Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-05-18
LOUISVILLE.
A Narrew.minded Board of Trade
The Attitude OF Memphis CONNER
ciaIIy-A Pleasing Confidence Game


The following article belonged to the
LEDGERs Louisville letter of yesterday,
dated May 10th, but for want Of space was
left over.-Eds. Ledger.
An incident occurred here the other
day which illustrates the enterprising
spirit of some Louisville merchants, as
well as their dread of Memphis as rival.
An invitation was received by the Board
of Trade from the Memphis Chamber of
Commerce to send delegates to the Mem
phis Commercial Convention, which
meets on the 18th inst. Strange as it
may seem, the Louisville Board of Trade
actually voted to Icy the invitation on
the table. A member rose and made q
speech, portraying the discourtesy OF
their action so wildly that the motion to
lay on the table was reconsidered and
Memphis was thanked for the Invitation,
but no delegates were appointed. Neither
has the City Council as yet appointed
delegates to our Convention. Cincinnati,
l see, has had the practical common
sense to appoint a full representation.
The Mayor of Louisville, i learn, takes q
mere liberal view than the Board of
Trade, and has, or will, appoint dele
cation of frst-class, live business
men to attend the Convention. One
of the merchants remarked to me,
gleefully, that they were too sharp to help
advertise Memphis in that kind of style.
l asked him if Louisville was not inter-
ested in leveeing the Mississippi river.
He said yes, but Louisville had started
that project, and expected to carry it
through without letting Memphis get
the credit for it. / told him that
Memphis would be glad to hear of the
fact, but would 70 on and hold her little
conventions and build few little rail-
roads any how; and if Louisville built
the levses she should have the credit,
while Memphis would quietly take in the
pie and clean out the plums, leaving
Louisville to glorify over the crust. He
couldn't see it by those rehectors. Louis
vile is good, steady old place, but has
some awful slow.going people. They
refuse to attend the Memphis Convention
for fear they will advertise Memphis,
when they might advertise themselves by
coming to q live business place; but by
remaining away they confess their in
ability to cope with Memphis enterprise.
Memphis had little or nothing to do with
locating the convention. The last one
was held at Norfolk, and, if l am not
mistaken, Louisville was well represent
ed. 1t adjourned to meet at Memphis;
hence these wise, broad-minded Louis
vile merchants look upon it as shrewd
advertising trick for the sole benefit of
Memphis. A sensible correspondent
writing to the Courier Journal of to-day,
says: Ls
From present indications these organ
izations, at. Memphis and New Orleans
Conventions on the 18th and 24th), will
be largely attended by men who have the
interests of the South at heart, and who
are capable of presenting them to the
public in such light as will insure the
attention of the nation. Rebuilding the
levees and improving the navigation OF
the Western rivers are questions which
will be brought prominently before the
convention, and they are questions IN
which Louisville interests are promi-
nently identified. Questions Of railroads
will doubtless be discussed, with numer-
ous others affecting the growth and fu-
ture prosperity Of the West and South,
in the discussion of which Louisville can
i'll afford to remain quiet looker-on.
/ hereby nominate Louisville as the
most suitable place to hold the next
Southern Commercial Convention.
Memphis is ten times more go.ahead,
entsrprisinE sort of place than Louis
vile, when we consider the great dispre-
portion in capital and population.
Louisville claims to number one hun
dred and sixty.fve thousand souls, but
they probably count in Jeffsrsonville
and New Albany. The place will grow
for some time to come (no charge for
this puff from the momentum it has
received of late from several causes.
But being hemmed in by Cincinnati and
St. Louis, they naturally look to the
South for trade. Memphis stands in the
gateway, and the action Of the Board OF
Trade shows that the merchants there
dread the great city which Memphis is
yet to be. / was never 80 well con-
vinced Of the grsat failure Of our city as
after talking to half dozen Louisville
merchants and hea ring their opinions.