August 18, 1888
The annual desecration of God’s holy name occurs, when drunken men and lewd women will come from far and near to mingle with some decent people in assisting some people of Poughkeepsie to raise money for a system of huckstering that would not be allowed in any community on Sunday. As the campaign progresses and political clubs are formed “gun squads” are also formed. The “clubs” are all well enough but the gun squads should be left out. They are a nuisance and are dangerous adjuncts to a political hullabaloo. The men in charge of the cannon often get so full of liquid patriotism as to become careless and windows are broken, sick people disturbed and hands and arms endangered by reckless firing. Take your cannons along but don’t shoot.