Clarksville evening chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn) 1886-1890, 1889-02-15

Ihh' kOCS t{tsoS: on LOOK WIldG
consider an ID ir advantage of me,
and published a private letter of
mine, endeavoring thereby TO ridicule
me before your readers. OF course
you still have advantage of me in
having paper at your disposal, but
another city paper has kindly con-
sented to give me space to better ex-
plain my position before the people,
and leave them to say whether you
or have made ourselves most ride
ulous.
| surely had a right to stop any
paper was taking. You have too
much sense to jump on me for that.
1t was the reason / assigned which
hurt you SO much, and / must have
tread on your toes severely, indeed,
to have brought forth such pitiful
whine. Your allusion to the ''cruel
blow" and your ability to sustain
life till blackberry season, was not
justified by any insinuation of mine.
| knew you did not need money, did
not care for it in fact, and why try to
dodge the main point by showing
your wit in this line? The truth is
patent, Mr.. Progress, that you over
stepped the bounds of decent journal
ism, and are making a mighty effort
to convince your readers that you are
only keeping abreast of the times.
The fact that you mention the
names Of a few journals which
published the article in question,
in order, as you write "to please the
various tastes of the people," is no
justification for your doing so, unless
you desire to please the taste of a
very depraved set Of people. Under
stand me, Mr.. Progress, I do not
think it would have been at all out
of place to have spoken of the scandal
in brief and commonplace manner,
but to devote two columns of a small
evening paper toit, giving all the
details, and using language that ex-
presses the most vulgar and revolving
features of the case, was altogether
unnecessary, and if you need any
further proof that you did pass the
bounds of decency, you have only to
look at the manner in which cur
other city papers spoke of it. They
perhaps know what is progressive
and journalistic as well as you do.
They were here in business long be-
fore you were dreamed of, and they
will be here long after your "Prog-
ress' is dead and forgotten. Are you
going to come down here from the
metropolis of Todd County, KY, and
by one mighty stroke of your giant
pen, teach these veterans in the cause
a new science? Convince them they
are behind the times? That they
do not please a sufficient variety of
tastes? "Better 60 slow, young
feller.p
Does a man necessarily have to be
''pious'' and 'holy,' simply because
he does not wish trashy, low and in
decent publications to be read by his
children? The veriest man of the
world might desire to keep from the
minds of pure and innocent children,
to the last possible moment, every
thing that could lead their thoughts
to dwell on such demoralizing sub
jects. Oh, no, Mr.. Progress, lay no
claim to "piety." | wish I might.
But | am perfectly willing that you
should put me down, as you say, in
"cold type" to be known by the
present, as we'll as future generations,
as one who protests against your
style of journalism, for it differs from
the obscene literature, the publica-
ton of which is prohibited by law,
only in the fact that yours is founded
on fact, while the latter is founded
on fiction, and of course the govern
ment cannot suppress the mention of
facts through the columns of the
press, and, therefore, your immunity
from danger.
Now, be honest and admit that
you believe it pays better to pander
to depraved and vitiated taste, and
every one will at least give You
credit for telling the truth.
CLAY STACKER.
Feb. 10, 1889.