Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-10-05

But it is said that we lost so much by the
war that we caLnot afford to pay it. Sup
pose it TO be true tina: our losses were great,
as they certainly were, it was as much our
fault as that of any one else. l speak as
Southern man TO Southern men. We
voluntarily engaged in the fight and did
all we could to win it, but failed. We got
what we risked, we got whipped. Ictory
would have cost as much. Defeat cost no
no more, and why blame others for risk
we bravely took and coursgeously labored
to make successful? We met Drawer and
more powerful enemy than we expected,
and he succeeded and We failed. 1t WAS |
trial of strength, and do not see that he |
is 10 blame because he would not permit |
US to whip him. The war has been over |
for nearly fifteen years. A large number
of those who engaged in it are gone, and
those who remain lave grown old. a ne"
generation is coming upon the stage. There
are many things which we ought to forget.
Let US throw away old passions and preju-
dices and look to the future. Since the
days Of Lots wife it has proven source of
mischief to look behind us. But under
take to say that the war has not left you in
so bad candtion you may have sup
posed. In 1860 Tennessee produced 5, 459
268 bushels of wheat in 1870 it raised
| G, 1873, 9lO bushels. In 1860 it produced
: ,267, 8l4 bushels of oats; in 1870, 1913 3!5,
| aud more barley and buckwheat were made
in 1870 than in 1850. In 1860 we produced
| 81 089, 926 bushels Of corn, and in 1870 Al
.3ls,614 In 1860 animals slaughtered or
| sold for slaughter for meat were of the
value Of S12, 430,768. In 1870 they we're Of
the value of SIS, 1856, $50. SO that there
was no great disparity in the aggregate
amount and value Of the productions of
these years.
The statistics Of the postal service fur
nish a fair index of the business
of the country. In 1889 there
was an aggregate Of 2.1755Q7 miles Of
postal service performed in the State. In
| 1873, tie last year in which our reports are
furnished, there was an aggregate of 1885,
479 miles Of service. The total cost of the
postal service in Tennessee in 1850 was
$317, 006, and its revenues Slt5 1872, leaving
@ deficiency Of S161 273, or more than one
half tho cost L. 1873 the total cost of the
postal service in the State was S454 243, and
It's revenues were $40 795, which were
more than double those of 1860, leaving q
deficiency Of only Sll3 4i8, and this, OF
outstanding the rate of postage on many
articles, was cheaper and On none higher
than in 1850. The postal business of Ten
/ nessee has more than doubled since the
year pr ceeding the war, aud no fact could
more emphaticaly demonstrate the IN
creased business Of the State.
you say to me. however. that the times
are hard and that is true, but that is our
fault, and not the fault of the State. The
| times are never hard with people who are
! GU. of Debt, but they are always hard with
} people in debt. We have been more ex-
travagaut since the war than before. We
have bought more than we have sold, The
balance OF trade has been against u. II
We want better times we must change the
result of our balance sheet. We must have
moro than we buy. The price Of liv-
: ing is cheaper than before the war, but
some things are indulged in by us which
cost much more and do US no good.
StTang drink and tobacco cost u2
two or three times as much az
9 they did twenty years ago, and YET
Z
Our wives and daughters spend two OIL
three times much for dress as wives anc
: daughters did twenty years ago. We al
:; purchase more freely. We go in debt anC
:, pay interest. The merchant purchases oil
= q credit and pays interest, and in cOnse
q quenca charges more for his goods, or fails
n BY which many lose The insclVent AM
# suspended debts of States, counties, mum
ci04lities. corporations. cOmpan IS ant
: individuals are the terrible vortex whicl
# swallows in its fearful depths pr sperit,
l. and enterprise and creates hard umes
~ When debts are paid money enters tn
- currents of business and CT culates freely
se and times are easy. When debts are nc
d paid the currents of business stagnate, an
ia money can not circulate. The payment {
the interest upon your State debt woul
i largely contribute to produce better time
c. in your midst. The payment of all GU
y debts would bring US an era OF prosperity
o. Industry and economy will provide tn
- means to pay them.
IS The gre 1t apostle enjoined it upon b
= flock to lowe no man anything" job
al Randolph of Roanoke said that he ha
6 discovered the philosophers stone in tt
- short maxim, Pay as you 60" An
We now, my friends, my parting Injunction
We you is lowe no man anything" but "Ps
n as you CO." remembering the while to
=, reputation is not oomnliarce with eth
CT maxim. but q violation of both. Tn
Sc less IN would incuIcALe to- dav Is, thst v
cultivate deeper love for our State and f
- the Federal Union. Virtue, honesty al
40 Justice are the basis on which the State al
On Nation must rest if we would have pro
e. porous and happy people.
!