Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-06-20
AGRICULTURAL, MECHANICAL
AND COMMERCIAL SOCIETY.

EDITORS LEDGER: The Chamber OF
Commerce, as now composed, is a body
without blood. 1t neither talks, acts or
feels like thing of life. 1t might indeed
be called public organ" for the ac-
commodation of every shrewd speculator
who can blow wind into its lungs and
draw out SOFT soothing strains by an in
genious working of the bellows. Some.
times. as you are aware, those Z" strains I"
affect few old fogies," whose |" grand
idea" is to sit forever on curbstones and
rule the elements of human nature. with
"twaddle and twapg;;" but they seldom
Ito the great annoyance of the bellows.
blowers) tickle the ears of the pro-
ducing and manufacturing masses, who
merely smile at such music, or, upon
reading in print glowing description of
the "praisewortby performance" re-
mark: "Go on with your show-you'll
soon play outl si,, 81
And, in the new order of things"
forced upon the people of this section of
the Union, such triAing nonsense must
"play out" ere Memphis can take firm,
solid and impressive step toward great.
ness, prosperity, or anything else becom.
ing city.
Every old resident" is aware that in
the "good times I" gone by the real own
ers of the soil, blessed with an abund-
ance Of everything they needed, paid
little attention to enterprises them
selves, but took the words of penniless
politicians and spectators as gospel
truth" on such topics, and furnished
money for projects without many
questions. Consequently comparative
strangers and shrewd chaps generally
" slipped in" and took control Of nearly
all enterprises" having no other object
in view than the feathering of their
own nests" Well, what is the result ?
A civil war comes aud sweeps away the
old order of things" paralyzes the
owners of the soil and leaves them un-
able to help themselves beyond dull
way for another crowd of harpies, who
Immediately flock into all kinds of offices
and commence "feathering their nests
Since the amalgamstion of the two.
cities" Pinch and Pickering, this "feath-
ering" system has been very much ad-
mired, as the old records" if brought
into light, will show; and the grand re-
suit is, in my mind, that Memphis is a
quarry where men dig gold and carry
or send it of to enrich other places.
This may astonish many, but when
ask any one how many busi-
ness houses" here that are not agen-
ces" Of establishments in Cincinnati,
st. Louis or New York, and whose
earnings are not transmitted to
those places-how many shops" here
can sell homemade articles--how many
insurance agents" who don't send
large sums up the river quarterly-how
many Steamboat agents" who represent
q single Memphis eompany-how many
steamboats, have been built near the
Bluff for the Memphis trade how
many mechanics cut of the four or five
thousand employed two years ago at S.
10 So day in Memphis now-what au-
swer can be made None save that,
nndsr the " feathering" system, Mem.
phis has been a large trading point
instead of city-a place to land at,
make money in, aud leave when ones
pockets are full
A single illustration The last "the-
atrical season at the New Memphis
Mr. Edwin Booth made $4,000, which be
is likely 10 spend in the completion Of a
new theater in New York; Mr.. Edwin
Forrest made large sum, which he'll
leave in New York also; Miss Lotta
made a few thousand, which went iRto
bonds; Lady Dou brought
her "pile TO England; aud so with the
whole series Of stars, who were so
. extensively paironized," and who went
of grinning with bundles Of " green
backs" in their wallets. while poor
Thompson, the Memphis Manager. vas |
left in the "duups because he couldn't |
make enough TO pay his stock" or
course none Of this was Thompson's
fault; il was only part Of the programme |
of the feathering" system. that don't |
.llow Memphis TO have anything that's |
homemade, home-baked,
home-spun, OF home anything
As further evidence Of q non-appre-
citation Of the "home article" / may |
mention the failure Of the Fanny Thur
ston Lectures, given for the purposes Of
rharity. Do you wonder, then. Why |
svery lady you meet in the street i
Walking advertisement q Boston dry |
toods house f-or vhy her husband, or
brother. or father, Who may be the most