Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1882-12-28
Local Self.GOvernment.

The issue of local self-government
has disappeared from The scene. In
SO far as Estates rights" are meant
by local self-government, that matter
has been clearly defined There is no
ambiguity in the constitution or in
the minds of intelligent men on that
point now. And as for local self
government with respect to counties
and towns, the Republican States, as
a rule, are far in advance of the
Democratic States. The town meet
ing is a Northern Institution. The
Southern governmental idea con-
tanned not so truly Democratic. Gen.
tralization within the State was its
main feature.
And the question of local self
government was scarcely preached
during the last campaign, except in
those States where ballot-box stuff
Ing and other political frauds were
In vogue. The Northern Democrats
carefully avoided the subject. 1t
was not pleasant subject for them
to contemplate. We contend that
the matter of local self-government
has passed out of partisan politics.
Republicans and Democrats no long
er divide on it. It does not awake
even passing interest.
The question of Capitalization has
passed from the hands of political
parties and been taken up by the ir-
resistable progress of economic
events. As the population has in
creased the significance of State
lines has steadily diminished. The
commercial and industrial interests
call more and more loudly for a
uniformity of laws affecting business
every year. The railroad system
has become the most powerful of ex-
listing factors in the pressure for cen
tralization. Long ago the Supreme
Court decided that the general gov>
eminent had jurisdiction over naviga-
BILE streams wherever situated, and it
is conceded that the same power APP
plies to intestate railways. To what
result this general movement may
lead remains to be seen, but the
prospect is that before long the rails
road and telegraph companies will
prefer to be placed under national
rather than State legislation, and
that it will be peculiarly desired that
they shall be.
We have seen the old State bank
notes fade of existence, giving way
to currency good in all sections,
and it is net to be believed that the
old system will be reverted to. This
is a centralizing movement, and the
Democratic proposition that the
government shall issue the paper
money exclusively is more central
izing still. An appeal comes from
the commercial classes, irrespective
of politics, for a uniform law for ohe
collection of debts. Confusion has
arisen to such an extent from the diff
ferences in the divorce laws of the
several States, that movement has
already been made toward uniforms
ty in the decision of some of the
courts, that decree In one State
must be held good in another. So
closely knit together are the interests
of the people that those in one Sec
ton of the Union watch closely and
discuss carefully the laws that are
made in others. State lines have
little or no influence over newspaper
circulation. Insurance companies
ask for uniform laws, and the busis
ness community want them to have
them
The whole pressure of civilization
in this country is toward centraliza-
ton in the sense indicated above, and
it rests upon Republican and Demo-
GRAFT alike. When Senator Joe Brown
asked for national assistance in State
education, he waived the matter of
Capitalization, and Democrats have
been equally ready to waive similar
considerations where their interests
were concerned. There is no heart
in talk about local self government,
because there is nothing particular
at stake with reference to it. So far
as economic Capitalization is con-
cerned, that waits upon the course
of events which is much stronger
than parties. -Globe-Democrat.