Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1874-10-10
Maynard's Claptrap.


By our East Tenness disphtehes of
! the past three days, it appears that
Masnard's campaign speech consists
mainly of criticisms on the funding law
and the penitentiary lease.
The Journals of the Senate and
House show that a Republican major
ity voted in favor of both the laws in
question. On the final passage of the
funding law, Senators Jones, McCon-
nell, of Blount, Patton and Richards
t-i-voted aye, while McKenna, Mel
ton and Morgan-only 3-voted nay.
The vote in the house is more striking,
10 Republicans voting for the funding
bill on third reading, and only eight
against it. Those in the affirmative
were Beals, Carnes, Cottrell, Couch,
Duncan, Eckei. Houk, Jeup, keeble,
Magill, Mcleod, Patton, Perkins, Re-
gan, Ready, Rutledge, Snyder, Tate
and Turner. Those in the negative
were Brooks, Hyder, jesse Martin,
Mulverhill, Riggs, West, Waster and
Williamson. The simple fact is that
the funding bill could not possibly
have passed without this large Radical
support, the entire vote being A ayes
t. "a nays. Change the above 19 votes
of that party, and the figures would be
% ayes to 43 nays. Whatever may be
said of funding, it was evidently no
party measure, more Democrats voting
against it than Republicans in each
branch of the Legislature OF the "a
negatives in the House 16 were Demo-
Gratis, to Republicans. When May
nard therefore denounces this measure,
he is heaping more blame on his own
party than on his adversaries.
On the final passage Of the Assess
ment bill, the House Journal shows a
Republican majority of 10 to 8 in IA
vor of it. In the Senate they voted 4
ayes to 3 noes, the latter being swelled
by three Democratic votes. Thus near
ly twice as many Democrats voted
against it as Republicans. The full
vote of the Senate by which the Assess
ment bill was passed was Is to s. If
the four Republicans for it had voted |
against it, the figures would have been
changed to ayes and II nays. 1t is
thus seen that without active Radical |
support, its enactment would have been /
impossible. Here, again, Maynard |
wieIds two-edged sword, that cuts
Republicans as DR.. w. P. Jones, of
Nashville, and Senator Dave Richards, |
the enterprising Knoxville manufae-
turer and high tariff advocate.
Equally awkward is Maynard's at /
tempt to make capital of the peniten-
tiarylease. Such illusions instantly re-
callthe Ward and Briggs lease, made a
fewyearsago by Maynard's party, and |
which netted the state loss of $780,,
900. To-day the institution is not only /
buta source ofrevenue. [
Such comparisons are odious, and May 1
nard must be desperately short of ma
terial when he invites them. Com
pared with the condition in which 4
Gov Brown found the penitentiary,
the present arrangement effects saw
ing of STAT 900 annually to the tax pay
ers. Such is the contrast between the I
Democratic administration and May 4
nard's party when they were in power.
1t is to be remarked further that, with /
the exception of some eighteen /
months. before the war, the present is /
the first time since its establishment 4
nearly fifty years ago that the peniten
tiary has been made self-sustaining, and /
is not a source ofexpense to the Treas
ury. ,.,-..- /
Maynard must study up some fresh |
topics, if he cares to interest an intelli- [
gent and readings people. None but 7
negro audiences, and not all of them /
can be caught with such claptrap as he /
has dealt in up to the present stage Of
the canvass.-NdshviHe Union and 1
American. us