The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1891-04-04
A New Departure.


I see by scanning the Era of Friday
a new departure proposed which
is something that will puzzle many
good citizens and cause many to ex-
claim, shame. shame, shame!
This proposition Is to start a debat-
ing society this week to discuss cities
of the third class. This proposition is
a most miserable subterfuge-a fcint
to do something of which the Main
street clique and their little mouth
piece are not so sure rs TO what it will
be.
A debating society indeed! What
can they-what do they-what will
they accomplish by arguing among
themselves all the beauties they have
seen or can see in their general stat
utc-cities of the third class.
1t appears their debate was ended
when II of their clique styling him.
self New Charter" wrote of the glo-
rious saving accomplished by not hav-
ing an assessor. a theory happily eX-
ploded.
When the new charter was up for
consideration last wear. several mem-
beers of the Main street society argued
the same old song Ofthe dying assessor,
and the people would elect their city
attorney; and. they whoOrcd, hallooed,
threw up their hats and jumped Jim
Crow at the great saving accomplished
by their charter. until n man, a firm
and fearless representative of the poor
man, and whom we have heard called
"'old maj llaydock." jumped on thu
new thing with both feet and gave it
a gentle lashing which gave it a qui-
etus for the time being. We have also
learned that Sonic Of the clique JUMPED
on the old man with both feet. but
like Sam Slick. jumped of again.
Now. Mr.. MOuthpiece OF the sim
mortal six. the old ma is not in this
race. but n young onc with youthful
spirit and full of fire, is at the helm.
is running the "Rich People rs. the
Poor People," and | can say for him,
he defys the proposition TO start a de-
batting club TO debate a question that
has been hurled at you, yes in your
very teeth and in the faces of your
bosses-thc Main street directors-
one solid week with the facts rs pub
lished in the statute. in many instances
copying the identical words and SEN
fences as contained therein. and you
and your entire band have been as
silent as the grave.
You, sir, have been the only one TO
tise silly newspaper twaddle, as you
have not produced a single argument
to refute the arguments of Gladiator.
You, nor any member of your one.
horse debating society, can, or ever
will, produce any argument of retuta-
ton. You cannot, from the fact il is
not hi the written law. You will not,
from a lack of capacity to indulge in
ANYTHING in this case except silly news
paper twa1dle.
Come sir, don't you or your clique
mince meat anv longer-come to the
scratch. Take GladiatOr's first article
OF Friday, the Goth INST, and take each
article thereafter, give argument for
argument, 10 silly twaddle please, but
come to the scratch ike q christian
man, and / guarantee that for every
presentation You may make, our Glad
iator will return you two.
II YOU. sir, was asked the question
by any citizen of this or any other
place how they could reach the great
est number of people speedily with
information. yor would instantly re-
ply. through the newspaper. You
haze made this reply many times, and
now when a monicntous question is
before the people in which taxation
in large quantities il developed, and
the mass OF the people therefore
deeply interested, you calmly and de-
liberately suggest that the question
be virtually hid from the people in a
little oDe-horse debating society. l
remember having heard, that old man
Haydock Il hope he'll pardon the eH-
pression) was jumped Oh severely for
publishing his article the day prior to
the election, and therefore could not
be answered.
Not 30 VOW, sir. Gladiator hss b en-