Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1872-03-20
NARROW GCAGE ROAD.

SS ShNVAAoASS ~ tCUuAO tu0 I'M |
rILLIoENCER for what it's last issue /.
contained in reference to the above
pirate eatc1prise. 1t denounccs our !
article IA un uuwarranted attack
upon the men who compose the ring .
VI this embryo speculation. and then
proceeds - lecture us after this fasl-
ion:
There arc, however. class ofjour-
mails i'll ;he'country, who oppose every ,
public enterprise, not by argument.
but by traducing and defining the
men CONNECTED with them. While tho
questions VI the expectancy OF the
enterprise, aud the policy Of public
subscription. nre open ones. to be dis
russcd aud determined, such discuss
ion should be addressed TO the judy
Incni Of the vuiers, and based upon
reasons and facts submitted: and
such Wholesale defamation of charac-
ter as that INDUCED in By the
lntcl;igencer. is unfoundcd i'll fact and
unwarrantable."
Yes, aud there Is another class of
Journals which turn aside from ,lr
high field of independent journalism,
urd forfeit the respect and confidence
Of all homes, public, hy setting them
1ci.- up u the scrvilc mnuthpicccs
and defenders Of railroad rings. and
whisky corners. Such papers and the
~ Nst --,srsSs --l.x t.r
who. at The bare suggestion of somc
Spectator or needy ~ndvcnturcr, are
ready Ia spin out column editorials
in favor of any scheme. however wild
.nd imrracticahlr, have been the
bane OF this portion "f our State.
The people of Lafayette. Jackson and
Cass counties would never have been
imposed upon as they hav" been by
their county courts. and by what the
Times calls public enterprises (morc
appropriately termed pirate S"in-
dicS.) had the press done it's duty by
culightening the people AMI exposing.
in.tehd of aiding and abctting the
riilainies that have been practirrd.
\ system Of ih,ii'ori robbery of the
people could not have been Inaugural,
ted and, carried out ins these three
counties, had the papers. instead OF
lending their aid''to every wild cat
corporation," given more time ant
attention to watching, critici>ins anf
exposing the corrupt conduct "ftheil
county officials. But these progress
i've journals havcllcccivcd the people
from personal friendship or mcrcc
nary motives. advocated roads tina
have no merit. defended railroad
rings and connivcd at the dishonest,
Of county courts. The result is cnor
nous swindlcs, and a large number
of unfinished pnJfc enterprises oil
hand.
Only a few days ago the mor
optics of the X. &. Times were
greatly enlarged at the Cass count,
disclosure. 1t. sensitive soul shranl
Lack in "holy horror" al this Srca
bond swindle. 1t gave cndlcs, his
torical details in regard to the tran,
action, and furnished its reader
choice biographical sketches Of all .i'
actors. 1t denounced Stevenson ant
Forsv,.,e, the two r~ascaliy judges. an'
bcichrd out u whole column o "pa
thv.ic. slup' over the suicide u
higgins. In every way its mora
feelings overlooked in the mos
gushing mauner, and every readc
would have said here are unmistaka
be evidences Of honest and indcpcl
dent journalism. After such express
ions Of virolous indignation. could
he believed that one ofthe proprietor
Of this same journal spent weeks a
Jefferson. City in defending an
keeping in power the Lafavrtt
rouity court, fully as corrupt rs Thu
of Csss, and guilty of ali act sinila
10 the one that got the Cass count
judges into trouble. And yet this
l. an absolute fact, and this mcdGlcson
journal, not satisfied with dcicndit
abuses ut home, has given its Influcnr
10 perpctuatc wrongs i'll nciShborir
counties. In our Journalistic dutl
VIC need advice, but its influence up'
ms depends u great deal upon VIII
quarter it comes from, aud we Won
srg:yst to that paper the old prove
PLUCK the beam from your " c
and t!:cn you can remove the III"
frori our eve. As to the NarrO
Gua1e enterprise we stand by VIII
VT aid. When we charge the III
connected with il Il. being bon
kxnters we mean that they have tho
private interest to subscrve. TIL
expect to realize noney out of I
Investment, and however l!Onoral
NAV be their standing now, W" &.
that with the strong temptation
REGULATION. which all such cntcrprie
p~r"scnt, 1t l. dangerous for I'll" pr"l
TO rubscr'bc stock. But ever il
affairs Of the road arc managed vi
the strictcst integrity, there il a!rnt
al absolate certainty that the pcol
will ultimately lose the stock su
scribcd. This is the history Of 9th
roads in Missouri, Of much grca,
public ability, and which 'promis
TAR larger. profits than the y. q.
What has become Of the pcopi
stockton the NORTH Missouri and
Lexington Il st. 5o.epiK. H.: Lo
What dividend. win they ever real
from their large i~nvest1uen,s in ,
J@<.'& ST. Louis. The money =,
scribesi to all these roads ha. bc.
or will be, lost to the people. rh,
facts alone, aud the -cckl.,x >.
G!shonsLt management ofti,e rai,r,
corporations in ihi. portion Of
State shsuIi teach them the folly
insdnesA Of lending aid to any en-
prise iJo y e much merit ina,
claimed for IL.
II the people Of jackson cor
wish 10 build = road bcfw zen 4
TendSnee and Kansas City, We !
10 objections I o urge against g..