The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1874-09-04
Retrenchment and Reform

The Democratic and Conservative Cen
vention at Nashville adopted a platform
opposing "all monopolies, rings and COM
binations formed for the oppression of the
people," and in favor of the abolition of
all Unnecessary offices; the proper reduc-
ton of all excessive salaries" etc. To
show the pertinence and force of this
part of the platform, we give below
synopsis of Gen. W. II. Jackson's speech
to the grangers of Bedford county sew
eral weeks ago:
Since 1866 to first of January, 1873,
the State has been defrauded of taxes &C
tually collected by the tax collectors and
clerks to amount of 81, $50, 542; add to
this the school fund which the rebel au-
thorities sacredly preserved through the
war, and turned over at its close to the
Rrownlow DYNASTY, and which, amount
of over half a million of dollars has been
most shamefully and corruptly stolen
| and suuandered, presents the enormous
aggregate of 100000 and upwards
made way with at the expense of the
taxpayer in the past few years. The
| defalcations for 1872 alone, amount to
| 1867. 276 IL. The result for 1873 is not
| ascertained. The defalcation as to
| county revenues throughout the State
: Iuriug the same period from 1866 to 1873
40 On scale corresponding In mag
n;tnde to the losses of the State: The
remedy for this condition 0. tnings Is, 'na'
the people should take more active III
| terest in nominating and electing honest
men, and the laws should be so amended
/ as to impose more severe, more certain
and speedy punishment upon defaulters
| of public money. He advocated Con-
stitutional Convention, and pointed out
where our laws for the assessment and
| collection of taxes should be remodeled.
He advocated having a railroad commls-
sioner, whose duty it shall be to look INTO
violations of charters on the part OF rail-
roads; also, law requiring railroads to
| keep posted at all stations and depots the
schedule of their freight and passenger
rates, and to fence in their tracks, and to
pay full value for all stock killed on their
roads, Not only do the roads leading Out
of the State discriminate against oul
/ towns and cities in their tariff of rates
but our own roads are engaged IN the
same injurious discrimination IN favor
of other people. Corn raised in tht
7 neighborhood of Johnsonville and shipped
directly from there is charged Is cent
per 100 pounds to Nashville, and "a cent
e per 100 pounds from Nashville to Allan
. Ia. making a total of Al cents per lOl
pounds from Jacksonville to Atlanta
showing difference of 20 cents per lO'
= mounds in favor of foreign corn over tina
!. raised upon our own soil. From Nash
Vile to Montgomery, Ala over the Louis
vile. Nashville and Great Southern Rail
road the charge is 80 cents per pound
d From Johnsonville to Montgomery (6
Il miles further off the charge on forelgl
f corn is % cents per 100 pounds: Ih
Illinois farmer can get his corn dellvere,
= at Montgomery for 80 cents per pounC
e while Tennessee corn from JohnsonVlll
to the same point is charged 43 cents pc
pound.
- of reform to which reference should b
made. The Jury system of the trial {
g civil suits needs remodeling. The cour
W ties are now subj eeted to heavy eXpens
to nav Jurors land in the larger cite
having professional jurors) in civil case:
TO illustrate, have drawn from the coul
y tv of Davidson the cost OF some OF tn
courts for 1873:
In Circuit Court, forjurors alone, S2,6a2
Is In Criminal Court, chiefly for jurors, =, 363
j, In Law Court, chiefly for jurors z'4Oo :
% The law should be so amended as to II
L all cases of petit larceny of from one
e 6ftv dollars before magistrates, and upoo
IT conviction they should be sent to u
work-house provided by each county,
work out their fines. Criminal pro0see'
D. tons for October, November and ID
g. cember, of 1871 and for 1872, cost u
u State the sum of S249, 500 so, while tn
ie Counties have been proportionately bu
ID dended. He favored the appointment i,
N judges, as was formerly the case, by u u
is Governor, and confirmed by the L LIZ
N ture in the Senate. Much of the expens
now attending State and county affair
N can be saved by dispensing with useles
re and superhuous offices. The office {
he Trustee costs the State and counties bu
70 little short of $250000. We have a SUI
plus also of tax collectors, especial
le about thu cities. Many of the offices III
e, der the county and State yields, b
e. means of the perquisites too, salaries tina
a are out of all proportion to those pal
~ the very highest and most responsible
s. positions in the State. Our Governor
s, paid salary OF $4,000 per annum, Will
ir the county, circuit, chancery and Grim
" nal clerks, in many instances, receive
Al means of perquisites, salaries varyin
se from $1,000 to $2O,000 per annum.