Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1873-05-03
THE FUNDING BILL.

The advocates and opponents of the
funding bill, are throwing an occas-
ional she'll into each others camp, but
there are many indications that the
parties militant don't exactly know
what the fight is about. If the state
ments of the one are correct, the bill
is an abomination; if those of the
other be accepted, it is triumph of
craftsmanship; but who shall decide?
The financial ability to comprehend
the merits of the vexed question is,
we opine, vouchssfed to very few, and
the only point We can clearly see is,
that with, or without, the bill Tennes-
see has debt to pay that will tax to
the utmost the ingenuity of her best
financiers and the industry of her tax
payers. To succeed in meeting the
heavy obligations, there must be unity
of purpose and determination, on
the part of the people, to confide the
important task of sustaining the honor
and credit of the State, to those only,
who have the combined qualities of
ability and integrity-neither, without
the other, is competent to the duty,
and unless the voters bring themselves
to the fixed purpose of discarding as
pirants who have more brass than
brains and more ambition than hon
esty, they have no right to complain
that corruption and folly direct the
councils of the State.
There have been intimations from
many quarters, of corrupt practices IN
connection with the passage of the
funding bill, and the sudden conyers-
ion of some of its opponents, on the
eve of its passage, gives strong col
oring to the imputation. There are
long-headed and INSCRIPTIONS dema-
gogues in the State, who study closely
the political bearings of important
questions upon popular opinion, and
we shall not be surprised if the future
develops the fact that Senatorial egg
is to be Matched by the heat of the
controversy likely to grow out of this
funding bill The unexpected success
of the Independent movement, last
year, in dividing the Conservative
party, is not without its influence in
shaping the policy of the leading in
dependents on this financial question,
The passage of the bill will, no doubt
secure the influence of bondhOlders to
the parties that engineered it, and the
opponents of the measure will, in their
zeal, promote the schism in the Con-
servative ranks, calculated upon by
those whose foul ambition subordI-
mates every great interest to its OWL
qualification. And whilst the conser.
vative element will be divided on this
as it was upon the independent trick
the Radicals and their secret support
ers will strive to make treason obi
ous," and to crush out the rebel ele.
ement in Tennessee, from all partici-
patton in its government.
Viewing this funding bill as an ap-
pie of discord thrown into our midst
by the genius of political evil, we would
suggest the wisdom of letting it alone
Its repeal, were it practicable, will dc
more than Its passage to break down
the credit of the State and restore the
anarchy of few years ago. As d
matter of course, there are objection
able features in the bill-some of them
sufficiently so to have justified Its de-
feat, in the opinion of many but as il
has assumed the character of settle
ment between the State and its credi-
tors, far more evil than good will re-
suit from disturbing it. If the people
desire to punish those who voted for
it without regard to their motives OF
the circumstances surrounding them.
they can do so without playing into the
hands of the Radicals, or acting the
part of plant tools of reckless and
selfish demagogues. To break up the
Conservative party, had more to dc
with the passage of the bill than will
probably ever be known, except
through its future and disastrous re
suits.