Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-07-06
No. PSI Main Street
The Conservatism and COusis-
tency OF True Democrats.
tLsubris's Old Stand,.


tency OF True Democrats.
By great effort on the part Of con-
servative low tax men, who voted for
Wilson without fully indorsing the
hastily writtin platform upon which
he stood, the extreme low tax wing o.
the party las been brought up to
platform which is equivalent to al
least 50-4. This has not been accom-.
plished without difficulty. There arc
thousands OF honest, intelligent Dem
Ocrats who seriously doubt whether
the State is morally bound for any
thing beyonl what is commonly des.
ignated as the State debt proper unless
the railroads gain the pending suits
in the Supreme Court. And ever
then, in final settlement there would
be large equities in favor Of the people
as expressed in the platform upon
which Judge John V. Wright ran
two years ago. This element is much
stronger in the State than the extreme
State credit faction, that has the sub
lime assurance now to call itself the
true Democracy, and then march over
into the Republican camp. But there
is a high middle ground, occupied by
great maj ]rity of the party Men Of
fair minds, intelligence, and desire
to do what is right as between mau
and man, after thoroughly investiga.
ting the question and listening to
every shade of argument and opinion,
have settled down upon the conclusion
that 80 3 or so 4 would be approx
mate'y fair settlement.ssTl extreme
low tax men we're always in favor Of
paying the estate debt proper" in full,
less the war interest. This is no new
position to them. Whilst denounced ~
regulators and communists, and sub
jected to all manner Of abuse and
misrepresentation, they have kept Oh
steadily aud consistently, and proved
themselves the truest of the true
After paying the State debt proper,
Mrs, Pok's bonds as matter Of sen.
timent, and those held by educational
institutions which have been recog
nized by all parties, it is the crystalized
and predominant conviction of the
Democratic mind that SOB is fair
basis Of settlement on~the remainder
of the debt. The makes On average
of more than 5O-4, a proposition
pressed on the Legislature and
before the Epeople by the SO called
oustodiaus of State credit. Those
who opposed it were declared to be
regulators in the most unsparing
terms. Now, when a platform is
adopted which is eqEal to 5O-4 or
better, a conspicuous few bolt the
convention, the platform and the party,
thereby announcing that they prefer
the election Of Hawkins to Bate; tbc
loss of United States Senator and
the loss Of the State for years to
come rather than yield the slightest
fraction. In one breath they assert
that the platfirm would require thc
people to pay more than the 60 6 set
tlement; in thu next they denounce
the platform because it does not m Ike
the State ply enough. Was ever
there such braz faced inconsistent
audacityl The ambitions Of men
soreheadednesi and private interests
alone can account f)rthe action Of thi;
squad of bo'te-s. 1t is utterly irrecon-
cilable with D mocracy, patriotism
and past records Those who :
Weighed most bitterly AGAINST boilers
two years ago have become the prince
of boilers now. There is this differ
ence, howeve: the boilers, though
few in numbers, had just cause and
a following, aud made an effective
appeal to popular sentiment. The
present bit has no popular sympathy
and precious little following. We hope
they will nominate candidate on the
18th, in order that they may show theil
true colois and poll their full strength
Democracy can afford to lose this in
cipieut little &gaIanche and still stand
.oot ,,,,,,,oo4-;oal and v;ctorious