Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1883-03-03
THE iNTELLIGENoER's TH1R.
TENTH YEAR.

Our readers will observe that this
mornings Inteiligencer is volume ID,
number /. In other words, this issua
Is the first in the thirteenth year of the
existence of the paper. We are not in
the habit OF Boosting of its merits. its
circulation Is IL -iaeasaca. rs: Las
the one or the other, we, as a fasses
leave them to be discovered by others.
But 10 this beginning of our newspa-
per year 1t may o be amiss 10 cay a
rev words about the paper, its stand
ing, Its work and how it Is received by
its constituency.
Originally the paper was establish
ed to do battle in the interest Of the
against the extravaganza of the
county administration, and especially
against the Increase Of the bonded
debt. In all phases Of this trouble
some question since, 1t has done loyal
service for the best interests of the
people. Politically It has been true to
democratic teachings. while never
sparing proper criticisn Of democratic
officials high or low. In q moral and
point of view it has bad no
pharisaical pr~etsnsions of virtue with
iu itself, but it has never been asham-
cd 10 avow its belief IN Christian
tenets, aud that the only SAFETY Of the
republic lies in conserving religion,
virtue and morality. 1t has sndeavor-
ed to build up the good and destroy
the evil; to encourage virtue aud to
condemn vice, wherever found.
Asanswspaper it has not sought to be
above it, real sphere of country journ-
alism. nor has it found any theme too
grand or too far away from the comPrs-
hsnsion of its readers to bs treated in ito
columns. Recognizing that it cannot ill
the place of a metropolitan daily journ-
al. giving all the news ofths day, it has
made the rule that it will first present
all the news of Lafayette county that
can be collated by industry and vigil
lance, aud as much general intelligence
40 can find place in its columns beside.
1t 10 our pride that the columns Of tho
paper have been such an spitoms of
Lafayette county affairs as no other
paper has ever before long continued
to present. Whatever news incidents
occur in the county; whatever laws.
court proceedings, records. or other
important matters affect the people Of
Lafayette county, these it 10 our con-
slant care to search out aud print for
their information. The paper was
once commended by . competent critic
who had occasion to look over its files
by his saying that 1t contained more
history of the county than any journal
of its class he had ever 1t is our
purpose to deserve this compliment.
Almost all the writing and proof
reading upon the paper are done by
one man. The consequence Is. that he
has no leisure to prepare ed.
iiorial articles with tho care which he
would like to give them. E .sy writ
fng, it is said, makes hard reading. II
more time could be taken the literary
merit of the work presented from week
TO week could easily be improved. it's
sincerity and candor, however. would
be no greater.
1t has cen our particular desire dur
ing the ' years that we have had
control Of the paper to make for it a
reputation Tor reliability and fairness.
With that rare old man Dr.. D. r.
McAually before us as a type We have
endeavured to win tho confidence Of
u readers by the exercise of candor
and truth. Whatever errors we have
committed; whatever shortcomings
may be charged to rs Whatever faults
o fjudgmsnt; it cannot be said that We
have ever Intentionally deceived our
readers upon . single issue or fact.
What we believe we say; what we ap-
prove We advocate. and what We con.
denim WI dsnounce, and this regard
less of whether 1t be In n party Of
another, one denomination or another.
ono individual or another. So long ~
We are upheld in the expression of q
honest opinions, 80 long we shali glory
In journalism. . profession which We
love and honor. When 1t becomes
to pretend to views which
we do not possess, to misrspresent our
or to distort facts iu order
to sustain ourselves, then we shall be
ready to renounce the pen for some
other avenue of employment.
But no such contingency is likely to
arise. The Intelligencer has found
that an honest endeavor to perform q
duty is always responded to by a gen.
erous support. Without any effort to
drum up subscribers our subscription
list Is one OF the largest IN the state,
and maintains itself 20. There 10 no
corner or nook Of the county In which
the paper has not . general circulation,
and its circulation outside Of the coun.
ty is large. Our advertising patronage.
at much the highest rates obtained by
any paper In the county, 10 steady, and
nearly ii not quite all that it should be.
The most extensively prepared coun-
try weekly in the state. in amount oil
type set week In aud week out. out.
side and inside, We have succeeded 20
far as to never lose money. II We have
not made much.
That We have pleased everybody w
do not pretend. We do not desire to
do SO. There are many people whose
appreciation would causs Us immedi
atcly to suspect ourselves of some greasy
Shiny meanncss. We have made a lew
enemies. We are proud of it. w
| feel fully as much honored in GU
enemies as we do in u friends. w
Know most OF them, aud can labe
their grievances. All good people "
desire TO love aud be loved by. Tt
other sort may 60. That the Intelli
gencer has the confidence OF the peopl
of the county is every day attested {,
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