly press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1890-1911, 1898-10-05
A LETTER FROM THE
CITY BY THE SEA.
Political Nominations made
and the Campaign
Opened.
REIARkS UPON INDEPENDENT newspapers.
THE COLOR LINE IN POLITICS AS SEEN IN
REMARKS UPON INDEPENDENT newspapers.
THE COLOR LINE IN POLITICS AS SEEN IN
TRENTON AND ATLANTIC CITY.-wHERE

By the time this letter appears in print
all the political conventions will have
been held. the tickets placed in the field
and the candidates relieved of suspense
or put upon the rack to be tortured dur
ing the campaign. Then all good
citizens can buckle down to political
work and tell the dear people that the
country will 90 straight to the Devil if
their candidate isn't elected. Already
hear that the "ring" Republican mana
gers are whispering to their faithful fol-
lowers, who are expected to ask no ques-
tions, that the whole solar system is
liable to plunge headlong, to Beelzebub's
domain, and the laws of gravity be sus-
pended if they bolt" Ashley's nomina-
ton for the Assembly. To say that the
"ring" managers were hot under the
collar" when they saw the double-lead-
ed editorial, and the reversed rule that
appeared in place of Mr.. Ashley's name
in The PzeaSant0ille Press, but feebly
expresses the situation. If there was
the slightest inclination to "kick" by any
of their own newspapers, the matter
could be easily adjusted. The 'orders"
would be issued to stop, and the editors
would stop. But an independent news
paper that asks no favors, and wouldn't
get them if it did, is something entirely
different. 1t can't be shut up by
verbal order from a mere politician, and
there are some people that are beginning
to get that stubborn fact hammered
through their skulls. An independent
newspaper thatshas ideas of it's own,
and the courage to express them, is
something quite undesirable, and when
it can't be suppressed the only remain
ing thing to do is to 'cuss' it rOundly-
and that, l can assume you, Mr.. Editor.
has been vigorously done in many
places. 1t is safe to say that The Press
has been more widely read within the
last two weeks than ever before, in this
city. and it's articles have set lot of
people to thinking. Some of our most
reliable Republicans are asking them
selves why the rest of the ticket should
be endangered because half a dozen men
want to force a weak and unpOpul lar
candidate upon it solely because he can
be depended upon to do their bidding.
If the drift of quiet conversation among
conversative men is any index to their
feelings there is trouble brewing here
for the "ring" managers. Ashley's
name will be slashed from the ticket in
every ward in this City If you don't
believe it just wait until you read the
returns the morning after the election
Many men proclaim their intentions
openly, and more do SO quietly. The
newspaper organs are of course ordered
| to say that everything is lovely, and
harmonious, and that the weakest can
| didate is Overwhelmingly popular; and
1 must say that the alacrity with which
| they respond to such orders does credit
| to their habits of obedience. They come
up to the scratch like little men and
pound the drum like Salvation Army
| man, and proclaim that everything is
lovely. If the Republicans of Atlantic
City and County are contented with
| such statements | certainly am. am
not candidate for any Office, but if |
| was would have things managed diff
| ferently or there would be row. |
| have voted for more Republicans, from
| Coroner to President, than any two or
| three of the machine" editors, and
many of self-esteemed idiots who are
"cussing" The PleaSant0ille Press and
| it's Atlantic City correspondent. 1t does
| not lie with them to instruct me as to
| INV political duty. When they have
seen half the service that | have, in the
party, it will be time enough to give
| their orders. In the meantime if the
party wants to lie upon a couch and go
| off into rainbow-chasing dreams, like
an opium smoker, they are welcome to
do so. l can stand it if they can. But
if a vote or two is missing in the U. ).
Senatorial Caucus, at Trenton, next
winter, that may be vitally needed, it
shall not be said of me that | did not
warn the blind leaders of the blind who
seem to be steering the party straight
| for the nearest ditch.
Will wonders ever Geese That is
what felt like asking when / picked up
nv daily newspaper, Thursday morning,
| and read the news that cOlOred dele
gates from eighteen counties of New
Jersey had walked into Democratic
State Convention, after meeting the day
before and denouncing Gov. VOORHEES,
j and the Republican party, and asked
the privilege of supporting the Democra-
tic State ticket then in process of being
nominated. After this l shall be pEepar-
ed to expect or believe anything, and
shan't be bit surprised to hear that a
woman has been found, somewhere on
earth. that isn't Jealous of another
woman who wears handsomer hat or
dress. should as soon have expected to
hear Of oil and water mixing, or Jew
feastipg upon pork, or almost any un-
likely old thing, than to have heard OF
colored delegation stOrming the ram
parts of Democratic convention in
| their eagerness to enter the sacred en-
1 vhn-, vrr>rr nrnrfrn fr
consider the situation seriously no one
ought to be surprised-for the colored
| voters have been recognized by the Re
publican party only as SO many voters
who could be coaxod, bullied, driven OF
bought to vote the ticket without any
political recognition. There cannot bf
found any better illustration of what
am asserting, than can be found right
here in this gOodly City by the Sea.
There are hundreds and hundreds o
colored voters and they have voted, veal
after year, just as our Republican mana
gers wanted them to but beyond being
allowed few delegates to q Count,
Convention they have never received tn
slightest recognition. Have you seel
the names of any cOlored citizsns upol
the official ballots at any election
"Read the answer in tho stars" Yol
would sooner find cats tooth CROWN,
in the mouth of hen. Why, it ism
| two weeks ago that Benny Ray wante
to be nominated for Coroner-the ii
OF the tail Of the County ticket. Did b
} get it Not one solitary vote. N
other colored man could have got