Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1899-11-02
A Letter from Gov. Stephens.
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
STATE OF MISSOURI.

JEFFERSON CITY, Oct. II, 1899. }
Editor Cdsh-Book. Jackson, Mo
In the Pennington Times issue OF
the 18th inst, find the following par
agraph in the editorial column:
'.Governor Stephens does the coun-
try press an injustice" says the jack
son Cash-Book, '.when it states that it
is led to favor the adoption of the
primary system of nominating State
and district candidates through the
hope of obtaining advertising patron
age from the various candidates. The
Governor is in an excellent position to
keep still and let the Democracy of the
State settle this question to suit them
selves"
desire TO say IN reference to same
that l have never written or intimated
that ''the country press is led to favor
the adoption of the primary system of
nominating State and district candi-
dates through the hope of obtaining
advertising patronage from the various
candidates" / never thought so, and
do not think so now. I would not in
tentionally do the country press an
injustice.
Two or three weeks ago, I wrote a
letter on the subject of the proposed
primary to st. Louis friend. The
Republic had this to say concerning
the letter: ''In private letter to a
resident of this city, received yester-
day, the Governor says among other
things: The newspapers have been
made to believe that it would be great
ly to their interest as the candidates
would be required to announce and
have published in their columns their
records as citizens, Democrats, etc. |
am satisfied, however, that in the
event the primary mode was adopted
there would be two or three hundred
mushroom, patent outside campaign
papers started for the purpose of hold
ing up ond bleeding candidates, which
would demoralize the newspaper busi-
ness and drive out many who are now
on struggling basis
In my first interview, in which |
gave sixteen reasons for opposing the
primary, l made this reference to the
"After the candidate has
paid his assessment to the State and
county committees, has secured the
names of the 363, 200 Democratic vot-
ers in the State, has written each one
a letter, has paid for his stamps and
stationery. has placed has announce
nsent IN fee or sac hundred Democratic
of the State, met has bills IN
placing before the Voters a a0rtte-up Of
has career as citizen and q Democrat,
paid travelling expenses, hotel bills,
expenses of friends in the various
voting precincts of the State who are
working for him, paid the expenses of
sundry clerks employed to send out
literature and look after details, helped
in paying for the printing of tickets in
St. Louis and ia counties and paid
.he perdiem of judges and clerks
The chances are he will wish he had |
never entered into the contest; he will |
swear, win or lose, he will never enter |
nto another" etc., etc.
T1 INV oooap1 ryiv
,een additional reasons for opposing |
he primary, in referring to the news
papers, | stated: ..Within a short |
while 200 or 800 so-called Democratic
newspapers If the primary system is
adopted, would spring up over the
State for the purpose of either bleeding
he candidates or blackmailing them,
which would demoralize and degrade
he newspaper business and driYe out
many already on a struggling basis"
Your editorial does me an injustice.
No man in Missouri, in public or
private life, feels more kindly to the
fraternity than /. Many
1ears of my life were spent in the
work. have the highest
for the Missouri editors and
Know now to sympathize with them
Ilong all lines.
Being a servant of the people ought
lot. think, disqualify or discredit me
IS a witness, nor should | be deprived
~ those with whom l differ on minor
matters of my rights of citizenship or
ny pleasure, privilege and duty in
in every movement which
ends to increase the power, the glory
md the dignity of a party, which /
owe next to my honor, my home and
ny country.
Yours Respectfully,
LON V. STEPHENS.
Ubo% fyou vor~n Mn,. nn7