Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-04-16
GOV. PORTER INTERVIEWED.

The National CenfenniaI-Tenness
Amply Able to Pay Her Debts-A
Good Display at Philadelphia VIII
Attract Immigrants.
Nashville Correspondence New York Herald.
called upon Governor Porter and at
once proceeded to lay before him the OBJ
jet Of my visit, which, told him, was to
ascertain what action he proposed taking
on behalf Of the State with regard to the
Centennial celebration at Philadelphia.
1 asked him what he thought Of the cele-
bration and he replied as follows:
Governor POrter-I am greatly in favor
of it and anything else which will have so
great a tendency 20 exalt the nation and TO
show forth her progress during the hun
dred years Of her existence. This celebrl-
tiOn ought to draw all the States together,
and ought to be the means Of dissipating
and forever blotting out the curse Of sec
tiOnalism and sectional feeling. 1t ought to
cultivate broad spirit Of unity and broth
erly kindness. In its participation the
war and all its subsequent evils should and
will be Obliterated, and we shall move
along through the next century as strongly
eemented together in the one common OBJ
ject Of perpetuating a republican govern
ment.
Correspondent-Win you take any ac-
tion with regard 10 having Tennessee fully
represented?
THE QUESTION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
Governor POrter-I received a letter from
a. 7. GOshorn, Director General, recently,
and have been somewhat troubled as to
what course 1 should pursue. The ques-
tion rests upon the fact as to whether the
State viii have the ability to furnish the
money to meet the demands Of such an un-
deTtaking. There is now, you know, a
hue and cry all over the State about its
financial condition. This is an imaginary
trouble on the part Of TIE people. There
is no inability on the part Of the State to
meet all the demands made upon it.
There is no doubt that there are many
men in the State who, by reason Of the
panic of 1873 and the drought Of last seas
on, are in a desperate strait. Much Of the
clamOr proceeds from them. They are
using all their energy to meet their Eabili-
ties, and are, therefore, opposed to anything
having a tendency TO depress them, though
it be of a light nature. But the cry has
been so persistent that all alike pro
claim "hard times" For instance, farm
er in my county came to me the other day
and complained Of shard times.n
| asked him whether he owed anything
He replied, FsNO." Whether he. bought as
much and lived as well as he ever did.
He said, eyes" "Well then, l said, ''yOu
have very little to grieve you"
Correspondent Will you recommend
any action on the part Of the Legislature
relative to the Centennial celebration?
GOyernrr Porter-NOt until after the
discussion of the financial problems is over.
CorrespOndent-What will you recon-
mend.
Governor Porter-An adequate apprOpri-
alton for the conspicuous display Of Ten
neSsee's immense resources.
A CHANCE FOR IMMIGRANTS.
Correspondent-Then Tennessee will be
enabled to make as great a display as any
other State in the Union?
Gov. Porter-Yes; and am decidedly
in favor of placing her cOnspicuQusly in
the foreground, aud so far as my ability
extends it will be done. There is no State
in the Union that has greater resources
than ours. We have ores Of the greatest
and the richest variety. There is no limit
10 us Cuals Us utllF Us AA4l-l 1AIr pam anu
variegated. Timber Of the first quality
and Of every description grows here in
the greatest abundance. The products
of the soil are unequalled. We can
raise anything we want, and if
we desire make three crops in one season.
We have no gold mines Of any conse-
quence, but we have plenty Of lead, cop
per and silver and other ores. 1t is not
egOtistical in me nor an OyeTweening love
for my State to say that she could eclipse
Pennsylvania in a display Of her resources.
They have been comparatively unknown,
simply for the want Of capital TO develop
them.
Cousponden5-Do you not think that
such an exhibition Of TenneSsee's wealth
as YOU propose would be worth a score Of
immigration bureaus
Gov. POrler-I must admit that l do. L
am thoroughly satisfied that if Tennessee
should make the exhibition it ought we
should have such a stream Of immigration
TO It as she had never before known, and
that is Just what we want. If we
had more Of it, property would soon
increase to such a valuation as to
make even the muCh-talkeda about State
debt an easy burden to carry. Besides, our
climate is so mild that our winters are
comparatively light-sO much so that in
stead of having to build big barns, as they
do up North, cattle are turned out TO Craze;
the dwellings instead are built large and
open. for a Tennesseean believes in having
plenty of pure, fresh air.