Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-10-01
mEETING or MERCHANrs.
The Revenue Laws Considered,


Pursuant ID a call published yesterday,
number of our most prominent merchants met
at the Office of the Commercial Insurance Com
pany.
On motion of Thompson Andersen r. II
Gardner was called to the chair and J as T.
Bell, eff the UNION AND AMERICAN, and ID. r.
Doris, ofthe Banner, requested to act as Sec
retaries.
The Chairman explained that tn object of
the meeting was to take into consideration the
revenus laws of the State. and particularly that
portion in which the mercantile community
were deeply interested. He referred to a b Il
which had recently been drawn up by n com
mittee of Memphis merchants, and adopted by
the Chamber of Commerce of that city. and
stated that Mr.. w. X. Moore, one of the com
mittee who prepared the bill was present to ask
the cooperation of the merchants of this place.
By request. the bill as published several days
ago IN the UNION AND AMERICAN was then read
W. z. Moore, of Memphis, stated that in July
last committee Of five had been appoiu ed by
| the Chamber of Commerce Of Memphis for the
| purpose of cooperating with themerchants OF
| Tennessee and to take such steps as would
| place the merchants of the State on a footing
| with those Of other States. The bill which had
been read had been drawn up by that COM
| mittee, and adopted unanimously by the CHAINS
Der of Commerce. By the provisions of the bill
it will be seen that it proposes to abolish the old
revenue law. 1he time had come for reform
| in the revenue laws of the State AMI the ques-
ton would be presented hopefully before the
| approaching session of the Legislature. MT
Moore stated that he wss here TO receive the
endorsement Of their course by the merchants
| Of Nashville.
Mr.. Moore then explained the difereat sec
| tons of the bill, remarking that the plan Q
| arriving at the merch ants capital was the only
| point which the committee had found dlmeui
to solve in their discussions. The copy OF thu
| bill had been sent to the different toWh
throughout the State for Endorsement, win IN
request that when such Endorsement IS obtained
| ha fo-vvo rflpd IN him at TINS place
Mr.. Moore then stated that he would process
Immediately to Knoxville, TO lay the suoJte
before the merchants of that place
Watson NJ. Cooke asked for information IN re
gard to one of the provisions OF the fifth sectior
Mr.. Moore replied that the same point ma
been canvaSsed by the merchants OF Mempnl
| at the meeting of the Chamber o. Com merc'
and after full investigation, seemed 20 be salts
. | factory to all present ,
/ Mr.. Cooke said he was not disposed TO be fault
finding. but could not see but what the sectlo
referred to would act badly, and II not rlghti
I | construed. the merchants would have the sam
difficulties to contend with as at present.
r John W. Terrass took the same view ot u
section as Mr.. Moore, and thought there eoul
be no objection urged against it.
Mr.. Cooke thought the bill In every parucu
lar should be explicit. and not liable to mol
2 than enc construction. We had seen enoug
trouble with the County Court Clerks IN regaT
. to the present law.
Maj. B. S. Rhea remarked that the details
the bill were not sufficiently explicit, and as
II 4
chants, he could not say that he was prepare
to vote for the bill as it stands
:, Maj. Rhea then offered the following resolI
ton:
Resolved BY the Meeting of Merchants, Th
We approve the general features as understoC
= of the bill agreed upon By the Memphis Chan
Der Of Commerce, as to the merchants tax, az
. that a committee of five be appointed by Il
@ | chairman to act in conjunction with Commute
from other points to go before the Legislatu
. in efforts to get fair and equitable rate OF tax
- | ton established.
Mr.. Terrass offered an amendment providil
IL that the chairman of this meeting have pow
to call meeting Of merchants previous to
after the Legislature shall have assembled,
n hear the report of said committee, and to di
cuss the provisions of the bill and such amen
d ments as may be offered.
The resolution as amended was then adopte
K. b. Cheatham then moved that the col
D, mittee be increased to ten, which was carrie
and the chair appointed as said committee
lie j. Morris. Watson NJ. Cooke, John W: era
Thompson Anderson, James NJ. Hamilton,
Il. Massengale. A. q. Adams, John n. SperI
a Thomas ID. Fite. and Il. PendletOn, and,
motion, the chairman. r. ii. Gardner, W
III added.
!, The meeting then adjourned