Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1882-02-25
WHAT OUR ESTEEMED CONTENI-
PORARIEs HAVE TO
SAY ABOUT HI.
Jackson Tribune and Sum.

FOAAhh kH HAVE AO
SAY ABOUT HI.
Jackson Tribune and Sun.
: We have but one purpose, bu
one desire in this matter, and thai
is to secure settlement of this
, question that will not disgrace the
present nor humiliate the genera
} tioDs to come. To this single pur
pose we have conscientiously and
consistently devoted our energies
for seven years. We have advoca.
ted 60-6, sos, 50-4 and we would
have accepted 1908 as a solution Oi
this vexed question. We have al
ways been ready and are still ready
to compromise everything but
principle and to concede everything
but the justice and the right. We
view the gathering storm without
trepidatiOn. We have nailed our
cOlors to the mast, and they bear
the legend "the strict maintenance
of the public faith State and Ma
tional." This is Democracy and
more than this there is no higher
standard. The emmissaries of re-
pudiation may teach that Democra-
cy means disregard of public obli-
cations, violated faith, irresponsi-
BILE statehood, but they teach a doc
trine as false to Democracy as it is
fatal to Tennessee. Reputation
settles nothing. Violated public
faith like the murdered Banquo's
ghost will not down at your bid
ding. 1t will come up year after
year to vex and disturb. 1t will
rest like an incubus upon the pros
perity of the State, and with every
recurring biennial election our pres
ent twenty-seyen millions of debt
will bring to bear the power of
three millions more. How long can
we stand it?
Twenty-seven millions of capital
outlawed, reinforced every two
years by three millions more. How
long would it take such power to
revolutionize the politics of this
State with political parties almost
evenly divided? 1t must be SIM
pie mind indeed which fails to see
that the Democratic party has grad
ually lost prestige in the State by
its dalliance with reputation, and
that public sentiment in the State
is beginning to seek q solution of
this question without reference to
parties. The Democratic party has
been on trial for several years, and
we seriously question whether
further continuance will be grant
ed. There is danger that the ver-
dict is already made up. The defeat
of the 50-4 by Republican and repu-
diation votes was terrible blow to
the State and to the Democratic
party. 1t remains to be seen now
whether we have drifted to a point
where that error cannot be retriev-
ed. Our course has been explicit
and direct. Circumstances change
but principles are unalterable. We
stand ready at all times to do what
we conceive to be the best for the
protection of the honor and the
prosperity of Tennessee. 1t is the
duty of the Democratic party to
come forward and settle this ques-
tion. It is not only duty, but it
is vital party necessity. Failing
in this, defeat and disaster will fol-
low. The gulf is wide and bridg-
ing material is scarce. We don't
think that anything short of a po-
| liticel earthquake can close the
chasm. 1t would astOnish us to see
the Democratic party deal ration
ally with this question; but we
will wait and see. The only reward
we have received so far for our ef-
forts to save Democracy, is the ap-
proval of conscience, and after all,
that is worth more than the success
which comes of 4 violated con-
science and principles surrendered.
We are still willing to labor to save
the party on such principles as will
make it worth saving, that is the
principles laid down by the Nation
al Democracy. There can be no
doubt that it will need the help of
every member of the party.
Lebanon Herald.
1t would be useless to deny that
this result is surprise-and a very
disagreeable one-to us. While, as
our readers know, we have never
had the most exalted opinion of the
capacity of the supreme court of
Tennessee, we have tried to believe
that gentlemen who have been
thought worthy to wear the highest
grade of ermine attainable in this
State, would be lifted above the lev
el of demagogy, and stand upon the
loitier and nobler plane of states
manship and judicial impartiality,
needless of the possibilities of pol
itics and deaf to the influences
which move the actions of place
hunters and spoilsmen. We thought
in a word, that the supreme judges
of the commonwealth would decide
a question of such momentous inn
port to us and to posterity, alone
upon the merits of the case, and
with sublime and patriotic disre-
gard of the clamor of the crowd.
The effect of the decision, is of
course to undo all that has been
done towards the settlement of the
indebtedness of the State, and its
consequences will necessarily be
most disastrous. The whole Vexed
question will be reopened, the un-
savOry pot of politics will boil with
redoubled fury, and we shall prob
ably have, next fall the most eXcit-
ing and acrimonious political strug-
gle eyer witnessed in Tennessee.
The Herald, being an independent
newspaper, will be bound by no
party ties or party platforms-but
1t is scarcely necessary to say that it
will cordially cooperate with the
party, whatever its name, which
shall do most to maintain the honor
and uphold the faith and credit of
the State.
Paris Post.
While the Post has never been a
strong advocate of the coupon fea-
ture of the settlement, we have al
ways insisted that it was better than
no adjustment at all, and we regret
that the question is again open for
discussion. The most ardent advo-
cate of the low-tax cause cannot
help shuddering when he reflects
upon the terrible situation. III set
ting aside the 1908 settled the
question forever, then there might
be cause for rejoicing, but it only
opens it up anew. The debt still
exists, and demands an annual in
terest OF over one and half mil
lions instead of eight hundred
thousand; instead of three per cent.
we owe six; instead of s27 ,000, 900 90
we owe now near $28, ,000, ,000, 90;
instead of increasing two thousand