Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1882-06-10
wHY NOR LFrn REsr2

1t is strange thing to us that
sensible, practical business men,
men who are in the habit of giving
thought to their business interests
and settling all such matters by the
standard of plain reason and sound
judgment, cannot look at this State
debt question in the same light. 1t
is a plain debt, owing and due from
the great State of Tennessee to par
ties who hold her paper, and will
have to be paid sooner or later.
The creditors come forward now
and agree to scale the debt down to
60c. on the dollar, with graded in
terest at 3, 4, 3 and 6 per cent.
They also give plenty of time in
which to pay it. Now, what bust
ness man IN private life would not
readily accept such a compromise
from his creditors, when he is in a
condition to pay it, and may by
so doing regain credit and a sound
financial standing in the CONNER
cial wOrldP No one, unless he be a
knave or an idiot. This is just the
condition in which Tennessee to-
day finds herself. She owes the
debt, she is abundantly able to pay
it, On the terms proposed, and is
bound by every principle of justice,
law, equity and honor to dose. Why
will not men then lay aside their
passions and bitter. animosities,
their greed for Office and party pre-
ferment, accept and sustain this
recent settlement and restore once
more the good name and credit of
their State. We ask this question
in calm, dispassionate way-not
of the demagogue, not of the time
server, not of the political disorgan-
izer who can only see his way clear
to petty power and an Office, by en-
gendering discussions among the
honest masses-but, we ask it, of
the thrifty business man, of the
taX-paying property-holder whose
property is daily depreciating in
value, of the honest masses who till
the soil and from whom the great
est revenue comes after all; why do
they not view it in plain, COM
nonsense light and determine to
ratify this settlement as final and
forever?
We believe they will. They are
heartily tired and sick of its con-
tinued agitation and have felt its
damaging influence on the general
business and prosperity of the State.
1t has now been only a few weeks
since the passage of the settlement
and we can already see and hear a
healthy, growing sentiment in its
favor, and this too among all classes
and conditions. Only a few days
ago, we heard Il sensible, hard
working man, Il man who earns his
living by hard work and manly
labor, say he was in favor of sus-
tanning it and would not vote to
place any man in the Legislature
who was in favor of readjustment.
"And," he added, "this is not alone
my own views, but those of a large
number of my friends and associ-
ates." This, we believe, is the
daily increasing sentiment of even
many of those who have heretofore
opposed and fought against any
settlement higher than 50-4. Many
of the legislators who voted against
it, will now acquiesce and uphold
it. The great majority of the peO-
pie of the State are for its mainten-
ance, the assertion of a few would
be leaders to the contrary notwith-
and the popular voice is
given expression in the coming
on the Goth, it will be
heard TO speak no uncertain sound
for its maintenance.