Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-03-17
Necessity OF a Positive COnserva.
tive Low Tax Policy.


Necessity OF a Positive COnserva.
tive Low Tax Policy.
The low tax Democratic Executive
Committe Will,mset at Nashville on
Thursday, the 23d inst. 1t is not IN
likely that various prominent low tax
Democrats will meet for consultation
at the same time. The. occasion can
not fail to be one of considerable
interest and importance, as the course
to be determined will certainly have a
decided bearing upon the summer and
fall canvass. The party is not so
lonesome now as..it has been at times,
there being no doubt that it can com
mand over one hundred thousand
votes at the next election. Still there
is q growing disposition to adopt a
broad conciliatory policy such as will
leave no excuse for any high tax
Democrat going over to the Republi-
can party. A positive, progressive
line Of policy should be laid down.
We have the numbers, the leaders,
the presses, the equities and the
moral forces on our side. All parties
that accomplish great purposes
must make compromises within them
selves. This hasibeen donea hundred
times. When the war began there
were thousands Of brave, sincere men
who declared that they would never
fight to free the negro, but they did,
and these same Union soldiers fought
it out to the end After the war there
we're Southern men who were opposed
to negro suffrage, and declared. ia al.
sincerity, that they would neTer sub
nit to the constitutional amendments;
but they changed their minds. and are
glad nov thN they did 50. All sensible
mel must change and make compro
misses With the resistless march Of.
events. Those who do not will be left
IN tee deluge. ike the antediluvisns
who laughed when Noah entered the
ark. The individual or faction that
builds a raft and declares that all who
do not 90 on it will be drowned, isjust
as certain to land 10 q gull OF fatal
mistakes. Life is a compromise from
the cradle to the grave, though
never necessarily q surrender Of q
vital principle. Those who boast the
mostof the latter are often quite de-
fcient in practice and everyday com
mon sense. BE who never gives to the
right OF left in passing through a
crowd is sure TO be roughly jostled,
eveu though he protest never so much
that everybody is wrong, and that be
has a right 10 walk in a straight line
The State debt is a practical question,
better understood now than ever be
fore. No little clique can dictate to
the masses, but if a fair spirit is man
ifested, the question may be speedily
and forever settled on a basis that the
taxpayers can stand and will accept.
and that will not do any wrong or in-
justice to the bondholders. There are
men, doubtless, and not low takers,
either, who stand a better chance Ia
secure profitable employment with this
question kept in politics than IL
it were finally settled and removed
This class must be small, but seems
to be subtle, vigilant and ubiquitous
1t is composed of a noisy few who are
obstructionists for purely selfish pur-
poses. The part they played will BE-
understood eventually, even By thos,
on whose bounty they have survived
if not fattened. There is a CROWN,
disposition en- the part Of the peopl,
of both and all parties to dispose o
this question, but there is an elemen
opposed to it on the same ground thai
suffers in the wake Of the Union
armies and contractors were opposed
to the close Of the war-it would de
strey their only profitable occupation
There is where the trouble come
from, not from aspirants for pett
Offices.