Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1859-01-28

MUSCATINE AND DAvENPORT.-We would
respectfully suggest to our friends of the Mus
catine Journal, that in replying to editorials
in the Davenport Democrat, slurring Musca-
tine, they should not assume such editorials
as the voice of any considerable portion of
this community and therefore it it not nee
essary to retaliate by throwing back surs and
abuse upon this city. We presume to speak
for the great mass of our citizens, when we
say, that Muscatine bears the character here
of prosperous and growing community,
whose citizens are probing that they possess
energy and enterprise by their indefatigable
labors in behalf Of public and private i'm
provements calculated to benefit that place.
We are sure that the people of Davenport do
not look upon Muscatine with jealous eye,
but are glad to hear of and glad to acknowl-
edge her prosperity If the Journal were
to do us similar justice, it might not only re-
ciprOcate our compliments, and frankly admit
that our people are as distinguished for libe
rality and enterprise as its own citizens, but
confess that its charge of bankruptcy in con-
nection with this city, no doubt made hastily
in retaliation of insulting remarks by the
Democrat, is altogether without foundation.
If it has any doubt Oh this subject, we can
furnish it with the facts and figures. We
despise these contemplate jealousics between
young cities, especially when they lead to
unjust detraction. We always have been,
and we ever shall be, as ready to admit excel
lence on the part of our neighbors, as to
praise that which is commcndable at home
and we hope to BE- met in this spirit by CO.
tcmporaries abroad We can build up a city,
and a great city here, we trust, without basing
its foundation upon the ruins of other places
and we really believe that Muscatine and
other neighboring cities may prosper without
seriously injuring Davenport.
Better late than never" we presume is
the motto of the Gazette. Although we are
at all times ready to treat our contemporaries
with courtesy, and to meet more than half
way all their acts of friendliness and polite
ness, yet we cannot but say, in this instance,
what we really think, that TIC Gazette's dis
taste to "contemptible jcalousies," editorial
'slurs" on Muscatine and Davenport and
UNJUST dctraction," Is child of recent
birth. If we remember Alright, the Gazette
has, i'll times not long past, visited Muscatne
with dctraction and abuse, equally as insult
ing as that Of the Democrat, though, to do
it justice, it has not INDUCED in that peculiar
fish-market style of cloquence which appears
to be the speciality Of the Democrat.
We have never supposed that such articles,
whether in the Gazette or in the Democrat,
expressed the sentiments of any more con-
siderable portion of the community of Dav-
export than was contained in the boots and
breeches Of their authors, whatever that
amount of consideration which they re-
ceive from the people of Davenport may be.
AS to the Democrat, that sheet is held up
by the people of Davenport as one of their
organs, however unworthy and distasteful its
peculiar style and manners may be, even to
themselves, and when it designedy provokes
odious comparisons by reckless misrepresen.
tations of Muscatine, its readers in Davenport
must not be surprised if we retort by stating
facts. No one can hold in greater contempt
than We, these petty jealousics between neigh
boring towns, and our contempt for them re-
mains now the same that it was when they
were commenced by the attacks of the Day.
cnport Press on Muscatinc and her interests.