Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1881-05-14
STATE CREDIT ON "DEMOCRAT''
AND TRUE DEMOCRACY AND
1908"

L6d1s InuS SldL6 True
Democracy and 10O-3?" Does he
make a happy hit in his defini-
ton ?" IT is novel, and from its
divergence from the hitherto
thOught-tO-be correct Interpretation,
we must take it that Democrat is
one Of those whom novelty charms.
Does he e the democracy of the
democratic party IN fact, represents
the will of the people? Let twenty
years lack of success put the fact as
it is. If he means democracy, apart
from any party, has for its
basic principle, "the voice of
the people is sovereign" as to what
shall or what shall not be done
when the measure will not infringe
rights which the same sovereign
voice. has given-nobOdy will give
him a chance to show his blade.
Read his communication wherein
he tells us show with us' the will
or the sovereign voice. of the
people is ascertained, and that those
who made pledges and voted other
wise as 10 the state debt, twill
dwindle into insignificance," and
tell us, if his idea of democracy, or
''the sovereign voice of the people,
is not the pledges of candidates ?''
"The Will of the people with us is
obtained by the PRONUNCIATION of
what is termed a platform of prin-
ciples, and the pledges on the part
of candidates to carry out certain
views and measures drawn from
the political premises" The prin-
cipleS and premises are one, and
what they, a. one, speak, the can
didate pledges to carry out. Did
not the Wright platform speak a
settlement? And does Il settlement
mean any certain sum for princi-
pal and interest ? The will is A re-
spouse to the platform of principles
when successful. Does Democrat
get after those who pledged "a set
Element" to be a certain thing? l
give him high authority (himself),
that the will of the people is OBJ
tanned by the ''promulgatiOn, etc."
Now, why "dwindle into insignifi-
canoe" those who by their votes e
pented for "A miscOnstructiOn in Civ
ing pledges? He gives full allegi-
ance to the platform of principles
it obtains the will of the people.
Gone up! he, as if inspired, cries to
those candidates who made pledges
at variance with his idol, yet i'm
their votes gave it homage. The
chiefest flaw in "Democrat's' LOgi-
cat condemnation is the want of
the minor premise-the major
being that the will of the people,
obtained by the PRONUNCIATION, ETC.,
must, without any v~ariableness, be
put into legislation. The conclusion
that those who thought-Whether
cOnscientiously or otherwise, he
distinguishes nOl-the eXigencies
of the time and subject, did not ask
them to follow out certain pledges
as to the amount in settlement, will
''dwindle into insigniticance."
Why not fill the middle and say
the will of the people was against
1908? To sacrifice the future of
men upon a charge made and not
proven, is thought by most people
not the best evidence of justice,
much less where no charge is made.
Will any man say the majority OF
the people was opposed to 1908,
or il now dissatisfied? A majority
of democrats is not meantime
question was never M of party.
The idea of Il settlement was a full
vitality before the legislature met
that it would take the shape it did,
nobody thought of. Men who had
pledged this or that found some
thing to consider which they nor
their constituency had thought
over. They looked at the time this
debt question had been before the
people, its growing volume, read
the press, saw intelligent cOnstitu-
ents who approved it, gathered
from all sources the state OF public
opinions, the sovereign voice" saw
opposition the same as that which
had gone crazy OF the estate debt
proper" idea enough to lOOny any
man), gave a decent respect to the
good opinion of the world demand
ing a declaration of hOnesty-hence,
they voted for 1908. Yet savage
condemnation follows their future
perhaps Democrat" thinks it has
to do with their eternity-when
from these sources they thought
they knew the will of the people ;
and democrats" complaint is,
not that such was the case. Did
"True Democracy and 1908" say
"platfOrms are bit outlines of poll
cies ," "PlatfOrms but outline pol
icies to be carried into effect, etc"
Will not democrat" recognize the
distinction from the mere reading?
Will he not admit platforms are
framed with the view to ''Obtain
the will" of the people i'm success;
that it is probable, anyway possible,
the principles set forth can be
carried into effect? Was not the
Wright platform carried out in the
1908 settlement? But let platforms
be pledges, though he disting-
uishes. Will he say a platform
Ouubt IN ha apaiD dacIorad whan II