Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-12-18

chance for getting our dues except by
joining in the general scramble. For
this purpose We were at times advised
to turn Radical en- masse, and so have
our fling at the ieshpots.
Since then the signs of the times
have changed wonderfully. Hope
is no longer dead. but buoyant
with boun ling life. The future gives
glorious promise for cheap and simple
and honest government. We are no
longer drowning men catching at
straws, but stand on our sea-legs, GER
tain of soon controlling the great ship
of State. As the Neac York Tribune
remarks of Democratic member from
Indiana:
s'Mr. Holman struck what ought to
be the keynote for the concerted action
of honest and economical Congress
men Of all parties, in his resolution de-
claring that, in the present condition
Of our finances, no subsidy In money,
bonds, public lands. or pledges of
public credit should be granted to as
sociations or corporations
Such, we take it, is the universals SEN
timentof that Democracy which recently
swept the country, South as well
as North; such is the verdict Of the
people, in view. of their experiences
with Government subsidies during the
past decade. This verdict may work
injustice to some few praisewortby
projects; but it is precious few of such
a character get hearing in Congress
of late, and the verdict is unquestion-
abe. 1t would be bad policy indeed,
for our section TO run counter to this
verdict, and, for the sake of a few CAPT.
talists. disgust our Northern friends
Just as they begin to manifest the good
viii to deal fairly by US In political and
social matters.
With these views, we have been sor-
~ to notice sundry Southern journals
urging an immediate and pressing need
for government aid to the Texas Pacific
railroad. OF course, We appreciate all
the arguments IN its favor. Perhaps
we could give better justification for
the South in demanding such aid, than
any yet offered. We might liken the
sections TO a firm composed Of two part
ners, A and B. In the absence of B,
Mr.. A has taken" from the firms
funds a lot of money which he can
not possibly replace. The only way for
him to do justice to B. is to let the lat
ter take the same amount from their
common funds. The first "take" was
something Of a steal, while the second
would be mere justice. In this way,
the South, while condemning the gen.
eral principle of Government subsidiz-
ing large capitalists, though offeringno
help to the poor man, might yet Justify
a demand for aid to the Texas Pacific.
But, suppose AS steal was so large,
and the funds remaining so small.
that the firm would be embarrassed by
redeeming BIS claim, while the firm
itself was of such peculiar
nature that it could not bt
dissolved. This is exactly our situa
ton, and the best friends we have
among our partners emphstically de-
clare that no more money can be
spared for such purposes.
In the mysterious ways of Provi'
dence, the South has been called or
TO suffer much injustice, and it mus
yet suffer awhile, for the sake of Others
as well as itself-for the restoration Of
free institutions and their perpetua
ton, which should be our solace in al
these self-denials. We seek peace, not
reyenge-freedom for the future rather
than reparation for the past. Om
motto is: Let by-gones be by-gones.
Independent Of these considerations
the mere fact that no subsidy can pos
sibly be secured for the Texas Pacific
without an additional one for Jay
Cookies frozen Northern Pacific, ought
TO give Southerners pause. To carry
out our illustration above, B cannot
draw on the cash of the firm without
allowing A fresh steal. That sucI
is the status of affairs in the present
Congress, we have been assured by
several members from our own State
The strength Of the influences In the
North in favor of the Northern
Pacific which are being brought tC
bear upon Congress can hardly be ap-
preciated in this latitude. 1t com,
mands more powerful and widespread
lobby than Southerners would think
possible. Speaking on this subject the
NeIU York Sun of only last Tuesday
makes this apt comparison: Some
times when a man fails in business
owing very large amount of money
his very debts prove kind of capital
to him. So many persons are interest.
ed in his affairs and are certain to lose
if he stops, that they unite to help him
on in his business, IN the hope that in
this way they may ultimately obtain
payment Of their claims" Such is the
condition of Jay Cookies Pacific.
Utterly bankrupt, there are thousands
scattered over the North who hold
its bonds, and would like to
see it resurrected, if only for a
sufficient time to get rid of its paper,
Wherever credulous investors could be
found, Jay Cooke found them, and in
nearly every Northern Congressional
District there are a dozen, or a hun
dred or a thousand respectable citizens
personally interested in urging their
Congressman to rehabilitaDe the road
Cooke had keen scent for gulls. He
subsidized the Nel0 York Indepedent
and other religion" papers to laud