Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1894-09-26
REPUBLICAN GRO WITH IN TEN
NESSEE.

NESSEE.
The growth of Republican sentiment
in East Tennessee, in the last few years,
is simply amazing. 1t surpasses the
most confident hopes and the most OK.
travagant prophecies. 1t evinces the
fact that there is a permanent and
healthy increase of popular disgust
with Democratic methoes and meas
ures, and that the masses are becoming
more intelligent and less partisan, as
they more closely and carefully scruti-
nize and study history of parties, the
science of political economy and the
sound principles of Government.
We have distanced middle and wes-
tern divisions of the State in aoees-
sions to the Republican party and the
reason Is obvious. In those sections
the conditions are not so favorable to
a free and unbiased investigation of
political issues. Men are handicapped
and enthralled by the precious environ
ment of Democratic dogmatism and in
tolerance. Dispassionate discussion
and free expression Of independent
thought are not so common in those
latitudes as with us. The most rabid
Democratic orators enjoy the same un-
hindered liberties of speech in the Re-
publican ..strongholds of East Tonnes
see as in the rantankerous Democratic
city of Memphis, whilst the most con
sentative Republican speaker, though
he may not be met with open violence
in any section of Middle and West Ten
nessee, is often disturbed and vexed BY
Interruptions, and is rarely, at any
point, accorded the courtesies and
amenities due him. And then the at.
tempt to belittle, degrade and stigma
tie every man who has ''the courage
of his convictions" and dares to pro.
claim his antagonism to Democracy is
a common custom. He is placed un-
der the ban of social ostracism, and IL
in business, ~boycotted by the Demo.
cratic nobility. The Democratic pa
pers take the lead in fierce denuncia-
tons and burning ~invectives against
the denominated ''low class" who COM
pose the Republican Ranks.
Notwithstanding the distractions by
which 1t has been surrounded and the
enmities 1t has excited, and the cruel
methods and merciless instrumental
ties have been constantly employed
to completely extinguish it, the growth
OF Republican sentiment in the Middle
and Western divisions, as in East Ten
neesee, has been phenomenal. The
leaver of political enfranchisement and
purity is working in the popular body
and all sections of the State feel the
stirring energy and thrill Of its rising
power. Indeed, it is a fact today that
were it not for the iniquitous devices
for restricting the electiv g franchise. EN-
claiming the manhood off large num-
Der of her people and despoiling them
of their rights, guaranteed to them by
that hallowed instrument, which we
have been taught TO believe is the sa-
cred compact Of the States and the
golden girdle Of the Union-were it
not for these Democratic crimes against
decency, honesty, justice and law,
Tennessee would stand proudly and
grandly in Republican column.
As the case now stands, with all the
election machinery in the hands of
Pete Turney and his hordes of ready
and willing ~janizaries, a Democratic
victory in November is not among the
certainties. There is more than a bare
chance for the election Of Hon. Henry
Clay Evans Governor and Of a Legisla.
ture that will antagonize the policy
that has ruled Tennessee for years, to
her disgrace and ruin.
The times afford an opportunity for
d~isplacing Turneyism, and all the
denominations 1t implies, that is worth
the most heroic and persistent efforts
On the part Of the Republican party.
The bold crimes committed in our
own State, the depression in trade, the
financial stress, silence Of factories,
and the wreck and ruin Of farmers,
have revealed the fearful d~esolations
of Democratic misrule. The boosted
beauty of the Goddess has turned out
to be the ghastliness Of a corpse and
the meaning of Reform to be death;
the beauties and glories of Democracy
to be the wild riot of chaos and anar-
chy; and Democratic promises, though
fair to view as the smiles of Eden, the
bitterness of NORWOOD and gall.
The Republicans are marshalling for
the fray with unwonted confidence and
enthusiasm. 1t will only require the
accession of a few thousand votes TO
capture the Democratic citadel. Let
every Republican be a worker and
hero. Let harmony and wise counsel
prevail and the banner over us be love
Of tho comnop GOD .nl t-