Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-06-06
SENATOR HAMILTON AND THE
STATE FENaMCRs

odlcally raised hue and cry against
"too much politics, arguing that our
people always wasted overmuch time
and bothered their heads about public
matters to the sad neglect of their ma
5 terlal progress and prosperity. The
steady course of the UNION AND AMER
IcAN is well expressed by Senator
James Hamilton, of Wilson, in letter
on State and National policy, address
ed to the Lebanon Herald, in which he
explains his object to be
ITO induce the laboring classes of
the community to inform themselves
and take an interest in governmental
affairs; see that good men are elected
to all the Offices IN their gift. The in
terests of every citizen are so inter-
woven and blended together that if one
suffers all must suffer The people
should rise up in their might and say
to the politicians, thus far shalt thou
go and no further. There is a point
beyond which forbearance ceases to be
virtue"
Concerning Tennessee's finances, he
says: 1.-The faith and credit of the State
must be preserved, if possible, not by
increasing the taxes, but by reducing
the salaries of officers" If anywhere
through the length and breadth of the
State there has been raised lone voice
for increasing our taxes, we have not
heard It, Nor is reducing the salaries
OF officers the only means of retrench-
ment. Salaries should be such as to
command tfe services of good men.
The pay of officials should bear some
proportion to the earnings that the
same amount of talent and energy COM
mand In the private walks of life. Very
likely we might find men to fill many
State Offices for the mere honor con-
ferred, without any salary whatever;
but such an arrangement would viz |
tually incapacitate nine-tenths of our |
citizens from holding Office, and give |
the whole business of government to
the wealthy few, which is not exactly
democratic.
Another opening for economy lies in
looping off unnecessary and SUPER
tiuous Offices which exist in some coun-
ties. There are other counties and per-
haps cities, where large proportion of
the perquisites given certain officials
might well be diverted into the public
treasury. Perhaps the one measure
promising the greatest results in the
way of retrenchment, would bethe cut
ting down of criminal costs, according
to some such plan as that suggested by
the Judges Convention here the past
winter. This matter affects the whole
State, and those who have investigated
1t think that a reduction of 20 to so
per cent in our current expenses might
be effected on this one item.
We cordially agree with Senator
Hamilton when he says:
The present rate of taxation is suffi-
Gent, If economically administered, to
defray governmental expenses and
meet all interest and create a sinking | ,
fund which would finally iquidate the
State debt.
His general views about the caution
that should be exercised in levying
taxes also coincide with our own, and
we think more of this caution should
be displayed in the contracting of debts; !
then there would be less occasion for it {
when payday comes. The most effect
i've way of opposing high taxation is to
oppose In their incipiency the extrava-
CANT projects that require it.
Senator Hamilton still opposes the
law enacted by the Legislature of which
he was member to fund the overdue 4
debt, instead of wringing taxes out of D
the people for its immediate payment, d
and explains as follows: 0
My opposition to the funding bill is q
not because l am in favor of repudia- a
ton, but opposed to it. Funding a e
debt is not paying, but increasing it, Y
like an individual renewing lis note :
every year, adding In the interest, gets .
larger every time renewed. The fund Il
ing bill passed by the last Legislature a
increased the annual interest on the n
State debt to over three hundred thou l
sand dollars. y
He doubtless understands that fund "
ing is no longer bill, but claw" u
The execution of which will be perhaps r r
entirely accomplished before the meet =
ng Of the next Legislature. Therefore /.
,he practical question is whether we =
hall pay the interest or not. The rate
# increase will be over 1,4O0, 900 for "
,ach year that the interest is left IN =,
'aid. The good policy of preventing -
uch an annual increase of debt is OBJ =
nous enough, provided we are able to :.
10 it. As we have seen above, Mr.
Hamilton asserts that it can be done on
he present rate of State taxation.
Whether that rate might be safely re- =.
uced, will depend on how much econ
my IN State management IS actually
by the next Legislature.
IN a cognate subject, the Senator re-
marks: HI
Bondholders should remember that
heir bonds did not cost them their face
alue, and that they were thrust upon
be people wrongfully, and were not co
old according to the provisions of the Ia
aw under which they were issued. We
here are two sides to every question. M
f you are wronged by not getting in 20
crest promptly, the people were en-
-ronged by not getting the value of m IN
be bonds. III
There is a natural equity in this view, a. a.
hat applies with peculiar force to what an
re known as Brownlow bonds. We g.,
resume that Mr.. Hamilton, as a men, su