Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1885-08-22
A NATTER OF FACT.

The Democrat calls the Courier
Journal IAN influential Democratic
paper" but insists that the Chronicle
j. an independent entitled to no
place in the Democratic fold Yet the
CD. occupies exactly the same relation
to Tennessee politics that the Chroni-
Gle does. Il advocated the, scratching
of the railroad commissioners, Just as
we did. Why is this thus - Chronicle,
Hug. s.
The thisness is thus, dear. That the
Courier-Journal 11eUer did advise any
voter to scratch the Democratic com
missioners- 1t deprecated the insertion
OF a Commission plank in the platform,
and since the eepeal Of the law ex-
presses itself against the re-enactment
OF another, but bless your soul, Honey,
when the platform is adopted and the
party line is drawn, the CD. will al
ways be found fighting on the side OF
Democracy--DenOcrat, Aug. IA.
This raises an issue OF fact, which
can only be decided by creditable tes-
timony, and we therefore call ON the
Courier-Journal to take the witness
stand. We find the following editorial
in the issue OF that paper of the 2lst OF
October, 1884:
We regret to see that the railroad
question hes complicated matters
somewhat, but fortunately it is pre-
sented in such way that those who
are opposed to mandatory commits
sion need not, in order to express this
opposition, vote against Gov. Bate.
The Commissioners themselves are up
for reelection. The difference be-
tween the vote for Gov Bate and the
vote for the Commissioners will meas
ure the dissatisfaction of the Demo
Gratis with the commission. Every
Democrat ought to vote for Bate, but
there are thousands who will not vote
to endorse mandatory commission.
On that subject they may be silent
without in any manner affecting the
party allegiance. We say, therefore, to
the Democrats of Tennessee, vote for
Bate early, and see that every Demo
crat goes to the polls. Let nothing
alter this purpose. If you are opposed
to commission, still vote for Bate and
swell his majority, and so make more
emphatic your silent vote against the
commission.
A few days before this the Courier
Journal published long and very
able editorial on the commission ques-
ton in answer to "the argument of
Mr.. J. J. Vertrees, of Tennessee, sent
us with request to notice" This
very elaborate notice, which it may be
safely surmised was not the kind Mr.
Vertrees looked for, concluded as fol-
lows:
We oppose all kinds Of class legisla-
ton for or against classes, weak or
strong The movement against the
railroads in Tennessee is very bitter,
very unwisely directed, partaking OF
the character of agrarianism and COM
munism, and we trust the party in
that State will not be committed to it
By attempting to do this these agita-
tors are arraying against the nominee
for Governor forces which they have
no right to ask him to meet. Gov.
Bate deserves reelection, which is
now assured, but his majority should
be so large that no one can misunder-
stand the temper of the people. But
the Railroad Commission must not be
tackled on to his coat tail, with the ex-
pectation that he will carry it through.
This is not a party question; itcannot
be made so, and the defeat of the COM
mission would be in no sense a party
defeat. Gov. Bate represents the par
ty, and every true Democrat will vote
for him. On the question of the
Commission the Democrats will vote
as they please.
Now we will wager something that
the Democrat won't be candid enough
to copy these extracts in its next issue
and acknowledge its mistake.