The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1901-10-26
''The Times" No More.

In the passing Of the Kansas City
Times there is bit of pathoS-an
Undesirable something that causes
sorrow, regret; and this regret is
multiplied by the knowledge that a
newspaper that has been so long the
avowed friend of the people as against
class legislation and p%lutocratic rule,
has gone bodily into the hands OF the
enemy in passing into the ownership
of a mar who is the very sim gNa non
to and the absolute quinteSSence Of all
that which democracy loathes and
must continue to loathe il it would
retain its place in the hearts of the
masses.
In seeking out a cause for the
demise of Kansas City'S only demo-
cratic newspaper, to the casual
observer factionalism stands para
mount. So deep has been set and so
swiftly has flown the stream Of party
diSSention, and so determined have
been fractional leaders to rule that the
mighty current has well nigh swept
democracy away and left in its stead
a mere Renaissance, a fading men,
DRY of those good days when the peO-
pie ruled, when instead Of being its
bosses all men were the servants of
the party; when men followed in the
wake of Mr.. jefferson and other
illuStriOuS and popular leaders through
love of principle; when loot and Doodle
had no place in the management of
our political affairs: when men were
patriotic rather than thoroughly
selfish.
Other causes may have contributed
to the fall Of The Times and doubt
less did, but upon the stone that
marks its last resting place, if truth
be adhered to, will be written:
Sacred to the memory Of factional
hatred"
And The Times was a party to its
own %undOing. Instead Of battling
upon the broad sea Of democracy for
the sake Of the party organization and
its principles, the owners OF the paper
allowed it to drift into those very
factional channels referred to in the
preceding paragraphs, until, for it,
the only available harbor was a
Santiago, from which it could only
emerge to be shot to pieces. Knowing
the weakness Of its batteries. living
Immediately outside, with its guns
trained and ready for action, was the
feet of plutocracy, its pieces filled to
the very muzzle with corporation
ammunition money and at a single
discharge all was over.
The passing of The Times into the
hands Of Mr.. Nelson is deeply to be
deplored. The Star has ever been the
defender of the classes as against the
masses. Asserting continuously that
its policy is n of political independ-
ence-a political hcrmaphrodite, if
you pleaSe-the fact remains that it
has done the cause Of the people more
harm than all the republican papers
in this section Of the state combined.
IL has neyer overlooked an opportunity
to damn the democratic party.
employing both inuendo and direct
assertion which, in many cases, almost
invariably. in fact, have been vicious,
hurtful. In the issue Of Monday
morning. the second under the new
management, The Times, or rather
the Star-TimeS, defended. editorially,
the action Of President Roosevelt in
inviting to his table a negro.
In the opinion Of the INTELLIGEN.
GER the people Of Missouri will not
stand for the policy Of The Times
under the new regime-at least they
will not foster and keep life within
It's plutocratic body by pouring money
into its Golfers for the privilege OF
reading its %nauSeating assertion.
True, this lack Of patronage will not
be vital 50 long as the corporations
retain sway, but it will be effective t.
the extent Of cutting down the re
ceipts and marking the carcass Of thi,
purSeprOud, dictatOrial animal Will
the brand Of public disapproyal ir
this state.
The Lexington INTELLIGENCER
one OF MisSouri's most prosperous anC
substantial country newspapers, ha.
been enlarged and much improved In
many M pf rsHHNuVa IL T.