Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1876-06-17
COL. BAILEY AT MEMPHIS.

Hon. james E. Bailey delivered
most able, dignified and statesmanlike
address on State finances, at the Green
law Operahouse last night, to large
and appreciative audience. His argu-
ments were unanswerable, and his pre-
sentation of the question commanded
the unbounded respect and confidence
of those who heard him. His delivery
was graceful and easy. his language
choice and elegant, and his illustrations
apt and pointed. We wish every man
in the State could have heard him, and
we feel satisfied that they would be
convinced that the debt was just, that
we had received and were receiving
great benefits from it, and that we were
in honor, equity and good faith bound
to pay it. We cannot do justice to the
speech, and hope it will be published
an ectenSo and circulated throughout
the length aud breadth of the State.
No advocate of non-payment of the
debt can answer his speech.
Judge Bailey made strong point
when he showed that the burden of
State taxation rested on the property
or accumulated capital of the country,
and did not come upon the poor labor
ing men. This is right, because the
debts which were created were for the
benefit of property, and consequently
the property of the country should pay
them. A large majority of the people
of Tennessee pay no State tax what
ever except the poll-tax, which is for
school purposes. 1t will not do to say
that this tax ultimately comes out of
labor, because the tax is placed upon
the rent or purchase of land, for this
is not the case. High taxes never in
crease the price of land that is for sale
or rent, but have rather a contrary
tendency. Whatever in this State is
collected by taxation comes from the
property holders, who are most able
to bear it and who have received the
benefits. Such wise and just minded
property holders as John M. Lea, who
owns more property in Davidson and
Shelby counties than any man in the
States, appreciate these benefits and
know the Importance of preserving the
credit of the State to the value of their
property, are the most Jealous adVo-
Gates ofpaying the State debt. Through
out the State we think it will be found
that the large property holders aohO are
not delinquent taxpayers are IN favor
of paying the debt, although they know
that property and not labor pays it,
Memphis Appeal, June 10Th.
We have only one thing to add to
these notices of Col. Bailey by the
Memphis Appeal. and that Is, that in
proportion as it is honorable to Col.
B. to have stepped manfully to the
front to do battle for the right with
out waiting to feel his way and conjec-
ture how this course might affect his
individual interests-in the same
proportion it is discreditable to the
public men of the State, that so far
he stands alone in doing so. There
must surely be other men besides he,
who feel the paramount Importance of
State credit. Why are they silent ?
We give them warning. The people
of Tennessee like a plain-spoken friend
better than a boot-licking sycophant
who waits for the last phase of public
humor, and then says with his cour-
tiers smile, MY sentiments" Louis
XIV and George III never had more
supple and cringiDg courtiers in their
ante-rooms than are to be found in
the presence of the sovereign people
here and now.