West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1904-12-29
He is Greatly Disturbed Over the
UnharmOuS Condition
OF THE GRAND OLD PARTY.
Finds that Judge Mathews Has
Plugged the Slot Machines to the
Determent Of the Party-Tells Of
Boss Dawson's wEEsfsul Machine

Old Party, a knowledge which did
not seek, for it was the season of
the year when all mankind should
rejoice and be thankful whether
they had captured the pie or lost il
In the chase. Having lost every
pie that 1 have made application fer
would not cause me to mourn if il
would unite the party and hold it in
the bonds of harmony. / served
four long years in the defense of my
country and am familiar with mil.
itary discipline. The buck and gag
always held me at bay when | en-.
tertained the idea, as freeman, |
should kick outside the traces.
Comrade Leader Shaw was the only
man in my regiment that had the
courage to defy the buck and gag
and kick violently outside the guard
house. Nothing could tame him
down. When we returned home
and took up arms for the Republi-
can party, a party which it took us
four long years to build up, that it
might enjoy pie for a century at
least, l become loyal party man
and promised the Boss that so long
as the machine was operated in the
interest of the Boss he could put
me down on the straight list. But
comrade Shaw refused to enlist un-
der such restrictions. He asked for
more latitude. He declard that
machines were dangerous things for
the people unless they were warned
OF their approach. The Boss was
obstinate and told comrade Shaw
that he could console himself by
voting straight OF he would be plac-
ed outside the PIE garden. While
the contention was going on | IN
terposed few remarks in the inter
est OF Harmony, which has been my
guiding star throughout my political
career, that inasmuch as we old
veterans had been living on hard
tack so long that charity, if we
could mix it up a little with politics,
demand that we be given at least
one small piece of PIE. But Boss
Bill Dawson, he was holding the
position at that time, and from the
latest returns l have, ne is still
clinging to it, said that he wanted
to instill into our minds the force
of habit. He stated that If we once
contracted the habit Of dong with.
out pie We would never ask for it
when the waiter called over the list
of deserts. Speaking for myself
find that very gracefully contract
ed the force of habit at the earnest
suggestion of Boss Bill Dawson.
But the fighting blood was up in
comrade Shaw and he refused to be
inoculated by the Dawson force of
habit. Comrade Shaw has been a
source of great annoyance to the
Boss and his machine.
But comrade Shaw is not the only
man who has opposed the Boss's
machine. am just in receipt Of a
letter from the Boss in which he in
forms me that he is having much
trouble in Cabell county on account
of the opposition to his machine.
He states parenthically, and might
say sorrowfully, that one OF my best
friends, Judge ID. J.. Mathews, is
doing much injury to the slot ma
chimes. He tells me that up to the
present time that The slot machine
of Cabell county has been running
day and night and has been doing
effective work for the party. IF let
alone there is no telling the amount
Of good these slot machines would
do for the party if placed IN the
hands Of the colored brethren who
have been working the crap machine
for the party since the close Of the
war But in an evil moment Judge
Mathews plugged the slot machines.
Now any parry worker who has been
assigned to work the slot machine
in the interest Of the Grand Old
Party can testify that you can make
no Roadway if the slot machine is
plugged. ] am one Of the party
workers who has had a little expert.
ence in this line, and am sorry 10
note that Judge Mathews refuses 10
unpIug them. il may be necessary
90 resort 70 drastic measures 20 com
pei the Judge to unplug lbc slot
machines. They are both useful
and ornamental in a Republican
campaign, and as Boss Dawson
writes me what is the Republ-
can party without slot machines and
other machines Have we people
who are so minded and pre-.
Judic- as g., destroy TIE pleasure
and happiness which ] have been