West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1909-12-23


A word 10 the old veterans OF Preston
county who went forth in the sixties in
defense OF their country. The records
prove that in patriotism and courage the
Preston county boys were excelled by
none.
After the bloody conflict was over and
peace was restored you returned to the
peaceful arts of h~usbandry which you had
left TO answer the call Of your country.
h nation can never pay the debt Of graf
itude which it owes TO her patriotic de-
tenders.
For years you were appealed to by the
politicians who had undisputed control Of
the Republican party machinery in Pres
ton county that the only friend you had
in any political party was the Republican
party. This partisan cry was raised every
campaign until your ranks began TO thin.
Your loyalty in standing by the party
enabled the politicians 10 get control Of
all the public offices. And your loyalty
was rewarded by their insisting that your
duty was TO obey and stick to the party
and vote the ticket straight.
When Father Time began 10 gather
many Of you in and the ring and the ma
chine did not consider you the controlling
factor in Preston politics, they began TO
read you out OF the party that you had
made because you refused TO be governed
by the dictates OF the ring and the ma
chine. Veteran Leroy Shaw, az brave a
man as ever wore the uniform, was read
out OF the party by men who were either
infants or unborn ut the close OF the war.
What crime had Leader Shaw committed
that he was read out Of the party that he
helped bring into existence2 He refused
to bow the knee and acknowledge the ring
and the machine rs his political masters.
And that's what has happened to every
one OF you when you kicked outside the
traces.
Do you think it would have been posi-
BILE for the Republican party to have con
trolled the politics of Preston county from
1865 TO 1909 had il not been for YOU old
veterans and your stalwart sons? Just
stop and think over that. Then tell us
how many of you old veterans and your
sons have been honored by public offices
within the past forty years? We have
been around in this neck of the buckwheat
patch for thirty-five years and we know
that every n of you who has been elect
ed to a paying Office in Preston county
was elected against the protest of the ring.
This you cannot deny and keep within the
bounds Of the decalogue. And with these
facts staring you in the face you felt some
how that you could not vote against the
"partyl"
Then they were telling you everlasting
ly m e%ternally that the Republican party
was the only party that favored pension
ing the old soldiers. In fact, they used
to tell you that il the Democratic party
got back into power they would take the
pensions away and put the negroes back
into slavery. This was another one of
their many fairy tales to get you TO "vote
the ticket straight"
II the Republican party 1.-THE machine
and the ring) was the true friend of the
old veterans it would have provided PEN
sions that would have allowed every one
OF you to live in comfort and ease. This
is the kind of pensions that would have
proven the true friendship of the party
beyond cavil or doubt.
NOw tha narty (.ba :n -. -
chine) has been living Off you for forty
four years. What have You got to show
Tor it2 Increased taxes and a deficit in
the treasury. 1t would appeal to reason
able men that you have more than paid
the debt, if you ever owed one, which we
claim you never did. But the machine
and h ring owe you such a stupendous
debt that they can never pay it. Suppose
you start in now to collect a part of that
debt before you land from whence no tray
eler returns. Wen admit the time is
growing short, but you can materially as
sist in helping to Dust the ring and the
machine, which will clear the political
atmosphere Of old Preston.
Already the ring has opened its warfare
against Senators Elkins and Scott, which
IS another evidence that they have no fur
ther use for old veterans. This brings the
question face to face with you and proves
what we have always contended, that the
ring and the machine have no use for the
old veterans apart from their votes. II
Is now a a s of give up the gun or shoot?
Which shall it be?