Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1882-06-24
THAT ROTATION" MOVEMENT.

this county was q ''masquerading move
msnt" for the reason that we believed it
to be really a raid upon n man-Mr.
VIM. b. Steele. How near we were
right Is shown by the communication
of a reliable gentleman, which ap'
pears in this issue. OF course having
launched the %projectile which is intend
ed to bisect MIR. Steele's political anat'
omy, aud make of him what Mr.. Manta-
liui so graphically spoke of as q "demnl'
ton, damp, d~isagreeable body" they
must, to be consistent, fight everybody
else who is q candidate for a third
term. but II, seems to vi none the less
true. that, from various motives, the
movement which we are implored not
to call the t'John Catron movement
but which nevertheless seems to have
great deal of Mr.. Catron abont 1t. was
inaugursted primarily to defeat Mr.
Steele for reelection.
In our discussion Of this matter We
wish it distinctly understood that we
mean no disrespect to Mi. Catron. His
right to differ from The Intelligencer Il
an in~contestable one. We are not the
keeper Of his conscience, or the autocral
of his opinion. This is q free country,
where men may think tor themselves.
and speak their views without restraint
when couched in becoming language.
We have no fault to find with Mr. Cat
ron for what he has said regarding US,
but, we submit, it is childish IN his
friends to raise an outcry against US
for "personalizing" him aud them,
when they in public meeting (even if
there were only four votes for the prop
osltion) submit anu pass q re solution
condemning the mrs OF the Intelligent
Ger OH a public question. 4
We certainly seem to have made no
mistake IN what we SAID. We stated
that the movement was unfortunate In
its leader because he would be, whether
Justly or unjustly. accused rather OF
zeal to defeat Mr.. Steele than OF desire
to vindic.ts a principle. because that
gentleman had done what 10 him lay to
prevent the paymen. of certain bonds.'
in which Mr.. Catron was Interested, at
dollar for dollar. Mr.. Catron's subse-
quent admissions, we think, prove that
we were right. Again; we are upbraid-
ed for declaring Mr.. Catron to be the
leader OF the movement. We fail to see
the force Of the objection. He was the
chairman of the meeting We were dis
cussimg. We did not make him 80; it
was done by those concerned, and we
had previously been informed that he
had been active III securing speakers
for the occasion. II he, then, was not
its leader, who was?
When Mr.. Lewis p. Green withdrew
from his candidacy against Mr.. Steele
he assured US that he did so because he
saw that he was being supported BY an
element that was not in hearty
with the democracy OF the
county, by persons who were not the
true friends of u people OF the county.
and by bitter republican psrtsans.
There is no truer democrat in the coun-
lothian is Mr.. Green, and he SAID he
could not stand the situation. and de-
cllned further to antagonize Mr.. Steele
in The canvass. No one who respects
his word will venture to say that Nj.
Green. was in any way clustered off by
MIR. Steele's friends, for nothing
oil the kind was done. Mr.. Steele's
enemies will hardly say that Mr.. Green
had no chance OF election. and hence
withdrew, because they were the identi-
cal persons who encouraged him aud
assured him that he could be and would
be elected. We refrain here from CON-
mending Or condemning Mr. Green's
action, as we merely relate it as an in
cident in the long-continued war that
has been made upon Mr.. Steele. We
do not say to the people. elect OF reject
Mr.. Steele. The Inteliigencer is for
the choice of the democratic voters at
the primary election next month, " beth.
er that be he or any other man, but it
is a democratic newspaper of the kind
tina. always supports democratic admin.
istration when it Is honest and worthy,
and conducted in the best interest of
the people. and we dc not propose that
coavert attacks upon the county admin
istration shall pass by without On effort
On u part to let the public know the
bottom facts /; and this not now, with the
present men in Office. but always, at any
time. with any democrats whom the
majority OF the party may select IS ,ts
standard bearers.
The four gentlemen who voted for the
resolutions at the meeting yer which
MI. Catron presided censured the Intel.
ligencer. Well and good. They had a
right to DO SO. 1t is our turn, how ever,
as it is q privilege and right. to cen.
sure these gentlemen tor inaugurating
u movement which, it it had been persis.
ted in as it was first designed, would
have been revolutionary and disorgan.
izing. So far this purpose has. ate
three attempts, ingloriously failed. and
we are glad Of tive meant the nomina.
ton of a slate, by a packed convention,
prior to the duly and legally authorized
primary election. July %, and design.
ed to influence its result.
We hold that such action would
have been no more and no less than tn,
organization within the democratic par
ty of Lafayette county of a Tammany-
a society intended to control the part,
inside OF the party. That is what Tam
many Is. That is what this thing woult
have been had it succeeded. Its leader
would have been the '.bosses," diets
ting for whom the otherwise ire
and untramneled democrats {
Lafayette county should vote. We ca
it packed" because the invitation to a,
is not to all democrats, but only to den
ocrats who subscribe to the views of til
leaders ot this particular movement
As it is there are no "bosses'' in the pa
ty, no dictators Of men or policies. N
convention has been called to |
managed by politicians. but the who
party every man in It who is entitled