Blue-grass blade., 1891-11-07
What a Lexington Lady says
About the Blade Going on.

Wnat n Lexington Lady says
About the Blade Going On.
LEXINGTON, KY, Sept. 81.
Mr.. and Mrs. Moore.
DEAR FRIENDs.-I gather from
the last weeks Blade, that another
crisis in its history is approaching
on the twentieth of the month.
The Blade stop! Don't think
of it; don't speak of it. The very
idea sends the cold chills down
my spine. To stop the Blade
now would be to set the hands on
the dial of progress back for fifty
years in Kentucky.
1t would be to spike the one gun
of free thought and free speech, we
have in the commonwealth, it
would be to turn over the helpless
and disparing wives and children,
victims of the liquer traffic, to the
enemy.
1t would be to throw away all
the posts that have been won.
Don't talk about any other pa
per or any other man to edit it.
L believe every man and woman
who knows Lexington aud Ken
lucky, and the present situation.
will bear me out in saying that
there is but one man born on the
planet to-day, who can do it.
For the love of humanity don't
turn back now when you have
done so much.
l have been lately reading to
my children child's history of
the United States. AS l went
over the early struggle, the despe-
rate hopeless struggle of the great
George, and the rest of them, /
said to myself. our fight is moth
ing to theirs. The odds are for
us as compared with theirs. and
yet they Won; and We snail win.
Every where l see signs of the
Blades influence cropping out.
Say what they will it is, more
or less a terror; and it is a good
thing when evil doors are made
afraid. 1t is good thing when
men feel that watch is set upon
them, by somebody who will give
their doings to the world. AL
ready l feel cool: strong, purify
ing wind sweep through our court
house, andthe various ens,political
and otherwise, and it emanates
from the Blade.
But the money; is that the rub?
Now Bro. Moore don't be vexed
with me, but l have told you be-
fore that this elijah and the ra-
vens' plan will not work in 81.
1t is impracticable; it is un-
suited to the present condition of
things. 1t might do for Bellamy's
year 1000, but it will not work
in 81.
Men are selfish; they will not
pay for a paper that they really
want unless they have to.
Why should not you as well as
anyother, work to extend your
circulation, and demand your
pay?
Everybody knows papers cost
money, why should you alone
take it as a gratuity? Is it right;
is it honest to your stockholders
to do this? The Blade ought to
go to Prohibitionsts all over the
United States. 1t is readable
enough to create a demand that
far. Why not advertise; strike
for it, build it up on a strong
financial basis, for the sake Of the
good it will do? Will it be any
the less powerful for good, if its
subscribers pay for it, as you may
be sure they do for the "Voice"
and other reformatory papers?
Last June, when | was in the
office, l thought, and l think now,
that if a notice had been put IN
the paper that all free copies
would be stopped in two weeks,
unless arrears were paid, the sub
scriptions wouldIhave come rolling
in by every mail.
Somehow the Blade is a paper
that being once used to, it is hard
for a house to do without.
But you keep giving out that
you will ask no pay, and people
say, "well no paper can live that
way, and they lose their interest,
and look upon its downfall as
surely coming. There is plenty
of material to keep that ship
afipat if you will unfurl your sails
to the financial breeze, and keep a
sharp outlook for leaks. 1t ad-
vocates a growing and popular
cause-several of them. 1t is
bright, witty ,fascinatingly honest,
solidly sensible, cratic. uncer-
tain, always breaking out in a
new place. Leaving out its pro
founder purposes, it has every