Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-01-15
A GREAT IMPROVEMENT.

No one who has been in the habit
of attending the Federal Courts at
this place for the past ten years
can fail to notice the gratifying
change that has taken place. For
years past the dockets of the court
have been crowded with cases
against defendants all over the
Judicial District for violating the
Internal Revenue laws. At each
succeeding session of the court
scores and hundreds of men, mostly
from the mountain districts, were
brought here in arrest and as many
more as witnesses to testify for and
against them. For the most part,
they belonged to a class that could
i'll afford the expense of a trip to
Knoxville or to pay board and
lodging bills while here. Our sym
pathies have been aroused for
them on more than one occasion,
regretting that they would persist
in violating the law and bringing
trouble and distress upon themselves
and their friends. Politicians had
taught them that the laws were
cruel and arbi trary, and that it was
no harm to violate them. In fact
there were many circumstances sur
rounding them which operated as
an encouragement to violate the
laws. In divers instances they plead
guilty to the charges against them
and were sentenced to imprison-
ment, their Imprisonment being only
nominal. Encouraged by the len
isacy of the courts and misled by
the politicians, they continued to
violate the laws.
But latterly a different pol
icy has prevailed. This mis-
taken leniency had been misun-
derstood and had operated
greatly to the detriment of those
whom it was intended to benefit.
Those who had violated the laws
were given to understand that they
would be punished. The laws were
vigorously enforced. The result
has been all that could be expected.
This policy proved blessing, not
only to the communities where IL
licit distilleries were reported, but to
the violators themselves. When they
came to understand that the laws
were to be enforced, and that trials
in the courts and the execution of
sentences was not a mere farce,
their eyes were opened and they
have become law>abiding citizens.
Now, the dockets of the United States
Court are not so crowded. The mum.
Der Of persons arrested for Illicit dis
filling within the last six months, is
not half so large as formerly. The
number of persons attending the
Court is not near so large, and
better state Of feeling prevails gen
orally. In many neighborhoods IL
licit distilling has ceased entirely
and all can see that the general
welfare has been promoted. The
cost of holding the courts has been
largely diminished, amounting TO
many thousands of dollars an
nually. The occupation of those
who have made it their business to
create prejudice in the minds of the
people against the revenue officers
is gone, and nearly all have made
up their minds that the laws must
be obeycd.
We congratulate the people of
East Tennessee upon this improved
state Of affairs. They are a peace
able, law-abiding people, hOspitable
and kind-hearted. They will not,
if left to themselves, encourage law
lessness in any shape. Their repu-
tation for obedience to the Constitu-
ton and laws of the Federal Gov
eminent has been well attested.