The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1881-08-31
LETTER FROM MAJ. " J. SYKES

You have thought proper TO as
all me with much personal bitter
less in the columns of your paper,
or what cause | am at loss to de
.ermine. There was nothing in my |
etter addressed to certain citizens
If Warren county to provoke such
an attack. 1t is not my purpose to
handy epithets or to indulge in per
sonal vituperation. These prove |
except that their author is
skilled in billingsgate.
/ have no objections to your show
ing that my positions are untenable,
my plans not feasible, or my argu-
ments weak and inconsistent, if that
can be done, but this is very differ
ent from making personally Vindic-
tive charges without any provoea-
ton.
You say, to "sum Sykes up, he is
believed to be in the employ of the
railroads, ready to do any little job
they may have for him." [ know
not where you gotyour information,
nor to whom you refer as believing
am so employed; but no matter
whence the insinuation comes, it is
meanly and maliciously false.
opposed this railroad debt from
the beginning and never have
predicted anything in regard
to it that time has not proven
to be too true. In 1854, when in the
legislature, voted and spoke against
issuing State bonds to railroad COM
panies, when many who now oppose
the payment of this same debt, were
clamorous for their issuance. Dur
ing Brownlows administration l was
opposed to issuing any more bonds
to railroads, when many who now
oppose their payment urged their
issuance. In 1869 and in 1870 | was
opposed to, and made my opposition
known to the extent of my ability,
to the passage of the act authoriz-
ing the railroad companies to pay
off their debts in any State bonds OF
any series, when some of those who
now say the railroads should be re-
quired to pay the debt again once
paid by them under that act, favor
ed and voted for it. [ was not a
member of the State Democratic
Convention of 1872, which unani-
mously endorsed the policy Of fund
ing the whole of the State debt at
100 cents in the dollar, bearing six
per cent. interest, while many OF
those who now claim to be par e.C-
ceLJence low-tax men and friends of
the people were there and partici-
pated in the proceedings Of that
convention and voted for that fund
ing measure. In 1879 l advocated
settling the debt at fifty cents in the
dollar and four per cent. interest,
and said: off we refuse this prOpo-
sition (50-4 and leave the debt un-
settled we will be like the man who
lived on the side of the volcano, at
all times liable to be overwhelmed
with the lava of the burning noun
tain It is the best We can do, and
to refuse to do this would | fear in
volve us in troubles from which we
would not recover in a very long
time, if ever" while many who now
complain Of having to pay the whole
debt at three per cent. interest did
all they could to defeat that propo-
sition (5O-4) For this reason ] was
for devising wavs and means to re
duce the debt and render it less bur
densome to the people.
| have been willing, and have 80
stated, to leave any debt settlement
to a direct vote of the people in the
only legal and constitutional man
ner.
I was opposed to making coupons
receivable for taxes as all that |
have said before and since the pass
age Of the 1908 act shows.
[ however have never attached as
much importance to it as both its
supporters and opponents seem to
do. / did all | could to secure a
different settlement from the one
that was made; and if the low tax
members of the Legislature had
united with the State credit Demo
Gratis a different and better settle
ment could have been obtained.
But they persistently refused to do
so.
My letter shows that [ have ever
been opposed to Federal interior
ence with local and State matters
and therefore | was willing to abide
by the decision of our own courts,
and to carry them out faithfully.
The Constitutional convention re-
fused to make coupons receivable
for taxes, but did not prohibit the
Legislature from making them so,
as it is purely a legislative question
as to what might be made receiv-
able for taxes.
The act of 1870 making coupons
receivable for taxes was repealed,
and Judge Merritt says the coupon
feature of the 1908 act is also re-
pealable, but whether it is or not
have never advocated it. L did say
that in my opinion if the 1908 act
was set aside and for naught held,
that there would be divided De-
mocracy which would result in a
Republican triumph, and an enact.
ment of similar law That is now
my opinion, but [ also said there
was danger if the 1908 settlement
should be set aside, of complete re-
pudiation as no substitute is propos-
ed. The two positions are not in
consistent. The one or the other
will, l think, take place, most prob |
ably the former.
l believe the present settlement |
will stand and will be enforced. No |
attempt to repeal it can, in my |
opinion, succeed. and no effort to |
nullify it will avail anything except |
involve the people in great trouble,
litigation and expense. On this |
account, and to avoid widening the
breach in the Democratic party, 1
declined speaking in Warren, De- |