Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-05-20

failing 10 pay here. other markets will be
sought, where liberality and enterprise
are recognized aud encouraged.
lisa fact we'll known 20 all CONNER,
cial men, that produce canno, be shipped
10 Memphis for sale 10 advantage, WIN
out the privilege Of few days time 70
sell on the landing, and that when ioreea
10 pay drayaee, storage and Insurance.
the entire profit Of the shipment Is ae'
sorbed. as produce eau rarely besold IN
store aton advance on levee prices that
will cover the expense incurred ny
storing. No fnsible merchant there
would think Of storing produce shipped
10 that market for sale. would Ike TO
know what is the landing intended ior,
III no, for the benefit OF the business OF
the cityg A want Of space - urged rs
an objection TO allowing eons,gnees any
time tor making sales OF produce on .ne
wharf is not large enough Tor tna'
use. why do not our City Fathers enlarge
II Al once, hy extending Il up as well as
down the river; and II necessary grade
down the entire bluff between Front
street aud the landing, which can be
Sone with little or no expense IL Is
Wall remembered that an honorable OH
Ger al the present city government made
am offsr 10 the city some years ago ts
sr.ae the entire blaf at hiso expense,
and nav TO the city soc PER square ROD,
for the privilege Of being allowed sara
contract. which otter was declined, as It
was feared by the Fathers that the con,
tractor would make money out OF It, and
thew actually preferred leaving the city
rnimnroyed, rather than give an ex-
Mayor a profitable contract
30 far as the use Of the bluf is con
eernei for storing produce thereon. II IS
known that that property was originally
donated 10 the city for It's public use ex-
clpsiyely and the benefit OF It's CON-
merce, and that the city had no right TO
use il for any other purpose under RISK
(by the condition Of giti) OF Its forfeiture
70 the generous donor.
will also call attention TO an imposl-
ton upon one class OF nerchants-those |
in the produce commission business for |
The sale Of Western aud other produce
Exclusive Of cotton) shipped to this
this unjust and unwlse
poliey Injuries more than any other class,
Than whom none labor more sssiduously
to promote the Interests OF the city
allnde TO that great nuisance and curse
with which every citizen is loaded, Tex
cent the African voters and Northern
who own nothing, unless 1t be
something stolen / mean city tdres;
especially that great tax for the
pririlsge of opening an Office as
merchant and selling
the products Of the country. The
moment he opens an Office the city
demands of him one hundred (Sl00l dol
lars as license; then one-half of one
per cent on all his sales, for use Of the
city; then there is the one per cent to
the State, and one-half per cent. to the
county. to which must be added the
United States Government tax OF fifty
$500 dollars q year as privilege, and
Of one per cent. on sales OF
everything sold; and to crown the whole,
IN comes the FIVE per cent tax to United
States Government on net profits for the
7earl Gentlemen ofthe Council, look at
he above list of taxes, and ask your
selves if any city under heaven can pros
Der grooming under such burdens I'M
ess a more liberal policy is introduced,
n ten years time Memphis will be num-
,ered with her ancient Egyptian name
Iake.
lam informed that the honorable AL
lermau who introduced the resolution re-
erred to in the beginning of this article,
s not power behind the throne, but a
Green before the power in the distance.
/ is thought there is q powerful engine
Il work, propelling this and kindred
measures through the City Council. One
# the strongest reasons urged in justif-
.ation of the resolution was, that CAPT
alists had invested largely in warehouses
n this city, which are now comparatively
die, making the investment poor pay
ng one. The inference from the remark
yas that the scheme intended by the
,riginators was TO force merchants who
lad produce landed on the wharf in
iemphis to hurry it off to the warehouse,
which is virtually taxing produce for the
,eneft of warehousemen, draymen and
insurance companies.
Our City Fathers should legislaie con-
in all matters, and with an
We single to the general good of the city,
While / condemn the resolution intro
uced by Alderman Moffet, in justice to
hat gentleman | will say that do not
barge him with having any wrong de-
igns In view, ! think probably there
re others, who we're instrumental in get
ing it up, who are not altogether as free
rom selfish motives JUSTICE.