Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1858-09-24

provides that The Board shall appropriate
no money--exceeding an insignificant
amount-without the concurrence of a
majority Of all the qualified voters, and
we are told that this provision suggested
the propriety of voting upon the proposed
appropriation of fifty thousand dol
lars for the Improvement of certain streets
and thus avoid repeated appeals to the
voters for permission to expend money for
internal improvements The policy of
giving to the Corporation power to Dor
row money except in extreame cases-is
one of doubtful wisdom; so also is the
power to issue bonds for certain named
purposes, but with no specifications as to
the manner and time, in which, and when,
said purposes shall be accomplished
Bonds which can be cashed only at a
sacrafce of twenty cents in the dollar,
involve an immediate loss of one fifth of
the whole amount of issue; an additional
loss in making contracts, as between such
bonds and cash, and an amount of extra
taxation for the redemption of those bonds
amounting to the difference between eighty
and one hundred cents. The contractor
who takes bonds at eighty cents in the
dollar has, in self defense, to shape his
estimates not according to the value at
which he takes Them but the price they
will bring in the market, which may he
five or ten per cent lower still, and what
he looses in the cash value of the bonds
he must make up in extra charges for his
labor. And the tax payers who do not
look into the details of such a transaction,
have very little idea of the disproportion
between the benefits conferred, and the
burdens imposed. Still, our streets must
be improved but if the Charter allows it,
it were better to vote direct tax to pay
for each specific work, at fair cash price,
than to vote for an issue of bonds to cover
the cost of loose proposal to improve
nine streets, with no stipulations as to
which shall be first, and which last, nor
when nor in what style each one shall be
improved,
But there is yet another mode by which
the streets can be improved at less cost,
IN our opinion, in a shorter time and in
better style. Seven or eight years ago, we
urged upon the town the propriety of
purchasing negro en,-say twelve or
hfteen-and, placing them in charge of
some competent manager, keep them con-
stantly at work upon the streets-repair-
ing the old, and improving the new, This
policy has been adopted in many southern
towns, with the most satisfactory results,
and we can not see why it should not be
equally successful here. Such force,
constantly and judiciously employed,
would, in five years, give an air of comfort
and completeness to our map of streets
which will not be developed by any other
plan in ten years, and at cost which the
citizens will scarcely feel and at the ex
piration of that time, should no deaths
occur, the negros will probably sell for as
much as their original cost--their value
having been increased by their skill in
road building. The details of such a plan
will present themselves to those who may
look into it, and we shall not attempt tc
explain them here, but proceed to meution
another important advantage attending
the adoption of this policy. 1t supercede'
the necessity of employing contractors
who, as the times go, and in a majority o
cases, exact the highest prices and do thei
work in the slightest way that will Civ,
them pretext for claiming their pay; ant
the past experience of the town ought I,
have taught its citizens how dearly the,
have paid for botch- work in roads an,
bridges And by the employment of tn
negroes, we get rid Of a class of laborer
who, without being desirable as citizens
are allowed citizens privileges and, il
return, exert an influence in a cortai
direction that is visible upon our peculia
institution. We know there are those VIII
advocate the employment of this class G
labor as tending to increase the prosperit
aud growth Of the town but digging an
hauling dirt and breaking rock should
the business Of ncgros, and the white me
who are content with the same emplo,
ment in the midst of negroes, are danger
GUS companions for the latter, and to kee
them seperato is the wise policy,
Our limited time and space have ALLOW
ed mere passing remark upon this sui
ject but we may refer 10 il at futui
day, when we shall endeayor to treat