Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-02-12
TERMS.
MEMPHIS APPEAL
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY I2, $50
UNCONSTITUTIONAL

Preme Court OF the State yesterday rendered
It's opinion, declaring the 1908 bill uncon
stitutional. This decision has reopened the
State debt question, and it is impossible now
10 predict what form it will next take
When the last Democratic State convention
stultifed itself by refusing to readopt the
resolution submitting to a vote of the people
any settlement adopted by the legislature,
the APPEAL predicted the defeat of the
Democratic party and all the evils that
which followed. The files of this paper will
show that the APPEAL was more
bitter in its opposition to the passage
of the 1908 iniquity than any other news
paper in the State. But the APPEAL is con-
sentative. 1t fel: that silence was becoming
while the courts were considering the valid
ity of the 1908 act. The court of last resort
has spoken. The act is void, and the decis-
ion shows that we were right in denouncing
the influences which made the nomination of
Governor Marks impossible by the defeat of
the resolution referring the settlement agreed
npon to the people. The unwisdom and
danger of that heresy in politics which in
sinuates distrust in the integrity or intelli-
gence of the people is made manifes by the
action of the last Democratic convention. In
the last canvass, while condemning the
action of the conve ntion we plead for har-
mony. We now speak again for the unifca-
ton OF the party upon some common plat
form on the State debt question, and for
doctrines that are in accord with our form Of
government. l. This is the peoples govern
ment their government and nothing more.
The people were not made for the govern
ment, but the government for them. There
truth" ,. On the subject of the public debt, |
and upon all other subjects, the beginning is |
trust in the people. 1t is for them, through |
their representatives, of their own sovereign |
will, to declare how much of the public |
debt they are able to pay; and freely, in the |
usual mode, to provide in good faith the |
means of payment. Our own conviction is |
so A. but we will be satisfied with what the
people, in a fair and free expression OF |
opinion, declare to be right. Georgia, Ala
bama, South Carolina and North Carolina
have already acted. Let US act as a sovereign |
State, being our own judge of what is right
and due to the honor of the State 1t is fit
that we should act, and then live up to our
action. The public creditors should take
notice that communities, as States, pay
only what they are able to pay. Any settle
ment obtained by fraud, coercion, the in
huence of the lobby, the influence of great
corporations, or in disregard of pledges to Z
the people, will not stand. ANY appearance s
of distrust, trickery, or interference by cor q
porations, or bondholders, or paid emissaries
and lobbyists, will be resented by the people. !;
The way to a settlement is to trust the peo- q
pie. Appeal to their sense of justice, and e
show them what they can and ought to pay q
as an honorable community, and they will
order their legislature TO make settlement h
and provide the means Of payment. Let us Ii
make no more mistakes on this subject Let FIR
us remember to be tolerant. II our neighbor nj
does not agree with us do not fly at him with ~
hard names, but offer better reason, or if III
he has the better reason, agree with him. OF
This is the road out. 1t is plain. Out peo- | til
pie are honest, patriotic and intelligent m
They can be persuaded by reason and fair n
appeals, but cannot be driven or abused into h,
settlement. 8. We are for a free ballot nj
and fair count believing that the most odious in
form of fraud in free government is that IN
which is aimed at the ballot, or to cheat the -
ballot by foul count after it has been cast, "a,
as was done in the case of Mr.. Tilden. 4. Our n,
great waterways need the attention of the nj
peoples servants, particularly the grandest w
tions, and particularly those engaged as car 80
riers OF trade and passengers ARE indispens able ell
instruments of modern civilization But be
while valuable, they are servants, and not nj
masters OF the people, and should be regu- y,
lated and controlled, 50 that they may faith NJ
fully answer the purposes of their creation. "a
The power to regulate exists Regulation
does not mean destruction or oppression, but
it means safety and fair dealing, ample and
suitable accommodations ETC., reasonable -
rates. 6. Education should be fostered, and If
the Federal government should aid the States ! M,
in proportion to illiteracy, as far as it can tn
be done, under the State and Federal consti- hu
tuition. Z. There should be revision of the % :,
tariff revenue to support the government, co
and protection, as incident, to protect home Nil
industries. s. Meetings should be held in or
all the counties OF the State, giving express a.
sion to the wishes and views of the people,
and from these meetings there should be Il,
truly representative Democratic State ha
convention elected. II the Democratic no
party will enter the canvass on broad plat M
form like this, they will again ascend TO =
power. 1t is possible for the State-credit 90
Democrats to unite with the Republicans and Co
make issue on the merits OF the 1905 of
bill. Such fusion would be overwhelm ing mi
Iy defeated. On the other hand there is sa
danger of the low-tax party going to the gu
other extreme. The efforts of the bond tn
holders TO fasten upon the people bur- sol
1ens for one hundred years, and ca
he further fact that the Republican party pc
mas Joined the regulators of Virginia has liza
iemoralized and disguised so many State re
,redit men that the natural drift is toward an
ne advocates of the lowest tax. But the st'
,oudholders have been taught lesson by sP
which they will profit, We believe the next &C
legislature and the creditors of the State will be
,gree upon a settlement which the people pc
will ratify. The people are impressed with an
The belief that the bondholders can influence tn,
the votes of members of the legisla- pu
ure and hence they will still be more POI
,lamorous in demanding any settlement on
made shall be submitted to their we
uperyision. In the last canvass and before Ju
he meeting of the Democratic State conven- ant
lion the APPEAL too the position that any vel
adjustment of the State debt by the legisla- sta
ture would not be worth the paper it was bal
written on unless submitted to the people, IL
and now that the 1908 was passed by cor 80
ruptlon and fraud, the wisdom of such a de- So
nsnd 10 fully demonstrated. IN