Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1875-02-24
oUR NASHVILLE LETTER.
Our state Rtnances-Dodson Cuts the
6ordtan Knot-Turiey's Plan 90 Set
sic the Debt.
'm our Special Correspondent


NASHVILLE, Feb. 10, 1875.
The week just closed has been a busy
one with the Legislature, especially
with the House, that body having
been In session the greater part of each
day, and just before adIourning this
afternoon, Mr.. Bullen-who IL evil
IDENTIFY very honest and Conscientious
old gentleman--endeav to secure
more working hours by resolution
providing that hereafter the House
shall meet at 8 A. M, each day. Glib
son moved to amend by making the
hour Of meeting s A. NJ. The motion
to amend was agreed TO, aud the ques-
ton then being upon the resolution rs
amended, it was rejected by heavy
majority on the negative side Of the
question.
FINANCIAL,
For several days past the House has
been battling with the financial prob
lem, the result being the development
Of desire on the part of fopr-fifths of
the members TO meet the obligations of
the State on account of State bonds at
less rates than dollar for. dollar. The
feeling of the House on this subject
was fully shown yesterday in the dis
cussiou of Gjbson's bill, allowing tax
payers 10 pay half their taxes in de.
tached coupons on legally" issued
state bonds, at the rate of sixty cents.
The measure was opposed on the
ground that its provisions were unjust
and dishonest, by Messrs. Orr, Lea,
Anderson and Cooper. Messrs. Gar
denhire, Ledgerwood, Noblitt,
Head, Gibson and Northington
supported the bill with specious argu-
ments. claiming there WAS nothing
dishonest about il, but that it was a
fair business proposition. F.nlsy con-
sidered the bill a cumbersome one,
and Cummins opposed lite passage on
the grounds that as there are but eight
Republicans In the Legislature, the
Republican party of the State would
claim hereafter that it was passed by
Democratic Legislature, throwing
the odium of reputation upon the
Democratic party and make much po-
litica capital thereby, and be there
fore made frantic appeal to his polit~
zeal brethren to reject the bill. Cum
Minis speech established two points,
the first being that the measure
smacked of reputation, at least, in
his opinion, and second, the people of
the State would not endorse the bill,
for IL they would, how could the Re-
publican party make political capital
out of it's passage by a Democratic
Legislature, as the said capital must
be made with the very people the
measure was supposed TO benefit? 1t
Is to be regretted that this man, who is
looked upon as one of the Democratic
headers of the body of which he is "a
member, could not take higher and
more patriotic view of his duty in the
premises, but perhaps he properly es
umated the sort Of argument needed
to influence his brethren, for certain il
is the bill was rejected 10y a vote OF
forty~eight against twenty. four. The
average Democrat will always give
heed to an appeal to his love of party,
when an even stronger argument adj
dressed to his good judgment, sense of
justice and honesty will have no more
effect upon him than would the same
arguments have upon the Cardiff
Giant.
ONE WAY TO cur DOWN
expenses, is todouble up official duties,
Which, lhCl has tNlutlllN "A
Judgment in the mind of Mr.. Dodson,
of the House. Hehas taken no prom.
inent part in the discussions relative
10 assessment. State bonds, past due
coupons, ETC., but he has, nevertheless
been brooding over the financial stu
alton, and has possibly spent sleepless
nights on account of the desperate
strait in which his beloved State finds
herself, pecuniarlly, owing principal
~ to the rascality of the ID Radi
Gals during the BrOwnlow admins
tration. This morning Mr.. Dodson
made public the result of his prolong-
ed and exhaustive study by Offering a
resolution, which proposes To at once
and forever abolish the offices of Ad-
jutant-General and Private Secretary
to the Governor, and devolve the du-
ties thereof upon the Secretary of State.
Now that's what | call move in the
right direction, and hereafter, when
it il charged that Tennessee has no
statesmen, will proudly point to bod
son, whose resolution above given,
opens up to view possibilities absolute
~ staggering in their fsr-reaching
grandeur. Gentlemen OF the Thirty
Ninth General Assembly adopt
Dodson's resolution, by all means, but
do not stop with that, Having thus
dispensed with two official positions,
whose united salaries foot up the i'm
mense sum of 81 900 per annum, dis
pense also with the Office Of Superin-
tendent of the Capitol, devolving the
duties of that position upon the Comp
troller, for instance, make the State
Treasurer Cr-o6iciO Superintendent of
Public Instruction and Warden
Of the Pepitentiary, and LET the Cover
nor employ his leisure time by look
ing after the duties now attended 10 10y
the Attorney General. Then will
prosperity once more attend our state
and her treasury he filled TO overflow
ing with wealth, saved from official
salaries.
Speaking of Attorney General, am
reminded of the scoring given that of
fetal this week in connection with the
SUPREME COURT REPORTS,
which should have been published 10y
him luriuU the UGst three XTnTS huI