Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1858-12-23

.,res hat should not be sanctioned, and on the
other. rejecting improvements that are really
necessary.
Secrecy is Injurious a. It regards the relation
Of The member Of Council to his constituents
the foumer votes for an appropriation to loan
a vsaterworks company fifty thousand dollars
one nisht, and sgslnst a street improvement
costing two hundred dollars another, and he
is unable to justify his vote to bis constituents
but b. a broad assertion respecting the poverty
of the city treasury, the truth Of which ssser.
ton be cannot prove BY showing he figures.
Secrecy is injurious in its effects upon the
taxpayer, who is continually called upon to
pay money without being informed what is
done with it. THIS makes him slow e pay /;
and be has to be tempted BY an offered allow.
anee Of two per cent, to come forward relne.
family with money that be would pay without
grndgiBg, IL be was made aware Of the nature
Of the sxigency that existed.
Secrecy lie injurious upon State legislation
regarding city affairs. Hearing only those
vague complaints about financial difficulties
that the most favored cities viii often indulge
in, COR state Legislators bsve passed laws that
enbaHass Us in the collection Of taxes, and in
several ways increase existing difficulties. Let
our financial position be laid openly before the
world, and The Legislature will cheerfully pass
such measures ss will tend to our relief.
Secrecy Is Injurious in its effects upon the
progress Of the public improvements that are
required in the city. At one time Council. for
getful Of ADVERTISEMENTS that, a. We have Al.
ready observed, the majority Of them only
know Of from general assertions, vote for i'm
prOVsuents involving important outlsys while
at another, a strong exhortati0n from some
member, at a moment when money is much
wanted and is bard 10 get, leads to the rejec-
ton Of improvements demanded By imPerious
necessity aud good policy. We may Instance
msrket-houses-the delay TO construct which
costs the citizens a sun very much beyond
what the additional taxation the building Of
them would involve could amount to. Here,
therefore, is a dead loss, entirely owing TO the
stalking horse habituslly PaTaded in Council,
Of p-oVsrty-poverty.
Secrecy is injurious to the general credit Of
our city at hons and abroad Our city suthor-
tiles are continually erying-Ee are at the point
Of bankTuptey-Fuin is staring US il the face
our notss will 60 10 protest-yet, when asked
how badly they are hurt, they refuse to tell.
We ere confident ia the truth Of an assertion
We are about to make, and every sound msn Of
business viii recognize it's correctness it is
that no possible showing 80 wealthy and -four
ishing a city as Memphis can make, will prove
20 injurious to its public interests as the broad
assertions We have named. A tradssman had
better show his creditors bis books at once.
than tell him be is on the point Of ruin, but re-
fuse to exhibit a statement Of bis Affairs. TIE
secret fnsneierist Of the city's business ought
either to present regularly 4 statement Of ae-
counts, or to cease crOakiDg any other course
is peurile aud reliculOus
In the last place: By the confessions Of Tie
very gentlemen themselves, who, in Council
on Tuesday night, attempted 10 defend the Sc
cret system-sscrecy fails to accomplish the
object for which it is sustained. There is no
ObjeetiOn-these parties ssy-to he people
knowing their own affairs, and hoW their vi
money is expended, but the difficulty is, we
cannot make it known to them without that
knowledge also reaching the city creditors,
and those of whom the city at times has 20
borrow, and this makes the creditor impatient
for payment, aud cases the money lender to
advance his terms by taking advantage Of our
necessities. The gentlemen who espoused the
system Of secrecy, Acknowledged on the occa-
sion referred to, that the state Of the city's
finances, is in truth, no secret to the creditor
and the money lender. They, with the instincts
and the ~shreWdness of their business, take care
to be well Informed Of every particular it inter
esis them to know. They learn when the
treasury is flush and when it is bare. They can
tell the precise moment when to be " Hbersl,s
and when to demand an additional half per
cent. Here, thea, the whole foolish, needless.
childish scheme Of secrecy is exploded. The
people who ought to know what is paid into
lhs city treasury, and what is spent out Of it,
are keptin darkness, while the hsTpiss who use
their kuoWledge Gully as a means Of pluckiug
more closely their prey, are fully informed Of
the whole matter. The language Of one Of the
secrecy party on Friday night, was: " Every
body in the city WHO lends money knows our
condition bettg than the aldermen fhemselUss.D
After such an acknowledgement how can these
gentlemen defend 50 reprshsnsible a system az
financial secrecy in city affairs? Away with
secrecy, and let Memphis stsnd-ss she
can ~stsnd-proudly before the world, without
a eonceslment exhibiting when her vast re-
sources are taken into account, a balance sheet
few cities on this continent can rival.