Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1873-02-26
Knoxville ag'erkly Chronicle.
WEDN FSDAY.
FEBRUARY 90, 1873.
THE VITAL ISSUES.


As the term during which the present
Legislature will sit draws to close, the
people of the State will look with intense
interest to the action of that body on the
great questions in which the State is so vi
tally interested. Something must be done.
Deep disappointment will follow, if some
thing is not done, and members of the
Legislature can not afiordto brook such a
public sentiment as will follow as a result
of their failure to take action.
First, and foremost, above every other
question, we must have good school law
a failure to enact it would be criminal
This legislature is expected to act favor
ably in this matter, and no excuse will be
received for non-action. Woe be unto the
man or the party that goes on the record
in opposition to such a necessity.
Then we must have such a revenue law
as will show an honest determination to
promptly and efficiently meet all our Just
obligations. The seth General Assembly,
with its overwhelming Democratic major
ity, acted more like children on this mat
ter,than like full grown active honest men.
For their incapacity to grapple with the
great questions affecting the State and
their unwilingness to do anything out
side of mean, narrow-minded, proscript-
i've, partisan policy, that body stands in
most disgraceful position in the history of
this commonwealth. Its successor was
little better. The present General Assem-
bly, has been hopefully regarded and some
thing is expected of it,
Then we should have some practical leg
islation, that would draw a liberal share of
the thousands of immigrants who are look
ing to a change of homes. Now is most
propitious time to agitate that subject
The extreme cold weather of this
winter has caused thousands to look for
homes in a warmer climate. With our
fine climate and other natural advantages,
we ought to receive large additions to our
population in the immediate future.
craftsmanship and a regard for the good
opinion of the world, should prompt us to
take steps for putting the State right in
the matter of her obligations. No inter-
est has been paid on our bonds for four
years. We are morally bound to either
pay this, or to give our creditors something
tangible to show for it. We say in NOR
al point of view this is so. There is much
honest difference of opinion on this SUBJ
ject, but if funding bill applying to this,
and this alone, were offered, we do not be-
lieve there would be any serious opposi-
ton 10 its passage, and from our knowl-
edge of the tax payers of Tennessee, they
would endorse it. But, through the infu-
ence of spectators and political asprants,
who want to found some policy and have
not sense enough to tell what, it is sought
to fund the entire bonded debt, and at the
same time provide for saddling upon
the people the iniquitous " Torbett
issue" and other liabilities equally
as Ubiquitous. Such men are willing to
prevent action relative to matters upon
which honest men agree, in order to bur-
den the tax payers with pet schemes for
their own selfish emOlument We trust
there are enough good and true men in the
Legislature to cake hold of and pass a law
that will do justice to our creditors with
out reference to the spectators. If we are
just to those we owe we will lose nothing
by it. Nothing, in our opinion, will pre-
vent the Legislature doing this, unless it
be the persistence of some would be leaders
IN politics who are determined to have us
pay the expense of funding the entire
State debt, including such liabilities as the
courts of the State may adjudge against US.