Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-05-12


The paper is certainly frank, and.
doubtless, faithful statement Of the de.
pressed pecuniary condition OF the cor
porasion. 1t was intended to present to
the Council, fully all that could be urged
FOR the purpose Of inducing that body to
lay, for the time, restrictive hand upon
the generally commendable, but under
the circumstances, injudicious zeal for
public improvements that has character
lied the municipal administration. Ii
gave the shadows which rest on city af-
fairs, but not the lights Ii speaks freely
Of Gebts, endorsements and deprecated
credit, in order to suggest timely means
by which they can be removed and rem
edied. Its authors felt that such can
did presentation Of the case was neces-
sary to secure prompt and systematic re-
trenchment; and they purposely fore
bore to speak of the taxable property and
resources Of the city, or by refer
ence to possible dispositions of the
funded debt that may be made, to defeat
the chief object they had in view-the
curtailment of expenditures during the
present stringent season. They could
have greatly relieved the picture by
Offering side by side, with the view they
have given, tabular statement of the
basis OF the city credit, and calculation
showing its perfect solvency under a
rigid avoidance of everything but abso.
lutely necessary OUTLAWS IL they had
done so, they could have prevented the
comment which has been made upon their
administration, but they woEld also have
failed to make the impression they de-
sired They could not have arrested the
attention, or hoped to secure the adop~
ton for a time to come, Of the strict
economy which will be essential to the
maintenance ofthe municipal credit, and
which is the only mode of lessening
taxation during the period Of suspended
prosperity which the country is under
going. Their exhibit was made as
financial operation, and we trust it will
prove judicious one
Not quite two years ago, the present
administration took charge of corporation
matters, and found every department in an
impaired condition. The city, except for
its police, fire and water necessities, had
stood still for more than three years, and
been ground into dilapidatiOn by the war.
Everything demanded renovation and re-
pair The finances were reduced, for
those who had managed its government
had done little more than collect sufficient
revenue todefray the comparatively small
outlay which the surrounding circum-
stances justified. In regard to the stand
ing debt nothing more was done than to
adjust its accruing interest temporarily,
for the purpose of transferring it to a reg
ularly elected City Council When the
latter was installed, they scanned the
situation, and took hold with a vigorous
and lavish hand, the main idea being to
reinstate the city in every feature. They
had right to anticipate state Of pros
perity succeeding the return of peace.
that would authorize a liberal and public
spirited system, and they set it on foot,
and it stands to-day to..show for itself If
there has been error in their policy it
has consisted in continuing improvements
larger, and to a greater extent, than the
stagnation of business which results from
political disquiet and other causes, justi-
fed Recklessness and prohigacy cannot
be charged against them They have
made the best streets the city ever had,
because they found them in the worst
possible condition. They have sustained
an ample and efficient police, because I'M
til recently there was state Of things
that required it They have furnished
workhouse prison at considerable ex-
pense, for the war has produced an unu-
sual amount of vagabondage and petty
crime. The debt they have created has
been for necessary and useful purposes
the largest proportion could not have been
avoided while that that might have been
pretermitted in the way of permanent
improvements has been work well done,
and will, if the drain upon the treasury
be now moderated, prove profitable in
vestment ultimately This much we deem
it due to say in general defense against
superficial conclusions drawn from the
report in question, and in depreciation of
the unjust criticisms which may be made
against the city government
The partisan use which newspaper in
the city seeks to make of this clear, cans
did and voluntary statement Of a de-
pressed pecuniary condition is absurd
1t shows itself both ignorant and malig-
nant and evidently seized it with avidity,
as a shield and Offset against the exposure
being made in these columns Of the highly
criminal extravaganza which marks the
course OF the State administration. Such
insinuatious as it makes do not properly
lie in the mouth of the organ of party
which, for political purposes, is now
seeking to fasten on the taxpayers of
Nashville, police system whose cost
would treble that of the present. and
which from the example it has given Of
its faculty of wastefnlly and wrongfnlly
public monies, certainly gives
no assurance to the corporation taxpayer
of an improved financial budget under
its authority. The most dissatisfied and
despairing citizen need expect no reform
from Radicalism in a municipal capacity
NATIONAL BANK