Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1885-08-08
WHOLE NO. 2.5S6.



Naahvilo Union.
The Democratic party was never
in greater peril than now, and THIS -
the general Judgment of the thipklng
men OF the party in all parts Of the
State. The narrow escape last year
and the disposition to press the queH~
ton which came so near destroying
US, encumbered as il now is With me
proposition 10 lake the negro Oh the
hands OF the Republicans and give
him rights which have been withhold
from him, il persisted in will destroy
the Democratic party OF Tennessee
and this Is rapidly becoming 70 be TOE
belief of the Democratic masses. NO
auestion has been presented with
serious purpose that was fraught with
so much mischief. ga
The white people OF Tennessee
the thinking men-know as q iact
that they arc tho negros best friends
They remember the negro's good con-
duct.during the war, and they are
conscious OF and make allowances Tor
his weaknesses. II the railroad COM
panies, the keepers OF hotels, the man
ayers of theaters and the farmers VINO
employ them, could put paddock ca
the mouths OF aspiring pohucians
there would be no trouble. AZ least
the relations Of the races would pe
tiled by that infiexible law oil social
life, which is wiser, besauso more
natural, than any statute-the Jaw
which absolutely forbids the equality
of races.
The mischief instilled into the
minds Of the negroes by the carpet
baggers in teaching equality OF the
races is absolutely poison but tlme
WAS absolutely absorbing the poison
and removing il, by giving the negroes
| all their rights, at the same unle
guarding against the collisions when
must come on the line betweeen
legal and social equality, unless
watched by discriminating eye.
/ Imprudence on this line is worse
than dynamite, and can be distin-
guished from crime only by the igno-
rance OF the perpetrator.
i If this doctrine of having a railroad
commission for the benefit ol the
negroes is pressed, we repeat, u must
break up the party.
What is TO be done? But one thing
can be done ana the party in Tennes-
/ see SiNCO, ANU Atl&AN - W taA@atNN@+
4 Decentralization all idea OF taking the
property OF the railroad companies
out of their hands, and especially 70
! abandon the negro feature OF tins
question. The party can afford, wnen
il meets in convention, 70 assert lle
right of the State to regulate the rail
: roads, leaving the legislation Tor 'nis
purpose to the legislature.
: Nobody controverts the right ol the
, State to make police regulations LOT
chartered companies as we'll a. al
other classes ofpersons; but there Is
: manifest difference OF opinion among
| gentlemen, and even among lawyers,
rs TO how and wherein they may be
/ regulated. This leaves the platform
! occupying ground about which there
' is no dispute, and Of course this would
1 90 far in suppressing the Supreme
|. court question and the negro ques-
) ton. Whether it was intended cg
/. not, single convention nominating
q political candidates and judicial clndi-
q dates. with railroad commission
! plank, would, of course conpit the
3 judicial candidates to the policy and
E bower; and there is growing Belief
n that this is what was intended.
g The negro question iB shll moro
! dangerous. The negroes have been
. distinctly told that what WAS meant
: before by a commission was TO give
= them their lost rights Shouting over
J. this, they say comfort is not whal
! they ask. What they ask Is 'thai
. euervbodu shall haze lohdi they scdnt.
\ This is the demand as published by
- the American. So, every man capt.
Il BILE of reasoning will see at once tina
j. this question must not be pressed---i
must be abandoned; and, With a view
o- OF lopping off this dangerous question
T. the railroad commission, with its 1--WE
d attendant and now insoparable issues
40 We submit the issue that we recOg
,e nize the power OF the State 70 regu
r late the railroads, but in no way touch
l. the question OF commission.
to We trust the press will speak on
"A all over the State on this question. !
a. may be the solution Of our diiiiculue
il and save the party We can assur
lp the balance of the Democratic pres
Ia that these issues are Aot our wori
n We are simply trying to keep on
N new ISSUES OF an embarrassing nature
O. The commission question is not new
n but il has been condemned by IN
-. courts, and the other issues have bee
vs frsught with great danger 10 IN
or party, and therefore we expose them.
IS The press over the State will bea
te testimony that the personal assault
upon those connected with II
ad Union have not for moment di'
TO turbed us in the quiet and calm dli
ee cussion OF questions. We will not !
led oil, but all that can be done by
* truly Democratic paper to save u
al. party will be cheerfully done.