The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1894-10-17
Carmack here tells how Mem
phis, despite everything, has grown
in natural wealth. and says:

Carmack here tells how Mem
phis, despite everything, has grown
in natural wealth. and says:
READ! READ.l READ!i!
"All this has been achieved by those
who hold the payment OF taxes as part
OF their religion. They have stood the
test of civic virtue. They have horne
their burdens uncomplainingly. They
have faced their obligations and have
met them. But now, as they contem-
plate their work and recall their sacri-
fees, they grow indignant upon finding
that they have been played upon by
their own servants. They have discov-
cred that millions of taxes which should
have been paid, have not been paid, and
because of the connlvance of those whore
| sworn duty it was to collect the taxes
They have learned that the high rate
which they so Loyalty accepted as neces-
sary to the communal welfare on the rep
reservations of those whom they had
trusted to show the truth, was unneces-
sary, and that the willing, the brave, the
honest, the proud, the city.loving ano
county-loving taxpayer was befooled in
order that the politicians might gain
votes by refusing to collect the taxes due
the city, county and state from certain
| classes.
THEY ARE MINDFUL
Now of how much more might have been
achieved, how less arduous would have
been the labor OF our business leagues,
how much greater would have been our
population, how many more manufac-
tories would have been established, how
much more extensive would have been
our public improvements, how much
wider would have been the range of our
county road system, how much less ex-
acting would have been the tax-gatherer
how small would have been the accumu.
lation of back taxes-if the sworn SER
wants of the people had regarded theil
oaths of office. Never was an earnest and
enterprising community so damnably
put upon. 1t had come to the pass that
the man who bore his taxes without
seeking to evade them could set himself
down an ass Wonderful, indeed, must be
the destiny of Memphis and Shelby
county, if so much could be achieved
under conditions so utterly despicable
1t looks like the stars in their courses
had been fighting for Memphis as againsr
her foes within her fold"
OH DON'T GET TIRED.
But hear the eloquent Tennes
sean, the glorious writer in gooc
cause, Ed. Carmack, tell of demo.
cratic rule:
But apart from the material lies the
moral consideration. When politicians
are able to promise exemption from the
law, and to fulfill their promises; wher
men wishing to be honest are tempted tc
evade the law because their competitor
are privileged to evade it; when thu
most successful man in business is thu
man who puts public servants under tn,
greatest personal obligations growing GU
of bargains at the primaries; when beef
steaks are taxed heavily that liquor may
be free; when taxpaying ceases to bt
virtue in the popular mind-then is thu
state of that community deplorable in
decd. And it was Just to this condition
that Memphis and Shelby county Lac
been reduced when the grand jury, il
the exercise of its functions, undertook
to correct the evil. The serpent hat
twined over everything and the atmds
phere of the courthouse had becom,
thoroughly poisoned.
THE PULPIT AND THE PRESS,
The law and order leagues, and the indi
vidual protestant had striven in vain t.
arouse the people to a sense of their dan
ger and of the community disgrace, unit
the grand jury, without announcement
of its purpose, suddenly tore the vel
away and disclosed the revolving spec
tacle in all its horror. The revulsion wa
instant and complete. The people rea
lized the iniluity in its full measure, ant
now they demand absolute and imme
diate extirpation. They see how tn
corruption has impregnated the Who'll
body polite; how young men have beel
swerved from the standards of privat
morality; how difficult it has become +
secure law-fearing public officials; no,
conventional evasion of the law ha
grown to be. But there is to be an en-
Of it all. Out Of pocket and nearly out o
honor, the community feels the electri
impulse of real reform. The men VIII
value good government and who hav
striven to show in their own lives thei
own devotion to the right ideals OF cit
zenship, have welcomed the grand jury
revelations, distressing and deplorable q
they are. They will stand the brunt ths
the reform may be prosecuted. The
: have faced affliction before, and will g
bravely and fearlessly forward to th
task of shifting the serpent's head.
POOR FELLOW!
His prejudice against "Browr
low" against the negro, agains
the party that set him free, is S
great that he cannot see that tn
first step in the great crime he err
! Weighs against was in violatin
! the election laws. The leadin
c church men, merchants and pre-
7 fessional men connived and as
i sisted in the rape of the ballot
; they made a harlot of the insight
3 of our liberty and were robbed b
S the robbers and dared not ope
their mouths. Cooper's skirts wel
J clear and he could charge the gran
/ Jury. Patterson's skirts were cles
q because he was republican. Ca
mack's skirts were clear becau.
3 there is none of the assassin in h
makeup.
YOU OLD COUNTRY DEMOCRAT,
Listen to this. 1t concerns yo
When you read it remember it a
| Facts vour oorL a. Lool Al