Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1873-02-20
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 afford to brook such a
public sentiment as will follow as Il result
of. their failure to take action. - 49,
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 Oh the record
in opposition to such 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 S6th 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 unwilIingness 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 It's successor was
little better. The present General Assem-
bly, has been hopefully regarded and some
thing is expected Of il
Then we should have some practical leg
islation, that would draw liberal share of
the thousar DIS of immigrants who are look
ing to 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 a NOR
al point of view this is so. There is much
honest difference Of opinion on this SUBJ
ject, but If funding bill applyingto this,
and this alone, were offered, we do not be-
lieve there would be any serious oppose
ton to its passage, and from our knowl-
edge of the tax payers of Tennessee, they
would endorse it. But, through the infiu-
ence of spectators and political aspirants,
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 Ubiquitous /" Torbett
ISSUE" .sand other liabilities equally
as iniquitaus. Such men are willing to
prevent action relative to matters upon
which honest men agree, in order to bur.
i m the tax payers with pet schemes for
their own selfish emolument. We trust
there are enough good and true men in the
Legislature to take hold of and pass law