Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-03-10
A G
Leaves Its Party Then Advises
It's Former Friends.
Nashville Banner, ST.

ina was y Dcdulllul oPSSheSA~ -
Memphis. Such an exhibition o.
brotherly love has not been seen since
when was it we seen beioreF Thu
is millennial. We now have The
Americans reconciliation platform, &!
it is printed and approved by theorgar
of Colyar. Fifty cents on the dollar
and three per cent interest, and sub
mission to the people. That is the low
tax platform. with a slight variation in
amount. This is harmony amongst
Democrats, but st whose EXPENSE
Concessions for peace are usually made
at the expense Of the conceding par.
ties, and the brotherly loyei is expected
to be contributed by both to some ex-
tent. The Memphis Democrats, who
follow the Appeal, expect the creditor
to furnish all the substantial parts OF
this concession and harmony, while
they enjoy the delicious sentiment of
Democratic brotherly love and here
after the spoils of brotherly love and
harmony. This is concession with a
vengeance, harmony like fury at an
others expense. But this is not all at
the creditors expense. 1t only seems
to be taking it out of the b~ondholder.
He appears to furnish all the conces-
sion which has been made; but the
people who thus trihe with their obi
cations will bear the burden in the
end.
Was there ever such a spectacle in
the world as a divided party coming
together in advance of an election, in
order to prepare for securing all the
places going, and under pretence of.
~conceding something to each other,
making somebody else bear all the
concession? 1t must have narrowed
up the souls of the so-called State
credit parties to this performance, to
have conceded a part Of the creditors
debt; it must have done terrible VIC
lence to the bosom of the low tax PAR
ties to this marvellous harmony to
conoede for the sake of argument,
harmony and standing room in the
next election that the creditor had any
rights at all.
The low tax end of this harmony
business consoled themselves with one
reflection. II must be submitted to
the people, and MI. Colyar says the
people will do what is right, and Mr..
Savage says the people will do what
is right. The people will do what is
right.
They will not dol by a violation Of
the fundamental laws of republican
government, by extra constitutional
methods of submission, by difference
to nonsense as taught in columns of
thin mush. The people will do what
is right when men witha firm beliefin
right, men who have convictions, and
are not afraid to stand by them, 20
before them with this issue and show
them where their duties lie, and con-
vince them their duties and interests,
and every consideration Of sound pub
lie policy, lie together. The people
will do right without regard to the
aspirations of Tom. Dick and Harry
for the Senate, the ~gubernatorial chair
and the legislative places.
Between the men who seek to re-
pudiate the obligations Of Tennessee
aud the politicians who are willing to
90 one way or the other, SO it led them
to their goal, the conservative men Of
Tennessee must come with a square
declaration in favor Of square dealing.
The Democratic party now has three
factions the conservative debt-paying
Democracy, the low tax Democracy,
so called by itself. the thin-mush,
milk-and- cider, harmonizing Democ-
racy which calls for concessions and
requires the creditor to furnish them
to any extent for harmony. Such a
Democracy as this last, St. Paul
would have called a luke-warm
Democracy and gotten it quickly out
of his mouth as neither hot nor cold
1t is little more than that-either
hot or cold, as occasion may require.
The people Of Tennessee will not be
lead by such counsel They will not
sanction such Democracy, or such
policy as is to be had by calling upon
others, u~nconsulted and defenseIess.
to furnish all the concession and har-
mony, while they get all the good
there is going. 1t is all the time har.
monte and forgive, corcede and har-
monte, and the creditor is called on
to do all the ~conceding and never
asked to partake in any of the har.
mony or the results of harmony. Such
political action shocks the moral
sense and disgusts brave, frank, fair
dealing men.
The Nashville Banner, bearing an
old and hOnored name, a we'll con.
Quoted and apparently successful pa
per, lately announced its secession
from the Democratic party for the
purpose ofsetting up an independent
flag. Of course it had a right to do
this, and of course no paper has a
moral right to be anything but fairly
independent, whether in or out Of a
party. As a matter of fact, the high
est standard Of real and useful indie
pendence is attained within and under
the name Of one or the other of the
two great parties that control the DO.
lltical destinies Of the country. There
are but two positive, infential parties,
andin the nature of things there can
not be more for any great length of
time. A third party must become afrst
party or go between the upper and
neither milestone, where it will be
ground to sepulchural dust. 1t is
somewhat different with papers, for
they are not made or destroyed by
parties, but rather the reverse is the
case. Still there are very for roouu