The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1902-03-08
Flsunted Once More.

republican party when assaulted on
every hand by truth, justice and reason,
has been given another aaunt, send
ing forth throughout the country an
other installment Of foul political
stencil to offend the olfactories and
nauseate the stomachs of the Ameri-
can people.
The metropolitan newspapers Of the
country, ninety per cent Of which,
we are sorry to say, are subsidized by
corporate wealth and thus, necceS-
sarily. have become enemies to the
welfare OF the masses of the people,
under cover if not oatSpoken, gave
space to a story last Sunday morning,
under prominent headlines, to the
effect that in an interview with Sem
ator Platt, at New York, Senator
Tillman had questioned the adj
visibility of President Roosevelt visit
ing South Carolina; that the good
Mr.. Platt, scenting the battle from
afar OFF, as did Jobs war-horse, was
to warn the cratic Mr.. Roosevelt Of
the danger that would menace him in
case he should 90 to Charleston.
The denial of Senator Tillman
which followed, with the statement
that he was not in New York at the
time he was alleged to have talked
with Platt, is not specially germane
to the feature of this question which
we propose to discuss here. We take
it that intelligent men branded the
story as untrue when once they had
read it; either that or they assume
that Senator Tillman misunderstands
the people whom he represents in
the senate of the Uuited States.
1t is in defense Of the south that we
would speak.
This latest story that reflected SO
seriously on the people Of South Car
DINA, growing as it did out Of the
Roosevelt Tllman incident was con-
ceiyed in sin, born in iniquity and
matured in yillainy. 1t was used by the
associated press, one Of the strongest
and most domineering corporations
today existent, to create the impress
ion that the people Of South Carolina,
chagrined at the treatment extended
Senator Tillman by President Roose-
welt, felt the cut SO deeply that in
case the president should find his way
to that state he might fall victim to
the gun-bullet wound or stiletto
thrust Of the assassin. In other
words the narrative bore all the ear
marks Of the bloody-shirt color-bearer,
stalking abroad in all his uglinesS of
makeup and deformity of manhood,
heralding to the world that the seeds
of disunion sown in the south in years
agone which led to the great civil
war of the sixties, are still bringing
forth fruit; and, worse than that,
producing a type of citizenship that
reyels in murder and gloats in assas-
sination when a northern man, who
happens to be a republican, exposes
himself to its ire. No matter about
the stain sought to be placed upon the
people of one of our greatest and most
loyal states; no matter that truth was
outraged; no matter that the ayenging
Justice of God is held over the head OF
the liar and the defamer: these viii
lifiers Of the southern people adhere
to their purposes of Misrepresentation
even if in doing so they take with
them to their homes the consciousness
that they have fallen to the level OF
the moral lepor, are smeared all over
with the slime of sectional hatred and,
withal, shameless traducers of their
fellow man. And all for political
purposes, for twas the same spirit
that directed the Lodge force bill and
is now crying out for a decrease Of
southern representation in the con.
gress of the United States. "Wher
all other methods fall" saith the
republican party unto itself, 1--WE only
need flaunt the bloody-shirt, wal spec.
tres will arise from their graves and
the men who wore the gray will al
once be dishonored and discredited.
1t is the weapon of the coward anC
the political poltroon, but what mat
tiers that to the republican party
when a point is to be gained?
1t causes our blood to boil witt
angered resentment TO come ip,con