Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1885-11-21
THE SHORT LINE.

THE SHORT LINE.
We still think the Post is acting the
part of the dog in the manger toward
the Short Line road. In its issue OF this
week it says:-"The c., B. & q. rail-
road will he built with the company's
own money. Not a dollar is to be
raised by private subscription. The
Short Line (5)' expects assistance oy
individual subscription. The one road
is a certainty, the other is-well, what
is it2 Who can tell?"
In another place it remarks:-"Ths
(the c., B. & o. then, we think, is
the road that every citizen of the coun-
ty should strive to secure, and not
waste time and effort in working for a
road the building of which is so prob
lematical that it may safely be asserted
that it will never be built. There is no
urgent, no present necessity for the
road, and railroads do not usually 60
where they are not needed"
Tho Post didn'tssy this a few months
ago when it was throwing up its cap
for the road and claiming that it must
come by way of Higginsville. What
has wrought . change in the spirit OF
its dreams? This:-"HigginsviNe has
no chance Of getting that road, eren in
the erent that it IS buiH, and so we have
no occasion to antagonize any interests
that our sister city may have in it."
Then why antagonize them? Why
try to make it appear that there is nc
need for the road aud that it is wrong
to ask for aid? The C.. & A. was q
parallel east and west road and it asked
tor aid In the very same way, and vet
its preferred stock is worth 81 81 and
it's common stock something like 81 IS
And there Is still room for and a neces'
sity for q grand, through road, direct
from St. Louis to Kansas City, thirty
miles shorter chan any existing line ant
with . maximum grade of rs feet less
Such road, properly managed, will b
ever more valuable than the G. Il A.
which il an excellent road.
But the Post has been guilty of
grosser departure from fairness thai
in the quotations above. It, said las
week, In criticising the statement tina
'the officers of the company are feeling
confident of success in their undertak'
ing:"-"'ConHdent of success in thei
undertaking. Why, Of course. VIII!
shouldn't they feel confident of success
They started out to make a survey
and a lIsle money. They are making
the latter right, along, aud no ON
doubts their ability to finish the forme
lit the money holds out. But tn
railrosd-whoW build thatR Aye
there's the rub.'"
Now, we submit, that statement con
tains q libel on the officers of the com
pany, who are gentlemen of unimpeach
able integrity and who did not start GU
as is intimated to make q little none.
out of the survey Mr.. Williams
Gen. Guitar, Mr.. Cordell, and MI
Steele from our own county, are no
men to 60 into . scheme to make
little money in that way. Persons VIII
are themselves without honorable III
stincts often falsely accuse honest people
from whom they differ,of base motives
but an honorable man will not do 80
We hope, therefore, that our contem
porary, for his own sake, will disavov
any such intent. as his words reall
convey. As Q matter of fact the Shor
Line is in the hands of strong, honest
competent men, Missouri men, HON
men. There is a great demand for tn
road. Its connections, east and wes'
would be powerful ones. Its locs
traffic would be immense. 1t woul
pay better than any railroad in Mis-
souri,. Hence the road is certain to b
built. Why, then, should our neighbo
throw cold water upon the project
depreciste its utility: impugn the me
tives of Its officers; deprecste its pla
OF action; and, In fine, act toward
the part of the dog In the manger !?
Missouri is a great state and it
soon to become greater. 1t is sure t
be grid-ironed with railroads in the net
future, and one of tho best of its roa(
will be the Short Line,