Knoxville Whig and chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1875-1882, 1875-11-17
THEN AND NOW.

Jersey, &c. "The tidal wave had
swept away Radical power" and
Grantism had been crushed" aud
the Democracy was to be permanently
enthroned aud invested with, not only
the State Governments, but with the
powers of the National Government.
A Democratic House of Representa-
tives was one of the results of their
victory in 1874, and they were sure
that the elections of 1875 would con-
firm and establish their power, so pos
itively as to render certain their tri-
umph in the Presidential contest in
1876. We had passed through too
many political campaigns to be deceiv-
ed by the results of the elections in
1874. When we analized the votes in
the several States that seemed to have
changed from Republican to Demos
crotic, we found that in all those
States the apparent detection arose
| from the lightness of the vote polled
in the several States, and not from u
change in the political sentiments of
the people. 1t was true that there was
great depression in business generally,
throughout the country; that enter
prlses had felt the effects of the gener-
al stagnation, and the people were for
the time bewildered and at a loss to ac-
count for the cause of the financial
trouble that had overtaken us. We
knew that under such circumstances
it was natural that the people should
hold the party in power responsible
for such state of affairs, and there
fore were not surprised at the discon-
tent manifested.
| The Democrats seized so favorable an
opportunity to decry and denounce the
whole policy of the Republican party,
thinking that amid the discomfort and
under its influence they could array
the people against the policy Of the
party in power. But they proposed no
remedy commensurate with the neces-
sites of the case. The people listened
to their denunclations of the party 10
power, but heard nothing that assured
them of wiser or better policy. They
remembered that but short time had
intervened since our greenback cur
rency had been denounced by these
same fault>finders as unconstitutional,
and charged that 1t had been issued by
an unscrupulous and tyrannical party,
that was intent upon wrestling all
power from the States in order to con-
solidate and centIaliZe all important
powers in the National Government.
Now, when this same party proposed
an unlimited issue of this same uncon-
stitutional greenback currency, as a
remedy for the depression and the
evils we bear, the people were amazed.
When Pendleton, who, while in Con-
gress, was consistent in voting against
the issue of every dollar ofgreenbacks T;
and Allen, who had been an implaca-
BILE enemy of every Republican meas
ure, became champions OF Initiation as a
remedy for disease, that had, in a
great measure, been produced by the
necessities of the country during the
war, they became distrustful of
such leaders, and have rejected
their counsels with scorn and con-
tempt. We have often charged upon
the Democratic party that they are
bankrupt of principles. They posi-
lively have nothing to offer the people.
They can scold, and find fault, and de.
nounce the policies of their opponents
like bawds, but when called upon, as
they were in the States that have so
recently held elections, to avow some
comprehensive policy that would lift
the country from its depression, they
utterly failed, and the people turned
away from them, saying: " We asked
you for bread and you give us stone"
The country has gained much by
the discussions that have taken place
all over those States that held their
elections on the I'd of this month.
We shall be much mistaken if those
discussions in regard to the true causes
of our depression, will not continue to
have a powerful influence throughout
the country.
Intelligent men have about arrived
at the conclusion that the wastes and
the destruction of values during the
war is the true cause of the depression
that afllicts US; and we are
not suffering from the want
| of more currency so much
as from the exhaustion caused by the
enormous drains that have been made
upon the wealth and productive indus
tries of the country.
When we consider the losses of the
country and the load of debt that
weighs upon us, it becomes matter of
wonder that the people enjoy the COM
parative prosperity that Is witnessed
throughout the land, No nation of
WHICH we ndNc hlSNOlJi has bOl hO u II
so grandly after passing through such
a cyclone of war as we have and we
attribute it TO the wisdom displayed
by the Republican party in adopting
true American policy which has
fostered and encouraged our domestic
industries and stimulated enterprise,
But it takes time to restore losses and
to repair wastes. All Europe lay pros
trate from exhaustion for many years
after the close of the Napoleonic wars.
Can we hope to escape the inevitable
penalties following all destructive
wars? Vain and delusive hope Time,
industry and a frugal economy in pri-
vate and public expenditures can alone
restore our wasted wealth. AS the
successive months roll on, this truth is
becoming more and more apparent to
all thoughtful people.
The war precipitated by the Seces-
sionists caused the waste and absolute
loss of five billions of money; besides
the less of the labor of over one million
of able bodied men for tour years. The
people at the North begin TO under
stand this as we'll as we do. The
fsnE,. Aanraaainn