The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1884-09-03


off its limbs and whitening its leaves.
This was the situation we were
called upon to meet two years ago,
but you see from theold roots new
tree has sprung up and waxed so
great and strong that it affords us
all safety and protection under its
sheltering limbs. While the dissen~
sion was going on our party was
organized into two factions, each of
which claimed to be the Democracy,
and each OF which acted in good
faith. The spirit of each faction
showed the members of it were act
ing according to their convictions,
One was led by that grand cid
Democrat and elegant gentleman,
Judge John V. Wright.
The other was led by that patri
otto, fearless and sturdy leader,
Frank Wilson. God bless him
But these two Democrats, who were
formerly opposed to each other and
led opposing factions of the Demo~
cratic hosts-Wright like Richard
Occur de Lion with his mighty
lance, and Wilson, with his sword
as keen as Saladin's, made war upon
each other-but now shoulder to
shoulder, together and with one ac~
cord, they lead two columns of the
Democratic host against a common
enemy, the Republicans, and keep
ing step to the same music and, be-
ing filled with the same spirit,
marched with it to victory two
years ago. Vociferous applause.
They did it two years ago, and will
do it again.
But TO return to Gov. Hawkins
administration. The Republicans,
with the aid of some Democrats,
passed what was known as the 100
3 act, providing for the payment Of
the State debt dollar for dollar, with
bonds to run 400 years, with 3 per
cent. interest: Think of the burden
this would have put upon the pee-
pie of this State This set the peo-
pie thinking, and therefore they be-
gan to look around and examine
into this question, and when they
had done this, were thoroughly
aroused and alive to its importance.
A bill, you remember, was filed by
some citizens, and the case was cars
ried to the Supreme Court of this
State, where the act was held to be
unconstitutional and it was set
aside, and thus were the people
saved this grieveus burden of taxa,
ton that would have resulted under
the operation of this act. Another
bill was introduced, upon the rec
ommendation of the Republican
Governor, into the Legislature cons
vened by him in extra session, for
the converting of which he after
wards became so noted. Then they
passed the 60-6 act. That became
a law, and the last clause of it re-
quired that all bonds not presented
before the first day of January,
1888, would be disallowed and
would not be funded. They put
their machinery to work under this
act in Tennessee and New York,
and | believe nearly thirteen mil
lions Of the State debt was put into
these bonds. But the people felt
they had been wronged by their
representatives and took the matter
into their own hands and waited pa
tiently. So on June %, 1882, they
met in convention, made their plat
form and nominated me. This
platform was the will Of the people
.'aicad In convention at the State
capitol It IVES the will Of the pcoS
pie who were busy in The harvest
fields, the workshops and the cit
les. 1t was the voice and sentiment
of the brownAbrowed and horny
handed yeomanry of the State, the
men who have to pap the taxes, and
they condemned this 1908 act, and
this 60-6 act, because it was not in
accordance with the wish of the
people, and they believed it unfair,
unjust and inequitable. They then
and there laid down the now cele-
brated platform of June 20, which
required that the State debt should
be settled by being funded in bonds
at fifty cents on the dollar, and the
bonds should bear 3 por cent. inter
est. 1t agreed TO settle the railroad
debt, which many thought we did
not owe, in this way but to fund the
State debt proper, 2,230, 900, in
bonds, dollar for dollar, and pay in
terest on it at the rate of 6 per cent.
per annum Ofcourse the war in
terest was excepted because, be-
lieve, it is not even contested that
this should be paid. On account of
the Democrats being divided on this
subject there was great deal Of
trouble in getting this bill passed.
Nav, this settlement partoek Of the
nature of compromise, and when
the BASES and their lobbyists, who
are the paI ties who were working
against the interests of the people in
this matter, tried to control them,
but seeing the brown browed horny
handed yeomanry of the State arise
in their might, and frown upon
them so majestically, the jobbers,
wire-pullers and tricksters fed in
dismay, like tho mists and darkness
of a bad night before the god ofday,
| have only to repeat briefly the re-
suit Of the campaign we contested
on this platform, for it is familiar to
you ALL We elected our ticket on
this State debt issue, on this plat
form of the Goth of June What is
now known as the SOB act was
passed and the terms of this settle
ment are being carried aut. Of
course the Legislature simply car
ried out the will of the people, and
the question may be regarded as
settled. / think it most unfortu-
nate that it should be re opened by
the accession of the Republican
party, which would only be possible