Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1886-01-23

ne GILL Oh COdts LUZ
,,ors once frozen ont, what Will take
place then. Still cheaper coal, we sup
pose. AS the example Of vigorous
.Isnouage is set us, ma we not be per-
to denominate this cheap coal
dodge as the thinnest kind OF bosh.
We like to see the ne%cessaries of life
se,I as cheaply as a reasonable COM
pensation to labor and capital per-
nit: but when the Lexington Coal
Company breaks down prices in han-
sas CITY from a rate that vas too high
to one which is, by the figures OF their
own agents, lower than the cost of pro-
duction, and the railroad company at the
same time puts up the rates OF freight to
a price that other operators cannot reach
the inference is so plain hat he who
runs NAV read. The effect is already
upon us in practically closed mines
and in idle Miners. Continued, the
further effect will be to reduce the price
of digging the coal, and the cheap coai
in Kansas City will be furnished at h
expense of the workingman in Lexing-
ton.
Now, what does the Intelligencer
want? Fair dealing. Nothing more;
nothing less.
1t wants to see the railroad do well.
It wants to see the Lexington Coal
Company more than double its business,
and make money.
1t wants to see the private operators
have a living chance to more than
double their business, and to make
money.
In all three of the above desires 1t is
90 much in earnest that it would inf
nitely rather have them come about
peacefully, tremendously and pleasant
w.. 1t deprecates anything like un-
necessary harshness of language; any,
thing like vindictive spirit. But, IT
there is to be war, the Intelligencer is
anlisted for the whole crusade, Il
there will be no uncertainty as to It's
views.
Our complaint lies in a nut shell. For
four wears the Missouri Pacific railroad,
voluntarily, gave a rate OF 90 cents per
ton from Lexington to Kansas City
the Wabash at the same time was CIV
ing a rate of 80 cents for a .greater dis
lance, and paying toll over the Kansas
CITY bridge. These rates were thought
, adequate by both companies, until theS
had a special purpose to subserVe o'
, raising them, when they put them W
Is cents on this side of the river, ant
% cents on the other; and advanced
rates to more distant points as high al
, s. cents per ton. If coal was higher
p that might be claimed to be only a TAI
, division of profits, but instead OF tina
, thew at The same time break down tn
, rrice of coal. We think these measure
lunwise, unfair, unnecessary and pre1u
dicial to the interests of Lexington ant
the adjacent coal field, and Mr.. Davis
so far IS we can see, has utterly faile'
to show us why they are not So ant
:, his assertion that there is no attempt I
freeze out our private operators Is uh
sustained by a single reason based upo'
q fact. No one here was making wa
upon either the railroad or h cos
company. Our columns every wee
~contained friendly notices of the latter
& But i'm raising the freight rates, even
= within the law (Which was not passe
y when we were in the legislature), tn
e railroad company declared war again'
u the private operators, and it is no us
III for them or their advocates to plead tt
E. baby act and say that they did moi
5 that if they have hurt them they dl
u not mean to do it; that is all fudge, an
: will deceive nobody. The railroa
Is company itself has sense enough not
e enter such a plea.
D We note Mr.. Davis threat, which
. it e anything means that a col
u tinuance of the defense of b rights
private operators here will be met
Vi retaliatory measures against b exte
y sion of coal mining at Lexington, b
fe nobody would hold the people of II
q, place in greater contempt than Won
Mr.. Davis could they be deferred fro
.e doing what they think Is right by a
such means.
In conclusion we reiterate. that I
railroad company will do we'll to
"S trace its steps. Even emperor's ma
NC mistakes, else Napoleon would neI
" have met with his Waterloo. /
" power extended over all Europe at Q
49, time, and judiciously used could ne7
I'll have been broken. But ambition, pri'
* and a naughty spirit brought him 10
es' and, even in a country where corport
ny Influence is being reared into a pow
he greater than it has ever before reacl
The in the history of the world, the PEG
as are still intelligent enough not to
I'd. elsily deceived, and brave enou
has knowing themselves wronged to ri
ave themselves.
ain -
CHI. President Cleveland, in conversat
no. with a republican senator said,
me Tuesday:-"I am led to believe tina
ion minority of your body intend insist
ere that l shall give my reasons for 8
so, pending an ofice-holder at the tim
= nominate his successor. must intt
nds vou that | shall do nothing of the Ri
no. Nominations are made by and "