The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1911-06-09
A Warning Cry.

Have our legislators fully considered
the consequences of what they are now
doing? Have any OF them relatives or
friends in the hospitals for the insane ?
Have they considered that the interest
on the public debt, being due July l
and remaining unpaid, will cost the
people of Tennessee at least $3.50, 900
per year for the next thirty years, or as
long as the bonds when refunded may
run? Have they considered that the
employees Of the State in the various
departments, as rule, are poor men
and cannot live without they receive
their wages ? Finally, have they con
sidered that they were elected as the
servants Of the people to go to the State
capital and transact the public business
in quiet and orderly manner2
Taking these matters in detail briefly:
If appropriations arc not made to carry
on the hospitals for the insane, the con-
sequences are without doubt the worst
that could befall a civilized people.
Either private individuals will have to
assume the functions OF public guardians
and advance money to these institu-
tions, or the unfortunate people held in
them for their own and the public good
will either have to be turned back upon
the communities from where they were
sent or allowed to starye to death. And
yet the public treasury is overlooking
with money
The principal market for our State
bonds is the savings banks OF New
York and the New England States, and
by law these institutions are prohibited
from investing their funds in securities
OF any kind where the interest has been
allowed to go in default for ten years
past. AS the State debt will have to be
refunded within a short time, if this
outlet for market is cut off by a failure
to pay the interest when due, July 1,
it will not be possible, it appears, to
float the bonds at as low rate of inter
est by one per cent at least as otherwise
can be done. This means loss TO the
taxpayers OF approximately $3.50, 900
per annum for the length of time the
bonds, as a whole, are allowed to run.
Finally, have our Legislators consid-
cred that they are acting like children
and are not measuring up to the full
stature Of men2 One side, possibly in
fluenced by persons expecting to receive
benefits, have been trying to foist upon
the people Of the State laws that mani
testify great majority Of the voters are
not in favor Of and that were not ex-
pected to arise at this time when
the election was held and the other
side, ignobly running away when they
could and should have stood their
ground done the best they could and
let the consequences go back to the
people and be settled by them, they, in
their sovereign capacity, being the
source Of all power.
Having been temperance man and
prohibitionist all my life, would think
IL a much less calamity to the people of
Tennessee to have the present liquor
laws repealed for the time being than to
have the poor, benighted people, with
their darkened minds, in our hospitals
for the insane 60 hungry and unpro-
yided for, as is now on the verge OF be-
ing done.
Coming up, as have, in that school
Of thought and action that believes and
teaches that the prompt payment OF II
debts is one OF the chief virtues Of citi-
zen or State, | would rather have the
election laws, for tho time being, in the
hands Of political hprIots and scoundrels