Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1877-07-07
Ls==ls1EA,

--~-'os=S<ai ---s==---=nS<ai
and county, and his name is lesion
We have hundreds Of him r.<E.ms
thousands OF him in Missouri 'TaU Of
MN anu ne has great contempa ior the
press and well he may, after il has en-
doraed him. These men are th,. deadly
"l tree press. They are
worse pest than the !ocUstS which. hav-
In@ dev"uvcd every green thing, take
wings ana iiy away, for them we have
with us always, To our woe.
he press should declare and maintain
With steady resolve It's entire indepep-
deAce Oi these men, for they are para
SITES !iVlng Upon it only to destroy il, as
the VINE Kills the stately OAK 20 which
II E'!h9s Ill utter dependence Cast them
Oh remand them to the obScuritv from
WHICH theE would never have emerged
|" curse The land, had not your brains
ih" your money assisted themaud priu-
l"'- mn gwen them an undcServed and
oahelul hotoTcty. This done. and these
men, receiving no Countcnance ard
support IRON the press would disap-
pear from the meetings and conveu-
h"He ol our parties, and from the polls
WIN All thcir wire Workers, strikers and
ha"ot-b"N->iultcrS. giving place to hon
e>l deserving men IN office. To capacity
an" industry III our state legislatures and
/" 'ta'rsnIan>llIp III our national couu-
cIo- know vel. that this will be no
easy W"rh and that II Is not one To- be
accomplished IN Il day. but in the Ian
gHtg" at the old revolutionary patriot
when he urged the declaration OF the
nntInn freedom, ii Is worth all the toll
ahd danger. The work Is indeed already
h"gun. In nearly all the larger cities
there i one rmurc journals which have
iep"iiated party slavery and assert their
independence of dictatiOn. Nor is this
the ctsc only i'll the .argc cities, but the
same restless spirit is growing wherever
the types click, and it will continue to
%ruw, trust,un we have 4 free press.
An" then we may safely answer the
question. tor a free press will be the ed
ucator Of the people, a political guide
leading int" no Blind paths the bulwalk
pi the people freedom and the custod-
an Of the CUuntry'S honor. When this
dciIN GRANGE from the blightng contact
and control OF dcmagugues and impu-
/ dent place seekers shall! be elected, in
| dependence in al else will be speedily
added. Tor mOnOpo.ics can not exist
without their agents, the political bum
nrrS At the poll, and in our lcgi> utive
halls; the destruction of one leads to
the death OF the uthcr; united in lite. in
deaththcy shall not be parted And look
u The country press tor 4 greater eNnibi-
ton Ut thi, independence ui thought
and action than we shall have in the city
dH..!es, because the former vii. more
nearly represent the people, they will
| b" voices directly from the homes and
! AcaTtM>tDne>; WIuwct by combinations,
! uncHntrO.Icd Ly !ntrIgues. uncUrrupted
! nN selfish and arrogant exercise OF pow
! cr. 10 al Oi which evil influences the
! c!tN press vi. be more or less subjected
the country press will speak by authori-
! y tor tho people. become eXemplars OF
! pu.Itlca! morals and the arbtcrs of pol
ihc;sl destiuic>. am not enthusiast
| enough 10 believe that We shall realize
a. 'H'' IN our generation, but il we but
90 our part 'ho"~ Who come after US
viii take up the work aud it viii Ina ,il-a
| freedom battle which, once Isgun
"i.r4""a'hsL IRON bieeiln2 IRE to -on.
though haiic'i ult l. ever Won 80
| Why gentlemen. though column upon
/ column and volume upon volume have
been written upon the power OF 4 free
and pare press. though orators have
| dwr.t upon thi, theme with lofty thought
and burning words. though poet has en-
| >hrinrd il in verse and clothed il with
music. It's potency for good has never
been overraled. 1t is moral force. I
| power partaking Of the attributes OF the
truth which it ever champions, and its
triunphs vii. widen and multiply as the
c!rc.ing wears bring TO man increased
knowledge. and to al the nations OF the
earth a higher and purcr civilization.