Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1881-01-14
PRINCIPLE VS.. POLICY.
Applied to the Situation In Ten.
neSSee.

Applied to the Situation In Ten
The republican party in Tennessee
achieved grand victory in the re-
cent election, which has elected fas
vorable comment from republicans
all over the nation.
The republicans came into power
in Tennessee when the state had
been swept from one end to the
other by the devastating influence of
war; when the public treasury had
been plundered by democratic Off
Gals; when every branch of industry
was PROSTATE, and the people were
demoralized by the evils of war.
They began their career by appro-
pirate legislation to encourage the
people in peaceable and productive
occupations by system of internal
improvements, necessary to the pros
perity of the commonwealth by the
enactment of the best school law we
have ever had, and by graphing
with the very large bonded debt,
upon which the interests had been
steadily increasing before and during
| the war.
Under republican rule the people
became peaceable, industrious and
prosperous; a tide of immigration
was turned to Tennessee; the rail-
roads were rebuilt and refurnished,
and omnenced the work of importa-
ton and transportation commensu-
rate with the commercial interests of
a great people like that of ours +;
free schools increased steadily, and
the youth of the state were being
more thoroughly educated than ever
before; and, nevertheless in all this,
there was incurred vast expense, the
credit of the state never stood high.
er at any time in our history. But
this important work was terminated
by the democrats acquiring power in
the state, before the grand result
could be fully realized.
They immediately set themselves
to work to destroy all they could
that the republicans had done. They
ceased to encourage immigration,
and repealed the school law, and left
US two years without q free school
in the state. Then they gave the
Justices court power to levy tax
and maintain county system, which
remained in force two years, making
in all four years the democracy posi-
lively refused to provide for the
education of the masses. But they
did not fail during this time to sup
port, out of the tax raised off the
whole people, the University OF
Tennessee, for the education of the
rich and more favored of the state.
Immediately on their coming into
power, they began the destruction OF
the system of internal improvements
inaugurated by the republicans,
which they did SO effectually as to
render it impossible for the State
ever again to engage in the develop
ment of her own resources. This
they accomplished selling for a
mere song the railroads, on which
the state had a lien to indemnify her
against any loss through them; and
by depressing the credit of the
State and sowing the seeds of dis
honesty, until we were threatened
with the disgrace of reputation. In
order to perpetuate themselves in
power, they made the very winning
promise of tightening the burden OF
taxation; and, to keep up show OF
consistency, they fulfilled their
promise at the expense of the credit
of the state. In their platforms and
canvasses of the State they failed to
define their position on the public
credit, and labored to make the issue
on other questions. In fact, they
have had no permanent set of prin-
ciples, but have been vacillating
from one thing to another in order
to secure the spoils of office.
During all this time, for twelve
years, the republican party has had
but one platform of principles, ano
has gone before the people always
on the same. Prominent among these
were the encouragement of immigra-
ton more thorough education Of
the youth of the state ; and the most
important of all, the maintenance Of
the credit of the state. But the
people continued to intrust The
democracy with the control of the
affairs of the state, expecting, al
least, that they would raise the de-
pressed public credit, but at last
they found their expectations only il
vain. -ss5 g ati-s s7=A.f --@..s
The result has been that many o.
those who formerly supported the
democratic candidates failed to do sc
IN the recent election, but, instead,
voted the republican ticket. ...
Thus time and our strict adher-
enee to principle have worked GU
for us a grand victory, and JUS
when it was of incalculable import.
ance that such principles should pre-
vail in Tennessee. But we shoule
not forget the fact, often illustrated
Il >.oo1,,ol - IL.