Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-12-03
MEMPHIS APPEAL
rHURxDAr MORNING, DEC. 3, Isss
THE PROIECT OF THE SOUTHERN
ASSnCIATEON."

The proposition of the above Associa-
ton to purchase, at ten cents on the dol
lar. the ci'y's interest In the Mississippi
and Tennessee railrosd, and for q subsidy
of 3 0 600 to construct the Mississippi
Valley railroad to Trenton, wss yester-
6sy taken I'D by the Board of Aldermen,
and, as will be seen by reference to our
reports, occupied the attention OF that
BODY from the opening to the close Of
its session. o. those who opposed the
confirmation by the city of this purchase,
the remarks OF Aldermen PAss3oRE and
RUFFIN will attract attention as CON-
prisipg sIl that is necessary to be said TO
secure he defeat OF the measure, and we
regard the references Of 1t to q special
committee as either a confession
Of weakness by its friends, or sn at
tempt to gain time for such explanation
and manipulation by the projectors as
might secure for them the msjority they
covet. and that now is doubtful.
However this may be, we will assure
the Board Of Aldermen that under no
circumstances, other than those OF o
clearly beneficial character FOR Memphis,
will the peop!e-the taxpayers and bur-
d~en-bearers Of this ci'y-Psrmit q sale or
free gift presentation of their property in
the Mississippi and Tennessee Railroad.
They demand to be heard in this matter,
and are not willing that it shsll be left
70 the decision Of any five men, nor to
the Board Itself, the members OF which
are. after all, but the eussodians Of the
funds and property Of the city, and not
the sole possessors Of it, Sc some Of them
vsinly imagine.
The people who have time and again
shown their possession Of good sense in
thess matters, who are not controllable
BIZ "rings'' or "cliquss," and have no
dealings in "bonds" or '~'stocks," and no
fish TO fry Of which every oitizsn cannot
freely partske-the people, the tOiling
psople, from whom this $3.50, 600 has been
wruBg, they desire to have something
to say before their money, or its repre-
sentative is sold for ten cents on the dol
lar, and the Railroad that the Mississippi
Central Company has helped to cripple
IS smOthered out Of life in its deadly en-
brscs. They want to know more shout
q scheme that will deprive them OF much
Of the profit that now acorues to them
by the transshipment Of gOOds, and that
promises at best q through line, through
our streets and past our doors, to leave
Us only the smoke Of its engines ss 8
memento Of its power. The people want
TO know more Of . scheme b a proposes
to do away with drsysge, and to run its
cars tauntingly past u steamboats,,
slong cur levee, bearing north or south
OF Us as through freights the products
that now Ill our warehouses and help in
the developments our young and thirty
ing city. The people want to know OF
the guarantees that these strangers, in
terested in all sorts Of railroad schemes
10 cut around Us aud fstten on our trade,
will give. They want to know in full.
They want to see clearly, and not as
through q glass, dsrkly. They will
have 10 hocus-pocusing. Above
board, and only with their
consent will they permit any definite ar
rangement; and tas men, be they who
they msy, who attempt to act in Oppcsi-
tion 70 their wishes, can measure their
popularity as publ: men by the indigna-
ton that will fad quick expression from
every ward in the city. We repeat
again, if this sehems will prove remune
rAtive and profitable TO the southern
Railroad Association in free gift pos
session Of the stock Of the city, 1t GER
tainly will not be less 90 if the city en-
barks In It with that association as a part
ner. We will recur to the subject, and
keep the people advised Of every move
ment Of those for or against this gigantic
enterprise.