The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1895-03-09
SPEECH OF MIR. Il. VI. TAUBMAN.
What the Brilliant Young Orator Said
at the Bridge M~eeting-lt Should
BE Read by Our Citizens.

he Read by Our tltiLeHs'
Below we publish the speech made
~ Mr.. Edward NJ. Taubman on the
bridge. 1t will do you good to read it,
and more good if you Will Pr"ht oy II:
Mr.. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen;
Probably the most important measure
and %stupendous task that ever, III all
our history, confronted tins people. Is
now before us. | deeply realize my
po.ition, rs one who shall address You
upon this occasion, and ! feel SO awed
by the magnitude, and almost sacred
ness of it, because the temporal welfare
of Inman beings is ut stake, that |
trust that the God of nations will so
insDire me that | may say something
that will inspire you, and that the
spirit and fire of our enthusiasm may
become so contagious that the sparks
,ignited here tonight will fire this town
,and stir it from center to circumfer-
'encc, until, bursting into one grand
and mighty flame, famed by friendly
winds, it will e~nvelop NJ entire town
ship and county, and through the
illuminating power thereof we may sec
the successful elimination of our fond
est hopes: A railroad and wagon
bridge across the Missouri river nj
Lexington.
The majority of our people believe,
as we do, that nothing ever was, ol
ever can be done for our fair city lha,
will rebound to the universal good tina,
the bridge will.
We all too kecnly realize that we are
curcumscribed on the south, east and
west, and that heretofore insurmount'
able barrier-the Missouri river-cut:
us off from our only hope. Upon 6
moments reflection you will discover
that on the north side of the river We
will have rs much territory to draw
from as the aggregate of our territory
in other directions. With the bridge
we practically take n new addition into
our city, namely: The southern part
of Ray county. Such an acquisition
alone, as was forcibly demonstrated by
the pontoon bridge, during the limited
time 1t was in existence, means much
for Lexington; and today our mer.
chants will bear witness to the almost
marvellous increase in their business.
Benefit the merchants and thereby YOU
aid and advance the interests OF
everybody else. We are mutually de-
pendent, one upon the other, and by
no means can You benefit n class OF
citizens and fail to help all Other
classes.
Lexington, today, is no larger than
It Is because it is too near some rail-
roads and too far away from others.
The opinions of some people to the
contrary, i say that railroads are very
important factors in making a town.
Il makes me tired to hear n little 2x4
counterfeit of n man signing for the
days of steamboats,, decrying railroads,
preaching a funeral for every COM
mendable enterprise that is ever
started, and heaping maledictions upon
the heads of its originators. Such men
have lived toe long. They have out
lived their time. Why, steam is almost
too slow for the spirit of today-Much
less steamboats, and ox-carts. With
Il bridge across the river, we are
brought in direct contact with two OF
the greatest, best and most extensive
railroad systems in existence. Our
city, fellow-ciliZens, IS a glorious one.
I love her people, her grand scenery.
her rocks, her rills, the beautiful and
picturesque country that surrounds
her, the mighty river that increasingly
rolls at her feet. / honor her institu-
tons of learning; / reverence and
adore her churches; ] glory in her
mines; l delight IN her mills and
factories; ! am proud of her business
houses But, as much as [ love her,
I am not SO blinded as to fail to see
that we can never be much more than
we now are without increased railroad
facilities and Il means OF direct inter-
course with new territory.
| am not u pessimist. BE it far
from me to say, or even think, that
Lexington Is doomed to an ignoble
death, or Il premature grave. Neither
understand me to say that we are not
gong to get along As we'll as any other
town in this or any state OF no greater
population or resources. l do say,
however, that the city that does not
make the best of its opportunities, that
fails 10 utilize every resource, that sits
still in its contentment and in its "a
until its very life-blood is Slapped out
that refuses to put forth every effort
and bend every energy TO improve and
to keep abreast of other cities in the
great struggle for prestige and position,
is doomed to business defeat and an
uneventful existence.
Mr.. Chairman, i~.eXington's golden
opportunity is nj hand. 1t confrents
us now. It even holds out is suppli-
eating hands TO us, and entreats us to
embrace 1t. What action will w take?
From the bottom Of my heart | believe
that the people are going to rise up
in their majesty and in their power,
assert their manhood, prove their 10y
atty, exhibit their generosity-and
build the bridge!
In the famous words OF a noted
general: s'Eugland expects every man
to do his duty" So Lexington expects
every man to do his duty; and if they
do, the bridge u and will be built.
THIS is not n wild-ca scheme, an i'm
possibility, rs some wsuld have you
believe, but an enterprise that can be
brought to IA successful termination IL
the citizens of Lexington take hold in
earnest, resolve that we shall not fail,
and, standing shoulder to shoulder 10
one man, labor for its accomplishment,
determining that we shall succeed. A
few cannot build the bridge. Ii built,
it is, it must be done by the talk, intlu-
ence, moral support and money of
every citizen, rich and poor, white and
black, young and old.
Some time ago | read a story of II
man who took passage IN al old-fash-
toned s~tage-eoach, before the dav OF
railroads. There were first, second
and third class passengers. But in
getting into the coach, hc noticed them
all sitting together without distinction
He couldn't understand il, until by and
by they came 10 a hill, and the driver
then called out: "First-class passen-
gers, keep your seats; second class
passengers, get out and walk; third
class passengers, get out aud push"
In this, the evening twilight of the
nineteenth century; at a time when
business is duh and times are hard,
and dependency, like a pail, is settling
down upon us, but when, through il
all, we can sec Il bright ray of hope
luring US ON To prosperiiy--wc want