The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1883-07-18
OUR KNOXVILLE LETTER
,LN WHICH, THERE rs MUCH OF
= INTEREST T0sTHE READER
\ KNoxvILLE, July IA, 1888.

If you did, you know
how a fellow feels when he starts to
write and does not know what 10
say. / am sometimes astonished 10
see how little there is in a newspa-
per that / pick up to read, but when
/ 90 to write myself, am reminded
of a reply that heard an old gen
tleman make once. We had been
to preaching and heard a very poor
sermon. A young man asked the
old gentleman what he thought Of
the sermon and he replied: 81 don't
think I could beat it. F" Il
But to my promise. Each day in
Knoxville is much the counter part
of the preceding days, SO far as the
general public is concerned. Inn
provement seems TO be the rule.
New houses, both business and resi-
dence, are continuously going up.
Real estate and rents are high; too
high i think for the good of the
place or individuals Competition
is said to be the life of trade, but it
sometimes Injuries by making credit
too cheap. In my judgment, credit
is too cheap here. Too much risk;
and should stringent times strike
the country, bad debts will cut down
profits, if they do not take their
place. 'Tis said that ventures make
merchants. 1t might be added, that
they often make bankrupts. These
are mere contingencies, however,
but such as should be considered by
our business men. There are too
many people selling goods, or rath-
err proposing to do so, and especial
ly in the country. / have been out
through the country, recently, and
you can scarcely pass a X-road
without finding a little store, some
times two or three. They get their
goods, in the main, here. Many
know nothing of the business. Re
suit, failure, sooner or later. L
heard a lawyer say recently that he
had claims TO collect for some $500.
lie went out and took an inventory
and found 3 sifters, part of coil of
rope, ] dozen bottles of Jaynes' Elk
pectorant, a pair of scales, a few
cups and saucers, and balance of
stock in accounts on their custom
ers. Credit too cheap on both ends
of the line. Result, wholesale mer-
chants debt lost and country mer-
chant broke ......,-....
But speaking of lawyers reminds
me of the Commission or Referee
Court, that has been in session here.
1t is composed of Judge Sneed of
Memphis, Judge Frizzell of Nash
vile and Judge kirkpatrick of
Jonesboro'. il % have taken some
pains to get the sense of the bar as
to what will be the effect of the Com
and find a diversityof opin-
ion. This is a course natural for
many reasons, chief of which. is, /
that it is new and untrled and the
result can not be fully summed up
until it is seen what force is given to.
reports of Referees by Supreme
Court Comment of the bar upon
The Commission here is generally
very favorable as to its manner of
nearing causes. Meeting here
at time it did, and being out of the
order of business heretofore, it made
iuties of attorneys very laborious,
out the Referees are said to be very
courteous in arranging business so
Is to meet the wishes of counsel and
% give all fair chance to present
heir cases and have a full investi-
cation of their clients rights To
Jay that the Referees give entire
would be to state an alb
for nothing human eyer
humanity in this way. i |
hink that old saying that "man
wants but little here below" etc.
ought TO be changed and put, that
imam wants all he can get and |
wants it bad and for good while,
)ut gets but little and leaves that
title when he departs for the shores
beyond" Some criticise the find
ngs of the Referees, not so much as
o the matter of their findings as to
he form that is, they say their re-
ports are too voluminous and TOO
much mixed up with argument and |
opinion in other words, too much,
Itter the style of opinions of SUI
,reme Court; that their findings
hould be stated in the shortest pos
ible form, so as to admit of excep-
ions or assignment of errors, in like
erse form, and that this finding
night be supported by an opinion
giving their reasons for finding, ifI
he Referees thought fit, but that
he two should not be blended.
others, however, take different
-iews, showing that lawyers, like
loetors, will differ. So far as have
leard, all eoncede that the Referees
manifest a disposition to give the
auses a faithful and impartial hear
ne, and this is saying much in their
avor. And this leads me to remark,
bat / am convinced that there is too
much criticism of our officials and
specially of our Judiciary. That
he courts make mistakes, and de-
ide cases wrong, none will deny.
'uch is or ought to be expected.
But criticism of what are often mere
listakcs and the result of mere
versight, or press of business, or
what is often the case,) the result
negligence or ignorance of attor7
eys, too often assume the form. of !
ensure and imputations upon the
ourts. People should stop and
mink and be just. The Judiciary
largely, the hope of the country,
nd the confidence of the people in
!, should not be shaken without
ldse. 'Tis said that some judges,
Oilay themselves liable to criticism,
hen it is perhaps thoughtlessly
mo on THAR mart II r.nfav. orpnoiol