Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1881-05-21
Aavice 20 the n.sses.
Lebanon Herald.


The low-tax party, not satisfied
with the evidence of its waning for
! tunes, made so manifest in the re-
suit Of the election last year, IS again
nOsing around the capitol libraries
l'for precedents and pleas to revainp
their delusive. promises to the pe0-
i pie. The leaders said. last summer,
\ that all the railroad aid bonds were
unconstitutional and fraudulent con-
tracts. Appealing, on that issue, to
I the people, the questions of law and
of fact were decided against them
/ by vote Of three to one. tits now
urged that the Legislature betrayed
its trusts and violated pledges; and
| that it acted fraudulentfy and cor
ruptly in passing the 1908 settle
ment. The.pledges ofthe Republic
cans and the democrats, in their
written platforms, were almost iden-
tical, and the proposition was to set
tie upon terms to be agreed on be-
tween the legislature and the bond
holders. 1t would seem to be im-
piled, from the charge of bad faith
and broken pledges, that the 100-3
was not the settlement ''agreed on,
or that some other proposition salts
factory to the low-taxers was to be
agreed on-50--4, for Instance. But
how can that be, when nothing but
declaration of the unconstitution-
ality and illegality of the bonds
would satisfy these patriots and dear
friends of the people? Three out of
four of the people, whohad a chance
after full discussion of the two plat
forms, which boldly aVowed the le-
gality of our bonded Indebtedness,
took the manly and virtuous posi-
tion that they would settle with the
holders upon terms to be agreed on
between them and the state by its
then chosen representatives. There
is something very open aIld appat-
emily fair in all that, and they did
so, settle, and one feels a sense of re-
left when three-fourths OF the peo-
pie have vindicated the character Of
the state. and forever retrieved IL of
the imputation of repudiation.
1t now seems that neither Grgu-
ment nor numbers can influence or
overcome these doughty low-tax
leaders. They propose to appeal 10
the law! HapleSs and deluded men
have you forgotten SO soon that /
you were challenged tosub nit your
great constitutional questions, It's /
we'll as questions OF fraud, to that |
forum, and you would not? Tue 4
"cOurts were corrupt" the people /
alone were wise and virtuous. The
people heard you, and considered,
and then set down upon you-at least
1876, 900 out of 250, 400 did. 1t can
not be pleaded that 295, 900 were i'd
lots or were bought up by bondhoI-
ders; but wesuppOse you will now
fly into court to SO plead against
their chosen representatives. Pat
riotic friends, you are in bad way.
We warn you. We pulled your ears
off to get you into court last summer
and nowLwe will have to pull your
tails off to get you out. The first
was cruel enough, but there is some
for that at first appar-
ent misfortune. The ears were too
prominent for graceful statesmen.
But the tails the excision of your
tails would be- dire calamity. Un-
they are of the prehen-
sile persuasion-how do you ever
hold on to an Office without a pre-
hensile? Avoid hecourts, or your
last hope is gone forever. You look
better now with your ears reduced,
and you ought to be satisfied. Don't
try to enjOin the next change of the
moon. You may find some Judge
who labors under constitutional
who will grant you q fiat
to enJoin the shadows east by the
moon and thus delude the people
for a time, but it will only be sew
en- days. WOnder-the moon will
move on as usual. 1t is the law of
the moon to move on. 1t is some
what like the state. An Injunction
will not reach the executive of the
moon. Be advised, and be quiet.
Go to the springs and work the SUI
bile OFF. You are jaundic-
I'd. Your eyesight is bad. You can
zee nothing but vice in all others.
Your eye is not single--clear it up,
md if you still feel that vice and
'raud are to be hunted from the face
If the earth, and that it is your spec
al duty, make new beginning and
lit down to introspection. But be
,areful of your prehensile.