Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1857-12-01

tisues Ee published On Friday have excited
considerable attention, from he fact hat they
show a verT much larger expenditure in some
parts o. the city than in others A knowledge
OF this disparity has led many to express them
selves dissatisfied with The manner in which
the City Council haze made their sPPrOpria-
tons. II the people bsaremsined ignorant Ct
the facts We made public, no such 5issatisfse-
ton would have arisen; therefore, it has been
remarked to as, eyou should not have pub
Iished ibe matter at sll.' In reply to this
view Of the case, We will at once state it as
our conviction, that, az a general principle, The
affairs Of The people should be fully made
known to the people; that tas tTaasaetians Of
the peoples Representatives should Be open as
he day.
Every act should challenge public scrutiny,
where people possess natural intelligence, use
fdl requirements and practical shTsECness, as
the American people Do, there csn be 10 fear
Of thu result N submitting to their own judgment
their oHn bpsnsssc a people may surely be
trusted with 3 faIf knowledge of their own
municipal affairs, whose wisdom has selected,
from the foundation Of The Republic, the men
who. in Washington, have eouducted the affairs
Of the nation At large, and Eilh such skill, that
an obscure colony Hs zbccome one Of the
migbtiest powers Of he esrth. We assert that
the pecyss have the same right TO know
how their representatives expsnd their money,
az the merchant has to know how bis cashier
has expsndsd bic money.
But We are prepared t9 she's that this open
frouted publicity Of action is not only right in
principle, but thai it is slso wise in policy.
Il is asserted thattke dissatlsfactioH referred
to was caused by our publication Of certain
facts. We deny this Ire occasioz Of the
state Of feeling nshtiopsd, was undoubtedly
our publication; bat he oauas was The sec7sey
sskioh had previously ezisied. This We viii
prove, and, in the proof, will probably be found
a vindicsaon Of the conduct 81 Council in re-
spect to the Ward expenditures Il a PROJECT,
recently entertained, for extending the limits
of the city, had been carried ou', It is evident
that the newly annexed territory Would require
to have streets gTsdedsand mary ether public in
proveme1ts made, that the other part Ct he city
did not reqsirs, and, 4 the new territory were
constituted a separate ward, the expenditures
within it's limits would be higher than that in
~the other wards. But the reader vii please TO
remember this extra expenditure has formerly
been incurred N The other wards, one by one
as their pIblic improvements were begun and
carried on, sRs hat tie qew Ward is only re-
cslving The sane extra assistance az silE
sister wards have received before her. ntbese
Temporary expenditures were lot MADE brown
TO the people as they were made bu. 10 the
cas- Of the last ward The facts were openly
stated, the people. seeing the discrepancy Of
the figures, snd having no sntscedent facts
before them to judge By, would naturally say
there is corrupGoa bsre-heTe s fsvorilism
somebody is getting a JOB. Is this the fault
Of the publication made? No, it is he eonse-
quenee Of The cbssSos o Pstifeafioa olprsEious
4occssions-in short, it is the fault-not Of tie
ysbEieify, but Of the ss1rsey. :
The reader will remember that other things,
besides recent annexation, may cause an IN
creased expenditure IN a particular ward. A
new avenue Of trade, as the location OF the
depot Of = newly opened railroad, will require
an Increased expense Ia levsling ana grsreiing
? ssrests such expenditures have been made 10
the SIKH Ward, as was explained ia the com
munieatioa of Alderman AARTIE. Money may
be appropriated for the purpose Of ornament
ing, Dot : psrt~iculsLward, but the city such
is the obj,ct in improving Park Square. such
expenditures as these are not 10 Be considered
as being made fer The special advantage Of TIE
ward in which the necessity Of tie case, not
the mere choice Of the COm.cil, has located
them, but FOR the entire city.
We cay, then in conclusion, ttas, where rec
tftude governs the s~ciios-0f CoancJs there eau
be no occasion for secret sessions, or secIet &C
lions. A fearless, straightforward eao6oF ear
iniure rome; . feeble, hssitatisg, e6sesahi
mode Ct proceeding, even when nothing wrVnE
is done, can benefit none. We are happy Z
say that We hare received The personal prom
ise OF several nemssrs Of Coancll, that the
will place within cur reach, frcn tine to tine
such facts and figures az my Be Of sunrsier
imrortsucs 10 make taeir publication Desirable
We are eonvinSei Council intends 70 60 vigo
HOusly forward, devoting thsiriiSors to scesie
rate the on~sEd progress Of the city, and inteu
sls,, % 70 psrform thsir suly, that they ca
boialy ehsas1gs public scrutiny.