Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1883-01-20

came from a Memphis railway,
which hired newspaper and paid
it "f0r services rendered in depress-
ing Tennessee bonds," as expressed
in the receipt. This example, the
corrupt teaching of those who were
hired to preach the poverty of the
people that a railroad might buy
bonds cheaply, and then to preach
public credit that it might sell and
buy again, the actual impoverish-
ment of the people by panic and
drouth falling shortly after, created
tide which honest men, who
urged sound policy, and spoke
with no deceitful or double tongue
one way to-day and another t0-mor-
row as interest directed, could not
stem. Demagogues could tell so
much truth that it is not strange
that people believed all they said.
They were told the whole debt was
corrupt, the press, the agents of the
bOndhoiders, the creditors buying
Legislators and officials, the railways
interested, and buying everybody.
To sustain it they had proofs as to
at least one newspaper, virtuOus
and preaching demagOgy by turns,
knowledge that portion of the
debt had been corruptly created,
proof of corruption and bribery by
spectators and of one corrupt rail-
way man trading in the honor Of
his State. They did not reflect that
the amount of corruption charged
would have employed a sum equal
to the national debt. As a matter
of fact, while long and short specu-
lating rings have corruptly spent
money, the bondholders have never
probably spent dollar there, and
this even the public almost unani-
mously now believe. The railways
have been generally in exceptional
ly good hands, employing now such
men as Ex-Governor Porter, whose
grandeur and nobility of character
have shielded him from aspersions
from any party or faction. The
, railroads have suffered through a
few, and especially through the
Memphis case. The people have
allowed the demagogues to convince
them that the innocent bondhOlders
should be fieeced, becausethe bonds
which both contained some frauds
and were sold below par were paid,
that they should look to the rail-
roads which have paid their pur-
chase money when they owe the
State nothing and have nothing to
do with the bondholder5. But is it
any wonder when honesty has
cloaked SO many wolves that many
of the purest and best in the State
have followed demagogues and cross
roads politicians into ruinOus pol
icy?
Political conditions have not
helped the case. The Republicans,
but lately masquerading as an hon
est party, were In 1876 voting sew
enty-six thousand, within twenty
thousand of their full strength, for
an avowed repudiator against POr-
ter, an avowed and a bold State
credit man, whose reputation for
ability, purity, and nice honor have
Weathered all storms.
It has not helped the case that
their advocacy of State credit has
induced the people to believe that
State credit men have been assum-
ing all the virtue there is. This is
not true, but it has had the came
effect as if it had been true. 1t has
been resented. The people have
felt that in private life ! ,en are
pretty much the same in honesty,
honor, regard for private contracts {;
and in public life too many specula-
tors and interested men have mas
queraded for virtuOus, and such
falls as Folks, who has really been
on both sides, have occurred before.
Under these circumstances is it
any wonder the people have been
misled, or wandered after plausible
falsehoods to false policies, trusting
in public life too often men they
would not trust in private affairs :?
The true State credit men have
battled nobly, and for truth and
right; but that only encouraged
rogues to masquerade, when it was
to their interest.
The hope of the State is not in
the State credit men. If it were,
the State would be lost. 1t is in the
virtue, the aroused intelligence and
quickened public conscience of a
people who have endured wonder
fully with great courage and forth
tude, and erred only through blind
ness and the confusion produced by
so much wrong as gave the dema-
gogue his full opportunity. No
people would have done better !;
most communities under the same
circumstances would have done
worse. rs az
That does not excuse false and
a wrong policy. The people should
now turn to adopt new policies, and
to put their affairs in the hands of
such men as they would trust at
home, and by all means maintain
settlement made with the consent
of their creditors, and not seek to
force upon them another settlement.