West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1905-03-30

ian simplicity and the simple life.
| was equally as enthusiastic for the
specular and craved the splendor
sublime which the Republican party
was holding out as an extra induce.
ment TO enlist. Gov. Dawson was
the recruiting officer for Preston
county and / enlisted in his regi-
ment. The Governor also owned
the newspaper franchise for Preston
and all efforts 10 wrest il from him
met with fiat failure until Comrade
Shaw had a dream that he had miss
ed his vocation in life. When the
apparition appeared to him in his
slumbers and made known TO him
that he was born into the world for
newspaper work he lost no time in
establishing the Leader which has
been blowing hurricane and defying
all franchises since Its incipiency.
Gov. Dawson told me few nights
ago while we were in anguish and
despair lest the new tax laws would
fall into the hands of the enemy,
that Comrade Shaw's Leader was
more terrific than a Kansas cyclone
when it got under your coat tail.
The Governor has taken an extra
insurance out on his coat tail. l
remained faithful to Gov. Dawson
and accepted position on the Fam
lily Journal as a Magniher and Elab-
orator of political issues. My friend
Ohley drIfted out into Marion coun-
ty and located in Fairmont as there
was no opening in Preston in those
days for the Jeffersonian simplicity
and the simple life. Will got con
troll Of the Index and made paying
institution out of it. He continued,
however, to appear on the streets in
the garb of simplicity until 1850
when he took up the strenuous life
and went TO Charleston with Gov.
A. Brooks Fleming, who appointed
Will Secretary Of State. For four
years he kept up the strenuous life
and accumulated fortune, after
which he dropped back into the
simple life which he is leading to-
day.
When / first came to Charleston
friend Charley was amazed at my
rapid rise in politics and journalism.
Gov. Dawson had told him that he
owed his election 70 my spsllbind.
ing and editorial work on the Fami-
ly Journal. Friend Ohley is doing
everything he can to make my stay
here pleasant one. lie frequently
calls up to the State House for a
social chat. The last time he was
up he was telling me about his first
visit to Washington City. As
stated before Will affiliated with the
Jeffersonian simplicity party. He
was exceedingly anxious to elect a
President that would carry out his
ideas of simplicity which he set
forth in each issue of the Index.
When Grover Cleveland was elected
in 1884 Will was correspondingly
happy and determined TO Journey to
Washington 10 see Grover inaugu-
rated and to look into the status of
the post Offices which have caused
more quarrels than chow old is
Ann" / have a vivid recollection
of how the Republican brethren, who
we're holding post Offices in 1884,
would journey to Kingwood to con-
suit Gov. Dawson, who was the Dis
penser, Of post Offices, TO learn il
there was any way in which they
could make an affidavit to prove
that they were not guilty Of "ohen-
sive partisanship." They felt that
to lose the post Office meant -four
years Of hard toll and no postal
cards to read. But the Dispenser
could give them no encouragement
and the result was four years oil
almost starvation.
But am diverting from frienc
Ohley's JOY and happiness. vii
told me he had staunch friend ir
the person Of Thos. Watson, who
has since passed away, that wai
over joyed at the election Of Cleve
land and he inYiied a delegation O
/ young men, Of whom Will was one
to accompany him 70 Washiogio
to witness the Inauguration. Tn,
/ young men we're to be Mr. Watson
guests from The time they LEFT Fair
mont until they returned home
They we're all accustomed 10 liyin,
the simple life and when they reach
ed Washington they we're lost in th,
maze. He said they started dow
Pennsylvania Avenue lead by thei
good friend Watson. The far,he
they went the more enthusiastic
| Walann hnrnr,n n..h A.. 49,