Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1881-05-03
The Situation tEs Tennessee.
Louisville Courie >J0urnal.

Louisville Courie >J0u,nal.
There is no State IN the South with
greater natural resources than has
Tennessee. That in any respect she
has allowed Georgia to push ahead
Of her is due to a shortsjghted policy,
which certain public leaders fastened
on her. No section has a more &c,
NAL climate; its agricultural pro
ducts are rich and varied; it's min
eral wealth is enormous, its system
of railroads and turnpikes would be
a credit to any State in the North.
Its cities are admirably situated, and
are i'll Furnishing condition. Mem
phis has fully recovered from the in
jury done by the yellow fever, and
retains its commanding position as
a cotton market Nashville has be
come alargo distributing point, and is
rapidly extending all Of It's commer~
cial relations. Chattanooga is the
center of a district that IN few
years will be scarcely second in the
production of its mills and mines to
the country surrounding Pittsburg.
Knoxville is becoming an important
railway center, and is destined to be
one Of the leading cities in the
South. No one can mingle for q
moment with the people of Tennes-
see and fail TO observe the new and
progressive spirit which aninates
them, and at once he Will see that
the men who are building mp the ma
terial interests OF the State are
equally determined to have it placed
in the leading ranks politically.
It is these men who have finally
forced the masses up to the point Of
paying the debt. Business men, men
Of affairs, know how valuable good
credit is, know how costly is repu-
diation. For many long years, in OF
der "to save the party" they ac-
cepted compromises and waived their
own desires, but the spirit of repu~
diation cannot be satisfied with con-
cessions as long as anything remains
worth having, At last the debt
payers saw that, and year ago they
accepted the issue; the Democratic
party divided, and tie Republican
governor was elected.
This was not a grave public calam-
ity. Republicanism i'll Tennessee
does not mean what it means IN SO
many Southern States, does not
now mean what it did under bour
bon regime. It's leaders have con
sistently advocated the settlement of
the debt, and their recent actions
have shown they were capable Of
sacrificing party interests to the pub
lie good.
On the other hand there is q facS
ton masquerading as Democratic,
which has shown itself utterly inca
pable Of comprehending the just
principles of political wisdom. These
) men are determined to rule or ruin
They care little for the party, and
know less about the welfare Of the
State, They have decided to resist
to the utmost the will of the people
and to prevent, if possible, the pay.
! u1SiG VI CDS tAGSa9 AOLh1Gl4S UtLGlliS@
: the wishes Of large majority Of the
tax payers.
This faction has taken steps K
prevent the execution Of the recenr
law relative to the settlement of tht
| debt, and will employ counsel t
f fight it to the end. These leaders
will not allow the question to b.
taken from politics, and they an
nounce their purpose to continue tht
agitation. In minority that is pow
| less against the debt payers wher
. they are united, these repudiators
hope to divide their opponents anC
l conquer; that is, they do not believe
5 it possible for the Republicans ant
debt-paying Democrats to form al
, alliance that Will continue.
That the debt-payers will unite i,
very evident to all except the bour,
f bon leaders. What will be the part,
name, what the organization, is no
vet certain; but as q resort thou
sands of Democrats will, if it be
comes necessary, go to The Republi
cans, and make the ascendancy o
that party permanent rather thai
S allow the State to pass under th
5 control once again of the repudiators
This is the situation in Tennessee tC
day, and it is well worth the consid-
Grafton Of the party leaders.
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