Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1858-01-28
The Democrat, Florence Wildcat and
the Ragbag Gazette

Tho Oomocrat, GIoronc0 Wuocet q
b AagbaG 0ssstte
It used to be the fashion of the
times to believe that large cities we're
sores On the body polite, and that the
rural districts we're fields of virtue
wherein vice never set its foot. All
sorts of wickedness were running ram
pant in town, whilst honor and purity
had their abode in the country. That
pleasant fancy has been dissipated, and
We o expect As gross profigscy in
the village As in the metropolis. The
editors of the Gazette exemplify in
their own persons as despicable mean
meas and malice as the largest cities
we contained. They stand living
monuments Of corruption in small pla-
ces one Of them having served for the
last fifteen years q the standard Of
meanes for the people Of the young
city Of Davenport, and the other for
ten years done the dirty work and
eaten the dirty crumbs that fell from
the dirty tables Of some dirty fellows
in the dirty village Of Evansville.
Who can respect the man who for
a few dollars in wild cat, will belle a
brother editor and put words in his
mouth which he would scorn to speakl
What name is black for the scurvy
varlct who asserts that We have pri-
vately declared we regretted our de-
nunciation of that worthless Florence
wildcat, when he knows we have
never said anything of the kind. So
far are we from regretting our course
that we regard our bold, outspoken
exposure and condemnation Of the
Florence swindle a. the most laudable
act of our editorial life. The assu-
RANGES of friends, the apprchcnslons
and cntreatics of those interested in the
swindle, that unerring index-the in
crease OF our circulation-all show us
we have done the state some service,
and that the people are grateful for
our efforts. Ever since we began our
protests against the iniquitous designs
Of the wildcatters upon the pockets Of
the people, and their reckless disregard
Of the interests Of Davenport, the Ga
zette has been seriously impressed
with the convection that our circulation
has increased, is increasing and ought
to be diminished. 1t has therefore
been appealing to the worst passions
of the community and ~imploring the
people to "stop" the Democrat. The
motives which prompt this incffable
meanness arc too p.lpable to require
further exposure. They are such as
never actuated an honest man. The
truth is, since we began our attack on
wildcats, our circulation has increased
more rapidly than ever before, and if
we we're not fighting for:principle, we
might still continue the wal as a mere
matter Of speculation. The popular
heart is with US, and many of those
who are not IN a position to come ont
against Florence rejoice at the good
work we are doing. Not so with the
Gazette ; its subscription list is falling
off every day, its carrier complains, its
editors scold, abuse and endeavor to
injure the Democrat. The mess of
pottags they received from Cook d
Sargent will not begin to compensate
them for their loss of circulation. The
latest appeal to the people TO stop"
the Democrat appeared in yesterdays
Gazette, which assured the merchants
Of Davenport that we have been doing
all in our power to injure the trade Of
this city. 1t is a very likely story,
that we, who depend on the prosperity
of Davenport for our own success, we,
who have been gaining a deeper inter-
est in this city every day q. our ~circula-
ton has increased, we, who have in the
last three years bnilt up q fine bnsi-
ness. which is steadily growing into
the best business in the State-it il
likely that We would strike a common
blow at the city's welfare and our own +,
Who has injured the prosperity Of Da-
venports That lying sheet which has
timc and again declared that Florence