Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1886-08-07
WHAT THE STATE CONVENTION
SHOULD 90.
Good Advice Which It will bo well to OBJ
serve.
To the Chronicle:

serve.
To the Chronicle:
Please allow brief space for what
strict construction Democrat has to say
OF the outlook. ! have travelled over
the State extensively since the discuss
ion commenced about the so-called
Blair bill, and I find hundreds OF old
Democrats trembling in their boots lest
the Nashville convention with the peri
odic passion for making new platforms,
may do and say something foolish on
that question. The general opinion
seems to be that il the convention COM
mits the party against the socalled BLAIR
bill, or even takes an equivocal position
on the subject of national aid, the party
is gone-not only in the loss of the gov
ernor but the legislature also. The two
or three men who sit in their rooms
and write letters and circulate Senator
Plumb's speech to influence the people
against the measure, don't know what
they are doing. 1t is the most popular
thing ever presented to the democratic
people and they don't propose to be led
by the nose by Republican senator from
the "Jayhawker" country, on meas
ure OF such momentous importance to
the taxpayers of this State and their
children. Many good Democrats are
saying: "If the democracy go against
this thing, I am no longer Democrat. I"
You newspaper men had better warn
these irrepressible platform artists Of the
danger. Like the mound builders,
they will be certain to have some fossil
ideas hid away in their work, which
will hurt worse than they help. Let
them follow the example of the dero oc-
racy of Georgia. Adopt platform
simply endorsing Cleyelands admins
tration; reafirming their loyalty to
democratic principles; nominate the
| governor and then adjourn. The
Chicago platform, the education plank,
! the tariff plank, and all the other
: planks, suit us all very we'll. These
J gentlemen should remember that the
: democratic party is now sort of con-
glomeration in equal parts of old Wings
! and old Democrats. They blended their
strength to make a common fight
/. against misrule and oppression, under
: the idea that old issues and old theories
, OF construction were dead. The. liga
: ment that binds them, like that Of the
0 Siamese twins, If cut in twain will ot
t the death of both and disaster to the
country, Hold your horses gentlemen
t and think OF these things. The demo
a cratic masses OF Tennessee are over
8 whelmingly in favor of national aid
y They cannot be fooled about this thing
d simply because Blair, who presented
the bill, happened to be chairman @
It the Senate committee, OF which Lamar
# was then, and Wathall is now, mem
Q ber, both tavoring the bill. They know
(: it is a Democratic measure that the ide
1t first originated with Tennessee Demo
/? crat in 1875 and they know furthermor
l. that such Democrats favored it as Lamar
y Garland, Walthall, George, Ransom
e. Jackson, Jones, Berry, Hampton, Co
te quit, Brown. Pugh, Eustis, Gibson
!" Kenna, Voorhees,, Blackburn and other!
And that many Republicans opposed i
You cannot read such men as these ou
es of the party. Ii you do, you destro
s; the party, not only in Tennessee, bu
a the Union. If you don't like the dc
a. q tails of the Blair bill, give US a bette
I one, but don t cut all our throats b
he antagonizing the principle. The ne,
SO pie believe we cannot get the aid in M
~ other shape, and they are willing TO Il
or cept the opinions ni the great Dam
cratic lawyers Of the Sonate-anl ol l.
mar and Garland OF the cabinet tn
the bill as it stands is constitutions
ris They know it is right and just. Bewa
De- of this fuse gentlemen if you don
ad want ALI. Taylor to blow democra,
sky-high. STRICT CoNsTRUcTIoNIsT.
Aug. 3, 1886.