The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1880-09-08

menus dOitdf1 dOAidIi uOiiat1 d1 the Edbe /
of near five thousand dollars day. If I
courts and legislatures are all corrupt, |
as boilers say they are (but which /
neither believe nor admit), the corrup-
ton fund will then be indeed dangerous
and empowering.
This failure of our people to settle
this debt is running US and our prosperi-
ty in thousand ways. The whole civ
ilized world is against repudiation. The
moral sense of mankind all over the
world is shocked at it. 1t is an evil ex-
ample to our people at home, for If a
State can afford to be dishonest, indi-
Yiduals may also. 1t is corrupting to
the youth Of the land. If a State can
pay her obligations, or any part of them,
the world expects her to do it. The
same rule applies to individuals. But
if either are unable, but do the best they
can, the world excuses them.
MUST MEET THE ISSUE.
Tennessee cannot hide from the world.
The eyes of the people of the United
States and of the whole civilized world
are upon us, and on our own conduct in
this matter rests our shame or our hon
or. All our great interests, agricultur-
al, mechanical manufacturing, mining,
and all others are suffering chiefly from
our course. Men will not come to Ten
nessee and invest money in any of our
great resources of wealth with this dark
cloud of circumference hanging over US,
| and after while farseeing aud judicious
men will begin to sell out and leave the
State, not willing to leave their children
an inheritance of debt. 1t is said, and
I have no doubt truly, that the value OF
Tennessee property decreased $55, O00,-
900 in three years after the policy of
refusing to settle was inaugurated, and
it will still go on. We can settle it if
we will but make an honest effort to do
so. The concessions, in offering at one
! time to take 60, and afterwards 90 cents.
| Our platform contemplates
AN HONEST SETTLEMENT
on the basis of losses by the war, shrink
age in values, etc, and the further con-
sideration that a spirit of compromise
has heretofore marked the course of the
creditors. Shall we not meet them in
the same honest and frank spirit?
With tax of 40 cents on the hundred
dollars worth of property, together with
our other sources of revenue, the cur
rent expenses of the State can be pro-
vided for, the annual interest paid, and
something left to begin a sinking fund
with 1t will not be long until all the
railroads will be subject TO State and
county taxation. Some of them are now
paying taxes regularly. Some estimate
their yalue at $50, 600, 600 On this sum
a tax of 40 cents will raise 5000, 900 for
the State, beside county taxes in all
counties through which the roads run.
Besides, our property will all rise in
value, and a smaller per cent. will suf-
fee after we have restored confidence
and showed good faith.
THE TAXATION BUGBEAR.
If we should compromise our debt as
indicated, even then our taxes would be
less than any other Southern State ex.
cept the State of Missouri, and that pays
40 cents on the hundred dollars, and her
bonds are at par, if not above, and no
complaint is heard. Alabama and Geor-
gia have both compromised their debts,
and their taxes are lower now than they
were before, and general prosperity is
beginning to crown their efforts. The
fact is it was never our State tax that
oppressed us, and it will not be so in the
future. 1t is our county taxes which
within the control of the people through
their county court. have before me a
report taken from the books of Hay
wood county, which obtained when l
was there the other day, showing the
taxes paid by three of her largest prop
erty holders. One who own 1890 acres
of fine land pays $145.26 to the county,
and only $685. so to the State; another
who owns 1854 acres pays to the county
$47.85, and only $50 to the State; and
vet another who owns 1866 acres pays
the county BIB OF, and the State only |
$40. "a. mention these things to show |
that our State tax is not burdensome,
and will not be under fair adjustment |
of our State liabilities. But appeals are
made to the poor men, and they are told |
that they will have the taxes to pay if |
we settle this debt. l believe that no |
man has more sympathy than myself for
the poor people of my native State.
1t was my luck to be born to an inheri- |
lance of poverty, and l have kept my
as we'll as most men. [ did |
once get to be better off, but war and
swept that all away, and to-
day am again a poor man. l have
owed and do owe debts that have been
unable to pay. have never availed
myself of the bankrupt law, nor plead
the statute of limitations. l have re-
newed obligations barred by the stat
utes, and have never denied a just
debt.
PURE DEMOCRACY.
If you want to change your form
of government, which is representative,
to a pure Democracy, in which the
people meet together and pass their
own laws without a legislature, you
have the power to do so. But
whilst your present government
stands, it is the legislature on whom the
power OF legislation is wholly conferred,
md they have no right to shirk it. But
ny competitor says he gets the idea from
he bill of rights, which declares that
he people have a right to peaceably as
emble and petition for a redress Of
grievances. Well, if that be all there is
n his proposition, nobody ever disputed
hat, nor ever will. That is right
which the people had, long before the
of Nacbuilla horn and 1