Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1884-10-18
That Commission
Nashville American.

There is nothing In. life more of
fensive than blind party zeal. a
good illustration IL found In the
attitude of extrenle partisans In
reference to the Railroad Commis-
sion. II party blindness has ap-
peared in more malignant form
than in the few cases which have
lately broken out among some OF
our friends in this community, we
do not remember 1t. There is no
DISPUTE about the facts. They are
about these The law under which
the present commission was appo1n-
fed. and under which this election
takes place, has been declared I'M
constitutional by the court properly
having Jurisdiction. The case has
gone to the Supreme Court and can
not be determined under four to
six wears. The Judges so holding
are still in Office, and OF course Will
not allow the law to be executed.
The Democratic Convention, II Is
true, nominated candidates under
this void law. The salaries are
large and will be claimed unless the
law is repealed. The salaries,
though not now being paid, are ac-
cumtiIating against the State and
will be demanded, though the law
is imperative. -
Under this state Of facts the
American has advised that the peo-
Die of all parties refuse to vote,
thereby indicating their purpose to
repeal the law. This it is said Is
disloyalty to the party. There be-
Ing no office to fill, but a race for
salaries. wemust vote, 1t is said,
the party ticket, and thereby indi-
cate to the Legislature that the
three candidates for salaries must
have their money, though there Is
no Office to fill and no duties to per-
firm. ..,f p
We now understand that our can
didaies for the salaries say IL they
can be elected they will relieve the
people by having the law amended
soas to make the railroads pay their
salaries :; in fact we know this
nov er IL claimed by the eomniiss-
ion, and we suppose this will be at
tempted il these gentlemen are elec-
Ted. We do not believe any sueh
power eXists-in fact. we do know
that where the power to control the
roads has not been reserved IN the
charters, State offices cannot be ere
attd by the Legislature and salaries
fixed, and the roads made to pay
them. ..- .....r.5# .o5-....,.5
What the State needs is the repeal
of this unconstitutional act so as to
ayat cte.fr ff salaries
A full vote for the Commission
ers, after the open declaration that
they wish simply 10 amend this
law, and as one Of the gentlemen is
reported TO have said, to make II
stronger or more stringent, VIII IN
dictate purpose TO make inanda-
tory law, with large powers, by
amending the present unconstitu'
tional law and keeping the conmis-
sion in Office. u,-.-
The best interests OF the State de-
mand that the present law ehall be
repeaIesI out aud out. This will not
be promoted by a hattering Demo-
cratic vote for this Commissioners.
The attempt to enlarge the powers
of this law, already declared uncon-
stitutional, so as to- continue the
gentlemen elected, IN office on SAT-
aries, will lead to more litigation,
IL tax to tmy salaries and costs, ana,
finally another injunction.
The American il an out andre out
Democratic paper. This is wen
understood, but an anecdote may
illustrate our position better.
When Gen. Taylor was nomna-
led for President, his politics were
not well known, for he had been in
the army all his life. So some
friends wrote to him to know II he
was a Whig. He replied by saying
he was Whig, but not an ultra
Wing. ,,F.
Judge Guild was candidate for
EIector for the Stale and in his
sneeches he would always read this
letter and then tell what Gen. lay
Ior meant. He said that the ola
fellow manifestly meant that ne
was a Wing, but not a-ioo'
Whig.
Now. the American is Democrat
hut not a-f0Ol Democrat. AT least, 4,
much as the American respects the
candidates personally, and much re-
gard as it has for the convention,
this thing of running gentlemen. for
salaries is 80 new business ana so
averse to the old doctrines of the
partv that we cannot indorse IL.
There is no necessity OF paying men
to wait to see If we need them. BE
sides, when we make commiSalon
law it ought to be advisory, and the
officers appointed or elected ought
to he friendly to both sides.