Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-08-14
-" WHATSOEVER A MAN SOW.
ETH, THAT SHALL HE
ALSO REAP"

We desire to have candid,
friendly talk with State credit
Democrats in Tennessee. We do
not mean to upbraid them for past
mistakes nor to lecture them in a
partisan spirit, nor to even boast
superior knowledge and foresight
by exclaiming, 1--WE told you 50"
But they can plainly see their past
mistakes, and we believe many of
them will have the manliness to ac-I
knowledge them, and the patriotism
to make reparation, as far as they
can, in the future. We know very
well that the Republican party is in a
minority in Tennessee, and that
without the aid of some who are
Demo the party is wholly un-
able to save the State from the mael-
strom of reputation. t will re-
quire the combined efforts of State
credit men Of all parties to do this,
and when we call attention to the
fact that the Democratic party has
been steadily sowing seed which has
produced a repudia ton harvest, it
is for the purpose of preventing the
sowing Of such seed in the future.
@Theparty came into power in 1869
crying s'low taxes andi in 1870 the
Legislature, with the approba-
ton Of Democratic leaders, without a
dissenting voice SO far as we have
any knowledge, provided for tax
of only two mills on the dollar.
Every man with a spark of intelli-
gence knew that that meant repu>
diation. It was the first seed of
that kind that was sown, and now
we are reaping bountiful harvest
of. dishonesty. Had State tax of
six mills to the dollar been levied
then, the interest on the State debt
would have been met, it would not
be so large by six millions as it is
now, and the credit OF the State
would have been SO good that ou1
debt might be easily funded in four
per cent. bonds, the interest upon
which might he paid with a four 0,
FIVE mill tax, to say nothing Of the
damage the commercial interests Of
the State has suffered from loss Of
credit. The GLOW tax" cry was
popular, but it was a fearful mis-.
take, as will now be admitted.
Passing over various, mistakes
made by the Democratic party il
Tennessee, for we have not space t.
notice all Of them, we come to thu
great blunder perpetrated last sum
mer, when the pirates flag wal
raised by Governor Marks, whe1
hv'a wrote the platform upor
which he was nominated
We sincerely wish that W.
might know that the Governor il
now ashamed of that wicked pro
duction. We do not want to be
lieve him SO dangerous man as tn
sentiment expressed and implied il
that platform and in his first mes
sage to the Legislature. Disgracet
as we feel Tennessee to be, still i
would be some mitigation of oul
general humiliation to know tha
our Governor has conscience enough
to make him ashamed of the par
he has taken in prostituting anc
debauching the minds Of the people
who have honored him with thu
highest Office within their gift.
But astonishing as it may
seem to people outside 0
the State, and within our owl
borders also, thousands of goo
State credit men swallowed tn
poison of his platform, and "fort tn
good of the party went to tn
ballot-box and voted for him. N
man Of intelligence entertained
shadow Of asdoubt as to the mean
ing of the platform, and yet papers
pr0fessingfo bein favor of sustain
ing then credit of the State,urge
Ia ansG