Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-12-07
BIOGRAPHICAL,
Personal Sketches OF the Members
Of the FGrIieth General Assembly
Of Tennessee,

W 80
of Tennessee.
Under this heading we propose to give,
from time to time, a short sketch Of each
member of the Legislature.l
WILLIAM P. FOLLY.
William Polk Tolly, Representative
elect from Lincoln county to the lower
house of the incoming Legislature, was
born November I, 1882, at Lynchburg,
now the county seat of Moore county.
He was therefore thirty seven years old
the day Of bis and the Presidential cleo
ton. James X. Polk was elected Gov.
ernor 10 1889, and in honor Of the event
and the man toe name Polk Was be.
slowed on the subject Of this sketch.
BE received an academic education in
the vicinity Of his birthplace, aud at.
tended the East Tennessee University at
Knoxville, and Union University at
Murlreesboro, each one session, but
lacked two years of completing the full
c1urst he is OK S~cotch-Irish extrac-
ton; a farmer by occupation, and mar
ried. During the war he was captain Of
a company in the Fra. Tennessee Con.
federate regiment, Virginia army; was
disabled at Gaines Mill, in front of
Richmond, in 1862, the second day Of
the seven days battles; afterward, when
only partially recovered, joined the cav
airy and did good service as a scout.
BE is not a member Of any church ex-
cept by affinity with the primitive Bap-
fist church, toward which he is inclined.
Mr.. FOLLY was a member Of the State
Senate Of IS7l-12 from the district com
posed Of Lincoln and Franklin counties.
In the same years he edited the Lincoln
County News; was a delegate TO the
State Democratic Convention in 1872.
and was one Of the first to adopt the
Greeley movement, which he favored to
prevent the movement Of d%isintegration
headed BY A. S Colyar, Henry S. Foote
and others. He made the race for nom.
instion for Congress in his district-the
Fiith-in l574,and was the third foremost
candidate in a list Of six. Mr.. Bright,
the successful candidate, very clearly
minated to Mr.. Tolly's friends after the
Convention that he regarded him as his
eblest competitor on the stump, especi-
ally upon the currency question, upon
which they both took the same side. He
is an advocate Of low taxes on the basis
of a compromise Of the State debt, which
he holds is the only practicable disposal
that can be made ofitahort Of repudiation
He held to the view in the canYss5 that
the people are unable to bear an increase
Of taxation; 40 cents is insufficient to
pay the interest and dsfray current ex
penses Of the Statei the Democratic
platform iorbids going beyond 40 cents;
therefore, there is no alternative LEFT but
to repudists or compromise, one or the
other, so ss to reduce taxes; there Is no
sense in keeping up a forty cents tax
when that rate will not accomplish the
purpose. Ga this platform Mr.. Tolly
will be q candidate for Speaker OIL the
House. he believes that, in consequence
of the unsettled condition Of national
finances and the monetary stringency,
the conventional interest law should be
repealed, and the rste limited to six per
cent. Among other things, Mr.. folly
insists that both United States Senators
ought to be thoroughly committed to the
Western idea OF national eurrency-tht
legaltender system. No nominstiont
we're made 10 Lincoln county for the
Legislature previous to the late election
the county being nearly all one way
Three Democrats ran and one Republi
htan. The State debt was the main issue
Of the canvass. Mr.. FOLLY ran ahead o.
Kercheval, his closest competitor, 10;
votes; about doubled carrigau. the mex
foremost, aud more than trebIed Mont
gomery, the Republican. A man 0.
experience, fine intelligence and educa
ton, aud progressive, liberal views. he
cannot fail to WELD a large influence in
the next Legislature.
The vote Of Lincoln county at the late
election was: For President-TildeH,
1920; Hayes, 528 For Governor-Por'
Ter (Depoerat), 29ifI Thomas (Inde.
pendent Democrat, 9s. For Congress
bright (Democrai), 2s6lj Gaibreath
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