Pioneer press. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1882-19??, 1916-05-06
SATURDAY, MAY s. 1916
WHY ! CAN'T SUPPORT THE HON.
GEORGE M BOWERS.

Is this man safe and fit one TO
represent honest and truthful citi
zenS in congress? Let's see. Twenty
four years ago he read me ont Of the
Republican party because |, as he
declared, forced Dayton on us at
Elkins, and swOrc | should never
have any recOgntiOI- in Berkeley
county. long as he lived. and | didn't
untll two years ago. when he was
nominated for congress-
Meeting in the Union station, Wash
ington, d. c., one night. for thirty
odd minutes, he impOrtuncd me &c
forget and forgive and support him
to no effect, and several times in Mar
tinsburg with the same result you
make congressman" he said land
! am advised | must get YOU" Others
tried to enlist my aid but failed FL
nally DR.. S. n. Myers plead with me
fully two weeks, and to please him
| consented, and Mr.. Bowers was so
informed.
SO delighted was he, without any
solicitation or expectation on my
part, he said, "CliffOrd win or lose
/ am going to give you the trip Of
your life. I want YOU to 20 to the
Pan-American Exposition over the
Canadian Pacific railroad at my ex-
pense. Stop off at the principal cities
and meet my friends to whom I'll
give you letters, and when you get
80 San Francisco" Johns vision on
the Isle Of Patmos OF angels glory)
Is only little more glorious, than
what / was to have, and all at his
tn rnly n,
hurry but stay two or three months
He was defeated and not a word have
| heard about that trip. On the honor
OF a.man I would not have gone had
he done SO.
He said, "Clifford, Meade has an old
car that has run a quarter of a mil
lion miles. Take it and have lit
looked over. 1t won't cost much and
let me know what it is" | took it for
granted that he meant to pay the bill
and took it to garage, ard the boss
said: Ten or twelve dollars" OF
course | didn't offer to pay the bill
because | expected Mr.. Bowers to dc
that.
The next time we met he said
Meade and I are Oh the outs. YOU
give me your note for a hundred anC
y
II good faith did so After the cleo
ton was over | got a bill from the
garage for S42.50, and the following
December a notice that on a certain
Gate my note would be due I 'phoncd
to the lank Of which Mr.. Bowers was
and is president, denying | had q
note in the bank ami paid no more at
tenton to it. Protest followed
called on Mr. Rnwprc for exclamation
He said it was my note and 81 am not
going to pay it." ! paid principal
protest, interest and stamp costs
When I had paid it, he said: Let me
see it," I did and he tore it up and
threw it into the waste basket. l gath
cred it up, took it home and pasted il
on paper and have it.
In candor, | ask any reasonable
man, white or colored, would you sup
port and vote for such a man. had he
treated you as he has me? IS such
man fit to be trusted? You may
have him, | don't want him.
| had in my possession 500. II
was mine on the condition that | was
to vote for Mr.. Bowers and the en-
tire Republican ticket if | so desired
but was to do no work for him. After
concluding to support Mr.. Bowers
counted the seven hundred dollars in
his presence and told him the condi
tons OF its being mine. He said:
keep it." | said no, and returned
every cent OF it, because and only be
cause DR.. S. n. Myers had oyer-pcr
suaded me to support Mr. Bowers.
In justice to the late Hon w. G
Brown, so far as l know, he kneU
nothing about the money transaction
and never said word to me about It
| honestly believe he knew nothing
about it. He was a fine man and my
friend
/ supported Mr.. Brown without
pay on the promise that he would not
do anything in congress against the
colored people, and one week before
he died, he said: Mr. Clifford. !
have kept my promise to you. My
work is an open book, and | DEFY you
or any other man to find one act Of