Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-02-28
FRIDAY, FEB. p 1879.
Is DIsINGENUOUs CENSOR.


If We were convinced of the
Knoxville TiBune's sincerity when
it undertakes to play the part Of
censor over the Tennessee press,
and to dictate the coarse that other
papers shall pursue in the discus
sion of the State debt question, We
would attach a great deal more
weight to lis assumptions Of supe>
rior refinement, responsibility and
dignity IN such a discussion. But
its history does not warrant Us in
any such a conclusion. 1t IS notO-
rious for resortiDg to the "Vccabu-
larry Of the fish mar4e5" against
political opponents, and i.s history
is too well known in this respect TO
require any specifications at our
hands. ! few days ago, in its role
of censor, with sacepish d splay
of Pecksnifian piety, it took US to
task f-r applying epithets to such
Tennesseeans as are labo~'ng to
commit the State to the infamous
and disgrac.Sal policy of-erud.ziOn.
n its zeal for q "milder lo,c' in
the discussion Of this question a.
oYerleaped the bounds Of tI1.h aEd,
with the intention, 10 doubt,
Of pre;udic;ng the minds Of honest
Democrats WAC endorse the course
of the CHEoN-C-E, on this question,
of whom there are scores, it assum-
ed that we were aprl. ng oPProbl-
Gus epitIe;s TO majori.y Of the
people. TINS we denied, and de
MED that a majority o. The Demo
Gratis are repudil-ion;srs. Yester-
day morning it reiteratcs the charge
and to prove it, pub--.le5 a cagbled
extract from an edito..al which apo
peared in the CEoNI,-1 Of October
%, 1873. The ez.r2c: as pu.,.sh-
ed in tie Tribune is as Conows:
East Tenuezseans ere y fe~7r Of IN /
honest settlement 0. he S q g debt, |
AMI vii not he resented - The
L g stature uy men 81 o ere wiling
TO let matters tr..t alC ] TepudI- |
alton becomes unavoidable. tbs IS |
The policy Of ICHHC9s~8 DEMOCRACY /
OiaiIgs Cu.s) AMI tneE B. We me power /
10 carry il out, but L rzt PezurzeCe vii /
NOS be party TO II.
In the editorial from which this |
extract was taken, we were con-
domning the pol.ev Of tie Demo
cratic leaders in re ing 70 discuss
the State debt question. Icy were
running off On L. .onI questions,
shouting themselve ho,ISa n favor
of an irredeemable ggeenb1ck paper
currency, lodging Safe questions,
and relying upoa the use Of the
party lash to whip into l.1e su:l
Democrats as we're opposed % Their
miserable, ambiguous, reputation
platform. The opening paragraph
of our editorial in that issue is IS
follows
with their boas Ell majority OF
forty thousand III Tennessee, the
Democratic leaders believe that they
can afford 10 be stubborn. They have
made up their minds 10 be elected
Governor, representative and Sena-
tors ia the Legislature, without e.
pressing any opinion IN questions Of
vital Importance u the people of the
State. Toe policy agreed upon in re-
gard to 5 ate Issues might ba denOmi-
mated the 'possum policy When APP
preached on these issues some OF them
remain quiet and sulleu, while others
show thelr dexterity as dodgers. The
party whip is used to bring into line
ali Democrats who have op;niona on
the State debt question. aud bv thai !
means they expect to carry the
State"
We concluded with the following.
from which the publication in the
Tribune is a garbled extract: -,
EAST Tennesseans are In favor OF
an honest settlement OF the State debt, !
and will not be represented in the
Legislature by men who are willing
to let matters drift along until repudia. j
ton becomes unavoidable. This is ,
the policy of Tennessee Democracy,
and they have the power TO carry it ! :
out, but East Tennessee will not be j..
party to il, and nothing 6ut lid pa tn
discipline OOtl commit other sections
to it"
By reference TO the first para
graph, which formed the basis our
remarks, it will be seen that we