Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1886-03-27

LOckhart. Maria l.. richardson, Ellen
E. Richardson, Mrs. j. Nj. Seawell,
Minnie B. Bailey. Eta G. Lockhart,
Mrs. Lineback, Mrs. Isaac Braden,
Mrs. Cook, Mrs. Casteel, Miss Rosa
Casteel, Mrs. Il. S. Woodard, Mrs. NJ.
G. Goodwin, Mrs. E. A. Jacobs, Mrs.
E. "A. Corse, Miss X. X. Duck and
others.
We regret that the very worthy and
well-meaning ladies whose views we
present above should prefer to scold
rather than to argue. We see nothing
in our article which is uugenerous;
We certainly intended nothing unkind,
and we know OF nothing in journalistic
ethics which requires us to be invited
to criticise public measures, publicly
discussed in courthouse. If our lady
friends cannot see the relevancy of
that phase of state prohibition which
we applied to their case we cannot
help it; its applicability is nevertheless
patent. We said nothing of party
measures or party fealty, nor did we
think of any such thing. We did not
mean to impute cowardice to our cor
Respondents; but even the brave may
be braver. We freely admit that they
have been making good fight; they
will hardly claim that they have done
all that may be done. Ringing the
changes on definitions of words is
hardly worth while. We are fairly
well informed as to the meaning of
every word in our article, and see none
that hive been mlsused. We are glad
our friends anticipated us in efforts to
educate and elevate the negroes. If,
as IS alleged, the principal trouble
comes from them, we think this the
wise course. Evidently, however,
there is still something to do, as the
desired purpose has not been accom-
plished. AS TO saloons i'm Lexington
we think there are too many. We do
not think the entire adjustment OF
licensed saloons would minimize drink
ing. In Atchison, Kas., the prohibi-
ttontsts are now asking for the licens-
ing of six or eight saloons, in order to
prevent much larger number from
running unlicensed. With the shift
ing population that we have here it
may be long time before licensed
saloons can safely be abolished. In
Wellington where there is less of that
kind OF population it may be done
sooner. We hope so; and we are
ready to do allin our power to aid the
cause; but we believe from a long
study of the subject that it will never be
done effectually until it is accomplish
ed by the sentiment of the people of
the place itself Our critics say two
very hard things of us-first that we
have made no effort to evangelize in
these columns; second, that we are
not temperance man. What excuse
they had for persOnalizing us in these
statements we do not know. No per-
sonal reflection was made against any
one i'll our article. AS to our temper
ance of word aud habit our life must
speak for that. The compliment to the
politics OF the paper Is a poor recon.
pense for the denial that the InteIligen.
Ger has been as earnest all advocate of
morality, religion, purity, honesty as
1t has ever been of democracy. l. is
true we PRINT secular paper; never
theless, either we arc blind and know
not what we do, or our critics do us an
injustice. But let that pass; very likely
we have not done all the good that we
should; still we maintain that we are
friend to the cause of temperance;
we earnestly desire to aid in reducing
the evils Of intemperance to a mini
mum. If by our fiat we could exter-
inmate alcohol from the face of the
earth the edict should 90 forth at once.
We have fought free whisky in these
columns until we were called prohi-
bltionist and we are ready to do it
again; but we know whereof we
speak when we say, that there is only
one way to Danish the sale of liquor
from a community, and that is by local
option; anything else is delusion
and a snare. 1t was only to emphasiz.
this idea, not to cast any kind of re-
Election upon the ladies engaged in this
movement that we wrote. II they dis
card every ally that thinks as we do on
this point, and stigmatize them as no
friends to temperance, repelling them
instead OF seeking their aid, it seems
to us that they will weaken their cause
rather than strengthen it. There are
other species of intemperance beside
that OF drink. Still our duty will
always remain the same, and as in the
past so in the future our columns will
be found open to every word that our
friends at Wellington have TO say for
this or any other good purpose.