Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1871-11-08
CUR NASHVILLE LETTER.
The Printing SwindIe-Tbe Democracy
Opposed TO Reduction of SRIarIes-The
Republicans Favor EcOnOmy-JOhn Bax-
ter Unhurt.

81 NASHVILLE, Nov. 4th.
Correspondence of the Chroniclel
An attempt has been made to create the
impression that the majority report aOhite-
aUGsItiflg the Public Printers was unani-
mously endorsed by the Legislature. Such
is far from the fact. In the House all of
the Republican members voted to adopt
the minority report and in the Senate,
not only all Of the Republicans, but some
of the Democrats, also, opposed the MAORI
ty report. The Bourbon Democrats are
sick of this matter. They want to destroy
the foul smell by whitewashing. They
refuse to print. They prefer to talk on
other subjects. They endeavor to suppress
the speeches made to expose the fraud
But the people have snuffed the odor of
corruption, and are enquiring why the
Legislature refuses to let them know the
facts, Jones, Purvis & Co., like other men
charged with wrong-doing, try tomake out
that the prosecution is malicious, and that
it is political. That dodge wont do, Merss. J.
Z. & Co.
But the heaviest thing on Jones, Purvis &
Co. is the terrible condemnation IN red ink
pronounced on them by thirteen of the De
mocratic newspapers of Tennessee. These
thirteen newspapers, under the name of
Paul, White & Co., have laid on the table
of every member of the Legislature a
printed statement to the effect that Jones,
Purvis & Co. charged about three times as
much for printing the Legislative Journals
as the law allowed. This printed state
ment is thunder from unexpected quarter !;
and what is more,it is no Radical thunder,
it is genuine Democratic thunder.
The time of the Senate has been taken
up to-day in discussing the question
whether the Printers fees should be re-
duced. Every man in Tennessee will re-
member the tremendous howl that went
up from the Democratic party when the
Republicans increased the salaries of va
rious State officers. But it is a remark
able fact, now the Democrats are in power,
not one salary has been reduced.
The point seems to be about this:
The salaries are too high for Republicans,
but are not high enough for Democrats.
When the Republicans were in power in
Tennessee, our Democratic brethren were
the most virtuous, economical, retrenching
men above ground; but now that these
same brethren are in power, the poor tax
payer looks in vain for economy and re-
trenchment Indeed, it was stated in the
Senate to-day, by more than one Demo-
crat, that the Democrats ought not to re-
duce the fees of the Public Printers, be-
cause the Republicans were in favor OF re-
ducing those fees! In short, the Democ-
facy Is OppOSeu 10 TeIreHcnIneHG anu Ie-
form, because the Republicans are in favor
of it What think the taxpayers of Ten
nessee of such policy? heard Demo
cratic Senator say to-day that his under
was that Jones, Purvis & Co.
have cleared forty thousand dollars out of
the public printing. And still the Demo-
Gratis refuse to reduce their compensation
/ saw Col. John Baxter here. yesterday.
He did not look as if he had been ''squelch-
edn any to hnrt The fact is, Baxter
won't fsquelch" worth cent. The
Chinese thunder of the Press md Herald,
and sulphury hullabaloos of the Public
Printers, and the catawauls of the "cOun-
try press" don't seem to affect Baxter any
more than if he were deaf. He grows fat
and merry his enemies don't seem to
trouble him any more than mosquitoes
trouble an elephant. Their sting is too
short, and their slime is too thin.