Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1894-10-31
TURNEY MAY LOSE.
Mossback Rule in Tennessee in
Danger This Year.
No Big Majority for Either Side..Re.
publicans Stand a Show To Get
Four Congressman.

Four congressman.
NASHVILLE, TENN, Oct. 23.-The po-
litical situation in Tennessee Just at
this juncture is most interesting
study. One of the most hotly contested
campaigns in the history of the State is
drawing to close, and none but the
uninformed and the rash would at this
time undertake to predict the ultimate
result with anything like accuracy and
precision. There are too many and so
diverse elements entering into the sit
vation, 30 many factors that must be
taken into account in any calculation
that is made, that the whole subject
revolyes itself into vertiable Chinese
puzzle, defying intelligent solution. OF
course there are any number of sapient
curbstone philosophers who can tell
you exactly how it is all going to turn
out, but they are universally of that
class Of blind and unreasoning parti-
sans whose knowledge is in inverse
ratio to their enthusiasm, and who
never indulge in any cool and deliber-
ate calculation of any kind. The astute
and experienced campaign managers of
either the Democratic or Republican
party, while giving out the regulation
prophesies of victory to inspire the rank
and file, will tell you on the dead quiet,
at their headquarters in this city, that
you would better not put up much
money on the result either way-that
it is entirely too problematical to gam
BILE on. In this correspondence, there
fore, only the we'll know and admitted
facts of the situation will be given, and
everybody can draw whatever conclu-
sion therefrcm they NAV see fit.
In the first place the Democrats, with
Gov. Peter Turney at their head, have
been put on the defensive throughout
the entire campaign. To say nothing
of the open revolt in the Democratic
party, precipitated by the course of af-
fairs at Washington, there is wide
spread and pronounced feeling of dis.
satisfaction among all parties in Ten
nessee with Gov. Turney's administra-
tion for the past two years. There are
certain phases of that administration
which no prudent business man, what
ever his party affiliatlon, will under
take to defend for one moment. For
illustration: In 1898, Gov. Turney is
sued 100000 of the bonds of the State
for the purpose of building peniten-
tiary. This was done in the face of the
fact that a Democratic Comptroller of
the Treasury certified officially to the
Governor that there would be abundant
revenues in the Treasury from regular
sources to meet every requirement of
the State, including the full amount
necessary to build the penitentiary.
But the Governor-for what reason no.
body has ever been able to find out
went ahead and issued the bonds and
gave Latham, Alexander & Co.. of New
York, $4,000 commission and an ad-
ditional bonus of $4,000 in the way of
fictitious interest on the bonds for a
year in order to place them on the
market. This was done more than o
year ago, and not dollar of the money
has ever been used by the State yet,
the whole amount simply lying idle in
the various banks where the Governor
deposited it and costing the people S27,-
900 per year interest. No man of ordi-
nary business sagacity will undertake
to defend such ruinous policy as that.
There Is deep seated prejudice in this
State against the further issuance of
bonds for even an urgent and legiti-
mate purpose; but to issue them for
absolutely no purpose, so far as can be
seen, is little more than the people
are disposed to meekly submit to.
Gov. Turney was elected on the SOL
emn and oft repeated promise to the
people that he would reduce expendi.
lures and cure the reckless extravaganza
of the preceding Buchanan administra
tion. A comparative statement shows
conclusively that Gov. Turney's ad.
ministration has been the most need.
lessly and excessively extravagant fol
many years. Buchanan, who was con
sidered phenomenon in the way OF
wasting public revenues, could never
have held light to Gov. Turney in
the fantastic accomplishment of paint
ing things red" Such policy as he
has pursued for the past two years
would bankrupt the Bank of England
in short order, and it is not reasonable
to suppose that the Treasury OF Demo
cratic State could stand it very long.
The policy he has pursued is, how
ever, perfectly consonant with the gen
eral character and reputation of tht
man. That character and reputation
is imprescively illustrated by speecl
he made in the campaign of two year
ago, in which he declared that wher
he died he wished that hallowed word
Secession" to be engraved on hi
monument He lives in the past, he il
a relic of the old order of things, and il
no more adapted to the position of Gov
ernor of great State like Tennessee q
the present time than an OK cart il