Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1880-03-20
HERE ARR THE DOCUMENTS F.!
OLD DOCUMENTS ARE DANGEROUS
THINGS.
The Era's Record Brought to Light.
The Avalanche Has Fallen and the Era
is Crushed and Along with 1t, its
Ex Parte Committee.
Let Every Candid Man Read This.


We have repeatedly charged that the
Era advocated "the 50-4 measure" in
the spring and summer of 1879. We
did this from memory, not having cop
les of that paper before us. But on
last Tuesday, March 16, 1880, one of
our friends living in the country
brought us full file of the Era cover
ing that date, and we now lay the Era's
editorials before the public that they
may see just what that paper did say.
1t is said that you can tell whether
horse will enter a stable by the way he
approaches the door. Let us see how
the Era approaches the door to "the
50-4 measure"
We now quote from the editorial of
that paper March 20, 1879. Speaking
of the Alabama State debt only nine
days before the passage Of the 5O-4
bill the Era says:
Tennessee will willingly accept
compromise at 33B cents on the dollar"
Here is one step towards the door.
In the issue of March 81, 1879, sew
en- days later, the Era makes one more
step towards the door and says this:
''soME HOPE OF A CONCLUSION"
''The Senate last Friday by a vote
of 10 to II passed a bill for the settle
ment of the State debt at 40 cents on
the dollar and per cent. interest. The
House set Tuesday for the considera-
ton of the bill, and aUe hope they aoal
pass 1t We believe the people would
ratify a settlement at that figure and
rate of interest and we believe it is the
very best they will do"
"For the sake of removing this dis
turbing element, and believing the
proposition equitable and liberal, ace
hope to see the people allowed by the Leg
islatere to give expression to their vieacs
upoe the bM."
The horse has two feet in now, and
very few ever pull back after going in
that far, and when they do they inva-
riably get hurt.
Move up, kind readers, just seven
days, to the Sd of April, 1879, when
the Era comes out at its mast head and
says:
SETTLEMENT OF THE STATE DEBT.
"The Legislature has finally passed
bill for the settlement Of the State
debt at fifty cents on the dollar, bear.
ing 4 per cent interest. Last week, as
will be remembered, the Senate passed
bill, which we published, proposing
TO settle at 40 cents on the dollar, and
the bill was sent to the House. that
= bJedfy' ahasssetESed the Senate bill BY strlk
! ing out 40 cents and inserting 80 cents
, returned the bill to the Senate for it,
, concurrence. The Senate concurred
in the amendment and passed the bill
on its last reading last Saturday. The
l bill provides that the proposition shall
be first submitted to the bondholder
for their approval, and if approved by
them then to the people for their ratif
cation. There is little doubt but tina
the bondholder will accept the offer a
that figure, and we think as little tina
the people will ratify the settlement Oh
, that basis"
Now, look at the two preceding ar
, ticles above quoted.
e l Tennessee will scillingly accept I
compromise at 33B cents on the dollar"
g 2 1--WE hope they will pass it," e. tn
40-4 bill.
1 3 Now comes the third endorsement
at only little higher figure, and it j
f this; "There is lite doubt but tn
bondholder will accept the offer at tina
4 figure (59.4), and we think as littl
that the people will ratify the settle
q ment on that basis"
Now the editor either advocated thi
or did not, and we ask every homes
reader to say which he did. We sa
he did advocate the 50-4 in the above
and the charge is sustained. But a Ii
Il tie more proof on this yet.
Is We now propose to kill two bird
II with one rock. We have also sal
= that the Era claimed that the Legisl'
!. ture and party had come to Col. Sa,
l. ages doctrine in passing the 5O-4 bill
J. and that it claimed the 50-4 measul
II as victory for Col. Savage. In doin
Is this the Era advocates the bill Just
+ we have charged. The Era Apr
D. 3, 1879, says:
;" "When Col. Savage came to the front
in behalf of the people they had no champio
|; and the bondholder was demanding his fu
u "pound of flesh" and no one dared stay h
re hand. Hisfriends in the State were urgir
A each succeeding Legislature to levy an ado
tional tax to meet his accrued interest III
III bondholder wanted one hundred cents {
Ve the dollar; his friends said it was dsgracef
W to offer less. Col. Savage offered 33Ls cent
y the bondholder offered to take 60 cents al
r. 6 per cent interest, and the Legislature h
az now offered him 80 cents and per cent i
n terest' This compromise was mainly by Il
:. influence and efforts of Col. Savage, for HI
W no one gone before the people and instruc
|ic ed them and aroused them To action Il