The Russellville Democrat., 1882-03-02
". F. WoOTEN INTERVIEW
 ED

". F. WOOTEN INTERVENE
 ED.
 A reporter of the DEMOCRAT was leisurely walking on Jefferson street, by accident more than motive walk ed in at the business house of Mir. Wooten. The reporter found him sitting at his desk cross legged smok- ing hIs Meerehaum n a good hu- mored talking mood. We publish what followed just as it occurred.
 Rep. What, Mir. Wooten, do you think of the present political out look?
 Mr. w. I never think much about those things, but in what respect do you meaaf
 Rep. We'll l mean the political out look generally, but more espe- cially the influence of the amend ment issue on elections. Do you think It probable that that will be made an issue in the coming con test?
 Mir. W. Quite probable.
 Rep. Will 1t be made q test of par ty fealty?
 MT. w. By no mears, sir! The democratic party is not so foolish as that, while men in the party differ as to the method and means adopted to the end, outside of a few sore heads and office seekers, there IS practically no difference or division in the party about the end to be at tained.
 Rep. What do you consider the end desired?
 Mr. W. To pay such of the state debt as is just and forever preclude the payment of that which is unjust and fraudulent.
 Rep. l infer you to be au anti amendment democrat, may |?
 Mir. w. No, 1 cannot say that l am an antiamendment democrat in the common acceptation of that term any more than an amendment demo crat. l do not exactly agree with what 1 unGers. .and to be the htteral teachings of either one, but fall be- tween the two. Ih the first place 1 think the Fishhack amendment was premature. l would favor such an amendment only in the last resort. 1 think the state should have made an honest effort to ascertain if any of this disputed debt was just before resorting to such extreme measures. If you claimed that owed you a dis puted debt, 1t would not be honora- ble in mo to usurp, if 1 conll, the prerogative of settling the matter in your absence without notice or day in court and Tn such q way as to for. ever preclude you hearing, or ad- judicatIon of your rights, however, just, Conduct dishonorable in an individual would, as applied to q state, be likewise dishonorable. If in the above instance you did not at once proceed against me to recover on the paper l had given (paper evi dencing dcbt) it would be my duty to proceed at once to enjoin its col lection in your hand, specifically al- leging the ground of fraud upon which l relied to defeat your recovery giving you day in court. If you failed in trial on the merits, or did not appear my allegations in the first in stance would be proved. and in the second taken for confessed, then there would be solemn record as lasting as the ages, subject to the gaze and inspection of all posterity, to attest the righteousness of my ac tion and vindicatc the truth of my When the state has thus dealt in the matter of it's dispu ted indebtedness, and the issues de. te"mined in favor of the-statc, then am for the principles embodied in the Fishback amendment soul and body, with all my strength and might. 1 feel that this matter ought to be settled and that delay is dan, gerous, but l do not believe the Fish back amendment under the circum- stances it was submitted would have settled anything if it had been adop ted. If satisfactory to us it would have never been satisfactory to our posterity. There wonld have been left no evidence to them. No records, no monumental guides to shine like q beacon blaze pointing unerringly to the justice of the course of a proud ancestry.
 Rep. Do you think the amendment question will influence home cleo tions?
 Mr. W. Quite probable, particu larlv the election of members to the 
 Rep, l suppose you take consider able interest in asccrtaining who are the probable candidates, particular ly, those concerning home,
 Mir. W. Yes. While never can didate myself, always take an ac tive part in elections, especially where l have intimate friends in the ! field
 Rep. Have you an idea who are the probable candidates for the leg lslature in your county?
 Mr W. l hear a great many per sons spoken of but cannot say who 1 the candidates will he. The persons