Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1886-04-24
THERE Is STILL A FREE PRESS.

Higginsville Post, Il republican news
paper, from the Sedalia Bazoo:
cit is a noticeable fact that the DEM
ocratic daily PAPERS OF Missouri have
arrayed themselves Oh the side of the
strikers, viz: St. Louis Republican,
Kansas City Times, St. Joseph Gazette
and Sedalia Democrat (mugwump).
The republican dailies, viz: Globe
Democrat, Springfield Herald, Kansas
City Journal and st. Joseph Herald,
have espoused the cause Of law n
order. The democratic party OF Mis-
souri, has survived a long list of blund-
ers, but if it gels through with TINS
one successfully the Bazoo expects it
has nine lives, like the average feline"
1t is putting it mildly to speak of this
paragraph as nonsense. The implied
assertion that the democratic dallles
'have espoused the cause Of lawless-
ness is untrue; they have done nothing
of the kind; on the contrary, they
have in no instance failed to de-
nounce all lawlessness and to warn
the knights of Labor against anything
like disorder even. If it is a crime to
sympathize with the honest efforts OF
labor to ameliorate its condition they
are guilty of that crime, in common
with all that is democratic in name and
sentiment. insofar g the Knights OF
Labor ask for class privileges or class
legislation, should they eve do so, the
democratic party will oppose them, as
it mas always opposed all class distinc-
| tons; but whenever and wherever the
laboring people of this country seek
their lawful, fair and just rights against
the combined railroad magnate class
of the Gould type, they will find the
democratic press and the democratic
party at their back, from president
down.
There are capitalists and capitalists.
The Gould class of capitalists is the
bane and the curse of this country, the
greatest danger that threatens the per-
petuity of our form of government. Its
power, built up into colossal proper
tions which reach from ocean to ocean,
ramifies eveSy community, and is ready
to be used, scrupulously if maybe but
unscrupulously if necessary. 1t com
prehends agencies from the church to
the devil-all that money .ican buy or
influence from clerical robes to the NO.
man in scarlet. Is it any wonder, then,
that the masses, who pay for all this
saturnalia of wrecked railroads, wa
tered stock, corrupted legislatures,
venal courts and paid agents, should
become FESTIVE, and that the servants
of the monopOlies who most directly
feel the grinding heel of oppression
should become aggressive? All this
does not justify violence or lawlessness
of any description ; as we have so Of
ten said, two wrongs can never make
a right; but neither can one of two
wrongs be whitewashed into a right
| by denunciation of all who oppose it
as outlaws, or the abettors of out
laws.
No doubt Mr.. Gould and his class
have rights. 1t is a great pity that
they do not more respect the rights of
others.
No newspaper in this country has
treated the strike, and all questions
which have grown out of it, from high
er or more independent ground than
has the St. Louis Republican. 1t has
criticized both sides freely, and Its edi-
torial articles upon the subject have
been able, convincing and comprehen-
sive. The Kansas City Times may
have leaned a little more toward the
strikers, but it has never ~countenanced,
much less advised recourse to violence.
The Gould influences chuckle while
they tell us that Warder was defeated
for mayor because of the Times course
on the strike, which is simply rubbish.
Warder was defeated tor the highest
executive position in Kansas City be-
cause he is its poet laureate. Imagine
Tennyson applying for Gladstone's
place; or our OWL poet laureate con-
descending to woodenize his crown OF
laurel into a mayors gavel! If the
Times influence is to be measured by
the result OF the recent election it was
successful, in that it secured the cleo
ton of fifteen democrats out of the
twenty places that were filled.
The Intelligencer believes that the
strike was foolishly begun, without
sufficient cause; it does not believe in
the boycott as either a wise or an effec-
tive weapon in this country. Because
it disagrees with the Knights of Labor
in general upon these points, is no rea-
son why it should not agree with them
in a demand which we believe to be
just, the demand that their grievances
shall be heard and adjsdicated by ar
bitration. Upon this phase Of the ques-
ton Messrs. Gould and Hoxie have as
sumed what has we'll been denominated
a top-loftlcal attitude; they presume to
place their corporation upon a pinnacle
that the government does not occupy ;
and themselves upon an eminence
higher than that upon which President
Cleveland stands. The constitution of
the United States guarantees the right
of petition. This right is not confined
to the individual; it may be exercised
by the people IN peacea6le assembly.
Mr.. Gould and his ~lieutenants say, that
they will hear the complaints of strik-
ers in their employ, individually, but
if they assemble as knights of Labor
they refuse to entertain their CON-
plants.
The railroad managers claim the
right to assemble, first in corporations,
and then as corporations in pools
They send agents of these corporations
and pools to influence legislatures and
5 congresses. Suppose these bodie:
, should assume to deliver themselves
from the persecution of these agents
e not only by denying them a hearing
l but by the only effectual means of put
n ting them in Jail, by law, of course
5 what would Mr.. Gould say of such
5 proceeding as that?
e We neal a good deal, nowadays
:, abOut demaoopy. Stick a min in fiji