Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-01-16


Infinite value to the Democracy Of
Tennessee. An old man whose three
sons were at fued with each other,
called them to his dying couch, and
handed to the eldest a bunch of rods
closely bound together, and babe him
break it. The youth put forth all his
strength in vain. Another tried aud
then the third, but the rods could moi
be broken. Then,
''The, father tsok them and Embossed the
Then one by one each rod he snapped in
twain;
Now, see, my son. wherein your safety lies,
Let concord always bind you like a chain
The Democratic. Convention ofl8SO.
embracing a great many good, true and
talented men, was nevertheless atiict-
ed with the presence ofa set of"howl-
ing dervishes,' sent there by certain
interested persons-natural and arti'
fcial-to rule or ruin the Democratic
party upon the debt question. There
we're no less than three opposing forces
in that extraordinary conclave. There
we're the high tax men, who were the
self constituted vicarious representa-
tives of tho bondholders and
the railroads, and who set
their figures higher than the mass
of the bOndholders had ever. done.
There we're the real State credit men,
who thoroughly comprehending the
condition of the people, the DISPOSE
ton of the creditors, and the general
equities Of the question, were inclined
to a speedy and just settlement of the
debt upon some basis that had already
been acquiesced in by a large body of
the creditors, and lastly, there was a
large representation of earnest men
who honestly believed hat at least
half the debt was a fraud, but who,
in view of the fact that the iniquitous
funding trap of former years had pre-
cluded all legal defense, we're never
theless willing to settle at some lower
figure still, provided whatever settle
mept was made should be sub
mitted to the people for ratif-
cation Or rejection. This latter
condition was distasteful to a large
body of the other two classes who
thought it wrong in principle and
likely to lead to an indefinite post
pouement Of any settlement whatever.
On the other hand many thoughtful
Democrats who would have opposed a
submission to the people as an original
question, we're yet opinion that
the will Of the people on the question
had been interpreted in the sub
mission act OF 1879, and that it was
now a part of the State polity and nc
longer an open question. Thus were
the elements of that convention d.
vided-and harsh epithets- crimina-
ton and recrimination between the
two extreme wings, had begotten a
spirit unknown to true Craftsmanship,
aud all the efforts CT the conservative
element to reconcile the conflict
we're bafled and defeated.
The beautiful hall in the
Capitol presented a scene which would
have brought discredit upon a bear
garden, aud which continued with
hissings and hootings and howlings,
until the extreme low tax party re-
tired from the hall. In a few hours
it was announced hat each Of the
wrathful twain had put forth its can
didate for Governor. This was
regarded by all thoughtful
men as a death blow, as il
was taken as a ~foregone conclusion
that both the Democratic candidates
would be beaten and the government
turned over for the FIRST time in {
dozen years to the tender mercies o
the Republican party, who with pro.
LESSONS OF honesty on their lips, bu.
with "spoils" on their brain, pro.
ceeded to f%orecaste their devices so a
to keep themselves in power. TIL,
first measure of importance was th,
1903. 1t was not supposed that an.
Democrat would bite at such a bait a
that, if he knew anything about tn
history of the debt question or tn
disposition of the people. If the Dem
Gratis defeated the measure, then tn
adversary would make capital Of it i
all national elections. On the othe
hand, if it was passed, the efeC
would be to keep the question in poll
tics, so that in anothe
turn of the political wAet
the Republicans might agai
come into power on the division &
the Democrats. This was the gam
and that was the stake, and the rus
was a success beyond all the calcula
ton of its cunning artiieers. This
history. Now it has turned out thu
this 1908 is the most odious measuI
to the mass Of the people that eve
emanated from the legislative halls il
Tennessee In the judgment Of a
thinking men, it was, outside OF a
questions as to the manner Of its pa
sage, the most unwise, tyrannical an
g. q ~ "