West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1900-05-10
possuM POLITICS.
The aon. Crabtrec Jones Delivers a
Telling Speech 60 His Attentive
Conferees.

Hon. Crahtree Jones Of Alabama. would
dei'se' political speech. and the audience
was ready 10 give him an enthusiastic greet.
ing. lie appeared promptly a, the hour
named and was introduced by the president
amid voeiferous applause. Under the glare
of three Kerosene lamps with tin rcnec,ors
behind them. he sized up a short and
chunky man with one leg short aud bald
head. lie didn't look a bi, like the picture
of Cicero or Dsp,osthesnes. but no one was
disappointed oa that account, lie had
scarcely mad hs bow when good Judge of
character would have offered odds of tive to
! one 'ha, Ice was no hrokyard wraugler
"Respce,ablc fellow c,iaens,' he began.
"Respceiahle fellow citizens" began the
orator as hc got his feet plau,ed ON the
proper spot. ''two weeks ago dar was
bornin m dis famous old hall which has
made talk for so millyon people II was dc
bornin of new political party whose words
aud deeds am gwinc to 60 rumbnn up and
down an round Moth America till de pop
ulashun will sit up nights lookin fur an
airihquake. (Nioient ouibursi of applause)
Ia my cabin home in de southland read of
dc bornin of de Possum party, an went ont
on de doah step an cheered fur liberty and
sung de song Of de Star Spangled Banner
(Ferocious cheers.l | saw de sun risn to
light de way of de cull'd man, an realized
dat our weary waitin was to be rewarded at
last (Bloodeurdling whoops.l
"My fren's, had bin waitin 90 y'ais fur
dc dawn of freedom. hev bin within 90
var fur de birth Of de Possum party. tSur-
ges of emo,ion.l DE position Of de culrd
man since de wah has bin dat of puson
cotched by silver as he climbs rail fence
lie can't go ahead nor draw back, an de
longer he sots still dc mo- 1t hurts him.
Explosions of enthusiasm.) "De fact am
he's bin wobblin' dis way an dat way as he
walked long de road, but he wobbled kase
he didn't hev no straight line to foller. lie
was dependn' on the white man to show
him dc way and gib him far show We's
bin sheep which has growed wool fur one
man and mutton fur another, an dey has
taken de wool and de meat an left us only
de hoofs Gn bones. Crhunderous outbrrst)
Wheneber dar has bin feast of roast turkey
dc white man has sot down and eaten cherry
thing mp an left de black man to lick de
oven doah to satisfy his appetite. volcanic
disturbances.) De ye'rs hev gone on an on.
and we've kept liokin' de oven doah an held
our peace an waited and hoped All de
white mems parties wanted our votes, but all
dc white men also wanted all de Offices.
Dey has kept us clmbin' de tree TO shake
down dc coon, but dey has eaten the meat
an sold de pelt when de coon fell. fAei-
Iation verging on cyclonic.)
"Ebery man in desc United Stats owes
duty to his kentry. It's to help Hft her mp
when de bad times come, shov her along
when de good times abound and fight fur
her and die fur her when her life am at
stake Gigantic and long continued APP
plausel DE Guild man has done his duty
in dis respect as well as de white. rIIe
has } He's bin boostn her up an pushin'
her along an dyin' fur her ill de pages Of
history hey giben him chapter artcr chapter
fur fueher ginerations TO read Tornado Of
eothusiasm.) He's armed hi. name. his
place an his rights, an he's gwiue to stick
right to his job an keep dom But
change am gwine to take plaoe--a change
dat am gwine to rattle de shingles ON de
roof and skeer dc cat out from under de bed.
(Shouis Of Glory, glory - De black man
am gwine to keep right on bein an American
an patriot an good citizen. an he am
also gwine 70 keep right on payin' 'tenshion
to politics. Whar de change am gwne TO
come in will be in his yotin' IIeretofo' he
has been led up 10 dc polls to vote hisself.
tVociferous and soul stirring shouts, yelIs
and cheers, ending in the whole crowd
singing "My County," in seven different
keys and upseuing the pail Of hard cider
provided for the orator.)
''Freemen Of a free land, patriots who ar
takin yo'r fust breath Of liberty. Pm
lookin' at dat stuff possuf which we hev
adopted as our sacred emblem an arter
which We hey taken our name Cfypboonic
yclls.) Oar has ever bin a bond Of sympa
thy between de culld man an de possum.
Dcy hey both had to lay low an bide der
time. Dcy haven't had show wild de bic
game Dey has had 20 keep still dn folks
ok upon 'em as dead (Sighs and eroans
and repressed agianonJ iIowcbcr. irs
gwine 60 astonish a hull contnent-dc way
da, p ssum will le, 20 an drap down into de
row an demand an fight fur his sheer Of de
sPilcs. lWhihwuds Of applause. during
which the stove fell over unheededD Up To-
dis date nobody has cbcr axcd dc black man
what he wanted in payment fur bein' sol.
dicr, citizen an elector. 10 was caikcrla.
ted dat what was left ober was good 'nua
for him, an dc white man has taken mighty
good kecr dat muffin was left obcr which 10
was gwinc TO bodder anybody Co keery of In /
his coattail pocket CGroans of assenf)
But wc aint wa,in' 20 be axcd We am
siandin up IN Paradise ball tonight 20 ssy
that we want thus an 50. am gwine To- hcy
IL or kick obcr dc beehive. Uncauhly
whoops and yclls from all parts of the halll I.
We amt skulkin' up to caudyiaies an con. /
veuion5 an beggin fur crumbs. but we am
waikin up TO dc bakery shoulder TO shout
der au' demandin a fa'r count Of de loaves /
Rising temperature. followed by explosions I
"Yo' jest git out or pencils and 6gger a I
mint Deres oher 100000 black men in I
dis ken'ry who am entitled to walk up TO
dc polls on lection day an cast a vote. If
dey bui hang together, yo can't count em
out nor keep 'em back Dem 100000
votes am gwiue TO be cast far principle. bat
doan' 30 make no mistake 'tout principle.
We used TO think dat " meant votin' on
sariin lines an dat George Washington.