Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-02-05
Gov. PORrRR,s mEssAGE.

propriely of Increasing the burdens OF
taxation is urged pari passu with "the
necessity Of making provision for the
interest Of the State debt" Inthis re-
spect the Governor adheres strictly to
the platform On which be was elected,
as he does also in the mode be suggests
for comprising this double task, name
y, the exercise of economy and watch
fulness in every appropriation made.
When circumstances force the people
to economic, It becomes the duty Of a
representative government to do like
wise in its own expenses, in order to
avoid expressing its people When tax
payers are obliged 10 retreneh, tax
eaters should Be compelled to do
likewise. This is the only true and
Democratic way Of meeting. such an
emergency. The opposite, or Radical,
practice is illustrated in the course of
the present Congress, which finds the
whole country depressed and revenues
decreased by the same causes as Ten
nessee, By the pane, short crops and
general industrial depression. Yet
there is no effort at retrenchment. On
the contrary, all indicate IA increase
Of expenditures. The Navy appropria-
ton bill was rushed through With at
least FIVE millions Of unnecessary and
shameful grants. The Legislative Dill
was returned from the Senate loaded
down with expensive amendments. The
Postofice deficiency is enormously IN
creased from last year. Not . dime has
beea cut off the Army bill and others
yet to be reported, while a host Of Jobs
loom up in the back ground. It rests
with the Tennessee Legislature to take
the initiative in showing the practical
difference between Democracy and
RadicaEsm.
The Governor well says that it is too
late to discuss the wisdom Of the poll
CT under which u State debt was
created. It may be remarked, in this
connection, that even the Brownlow
debt after the war was not without its
benefits. It may be regarded as the
price and condition on which we
escaped the bayonet reconstruction Of
more Southern States. If, as was pro-
posed at the time by one Of the lead
ing old Wings Of the State, the people
had met in mass meetings at their
county sites and warned the money
centres that they Tepudiated these
bonds 1 advance, the result would
have been Federal interference and
an influx Of carpet baggers. Even as
late as 1870, when the new C0nsti.
tuition was under way, Tennes.
see was threatened with military
reconstruction. our united Radical del
! egation TO Congress urging this course
on the Government. Looking now to
the condition Of Louisiana, Mississippi
| South Carolina, and recently Of AT.
kansas, we may congratulate ]ourselve,
that we regaiDed local self government
at 50 cheap a price. When we ado
that nearly all the BroTnl5w Issues
have been absorbed in the sale Of &c
Hnquent railroads. leaving the bulk @.
our outstanding obligations II tn,
shape Of te-bellum bonds and &C
crued interest, the folly Of discussing
their validity must become evident Il
every one who does not care t. renew
TIE old an5o-b5lium quarrels between
Wings and Democrats.
Governor Porter echoes the voice Of
the whole State IN urging the reIuc.
| ton -of criminal costs, ard. as a
means thereto, suggests that each
county pay its TOWN ~icosts, sc
as 60 induce greater watch.
fulness on the part Of the citizen and
| arouse a more active interest IN the
suppression Of Iawlessnezs. The pub.
lie schools, the Bureau Of Agriculture
and the subject of immigration receive
due attention. Then ED for a thorough
| geological survey Of the State. IN order
90 present exact and scientific details OF
our mineral wealth, IS urged, and,
although 1t may not be done immedi.
atsly, the propriety Of ~ascer5ainiug It's
probable cost is suggested.
We are glad TO see that the Governor
includes the Mississippi among the
rivers whose improvement viii benefit
Tennessee as well as other States. He
also fayors the Texas Pacific. The
only source u additional revenues sug-
gesJed, "are many corporations IN Ten
nessee, including the railways, subject
to taxation, that aid IN nothing tythe
support Of the government.
The message closes very aPprOpTi-
ately with a reference to the Louisiana
usurpatiOn, and the dangerous preCe-
dent it establishes if allowed b pass
u~nchalenged.