Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1874-04-01
THE IMPORTANT QUESTION FOR TENNESSEE

guilty of society has been comparatively
restored, the rights of all classes of citizens
are beginning to be conceded; neighbor-
hood broils growing out of the war have
almost if not entirely disappeared, and we
have reached point where we can delib-
erately aud in business-like way consider
our surroundings and determine how to
build up our waste places.
As legacy Of the war We find ourselves
burdened with a large public debt-so
large that to pay the legal interest on it
and meet our current expenses. We must
be pretty heavily taxed for some years to
come. There are only two ways for us to
look at this question. We must either pay
the interest on the debt and the principal
as early as convenient or else we must re.
pudiate. We sincerely trust that there are
few persons who have so little regard for
the reputation of the commonwealth as TO
choose the latter course. 1t would be a
lasting disgrace, which no Tennesseean
who possesses spark of State pride would
be willing to incur. However burdensome
high taxes may prove, We would much
rather toll in comparative poverty for years
than to have the unenviable reputation of
State refusing to pay her Just obligations.
Then we must make provisions for its
payment. We must 60 to work in earnest
and put our financial affairs in a condition
| that will inspire confidence in our ability
to continue to do what we promise. We
must place our public affairs in the hands
of men who have the capacity aud the
! honesty to do what is necessary. We be-
lieve that we can discharge our indebted
ness without the people feeling it material
| ly, but to do so, we must be exceedingly
cautious what kind of men we elect to the
Legislature. This is the great question for
the people of Tennessee to consider now.
Next November we will be called upon to
elect Governor and members of
the Legislature. Our assessment laws
want modifying aud improving in
too many respects to mention here. They
are as inefficient as they are unpopular
We think our taxes may be collected for
less money than it now costs. Then we
want the most rigid economy in every de
partment of the State Government. There
are too many leaks and the supervision of
the finances are entirely of too loose a char
| acter.
These are the questions that candidates
for the Legislature should be called upon
to discuss. These are the points upon
which solemn pledges should be exacted,
and men who will keep their pledges
should lie elected and none other. 1t is all
we'll enough to be advocating men who
| I, I'll
son or John G. Brown or some one
else for United States Senator, but Just
now and for years to come it is of great
deal more importance to know how cam
didates stand on the question of retrench-
ment in our public expenditures. This is
| no time for sending men to the Legislature
for the purpose of affording them an OPP
portunity of displaying their oratorial
powers. This is no time for selecting men
TO the Legislature with a view to making
it for them stepping stone to something
higher, unless they expect to rise by faith
fully and efficiently discharsiLg their du-
ties. Other and graver matters than mere
noisy, windy, unmeaning speech max
ing demand attention Practical COM
mon sense j. to he sought rather than
empty theory.
| Leu tue people OF tennessee, take warn
ing 10y the past, and resolve that in the
future our Legislature shall be composed
of practical, industrious, sober, intelligent
men, rather than babbling politicians
spending their whole time in trying to de
wise plans for their own personal advance.
ment. We as a people can not afford long
er to ignore this matter. The longer we
neglect it, the more CALLING will our chains
become and the heavier will our burdens
grow. With the right kind of men
at the State capital to make
and execute laws, our expenses may
be largely reduced and our means of pay.
ment materially increased. But if our
laws are to he framed by fifth-rate, cross
roads politicians, and administered by
weak, inefficient officers, we may expect
our affairs to become more and more com
plicated and our burdens to increase year
by year. If men will adopt a rule to vote
for no man to go to the Legislature whom
they would not employ to attend to theil
own important private business, they will
generally select the right man but if they
will select babbling pOliticians-men who
are not capable of earning living at theiI
professions, they may expect to reap the
bitter reward Of their folly.
WESTERN North Carolina is moving in
its railroad enterprises. The Western
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