Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-07-24
CO-OPER4TTVE ACTION

IL has Deen remarked by some that
Memphis is proverbially laggard in
the support of enterprises of public
utility. The reason it is unimpOrtant
to inquire, but the fact and the rem
edy. The commercial community is
somewhat interested, and should be
concerned on the subject. The real
estate owner should make a calcutta
ton as to what his ground rents will
be worth when the grass grows a little
more in our streets. Those already
engaged in small manufactures should
inquire whether they can be bene-
flied by any combination of capital
and cooperative movement. And
the laboring classes of the city, above
all others, should begin to make in
quiry whether the wages of labor will
continue to be remunerative when
capital is crushed out, upon which
alone they can depend to sup
port it. If Our people have not
begun to think in this direction,
and to provide for an emergency
which may be already staring them
in the face, it strikes us as reasonable
to say it is time they did.
We owe a large amount of money,
and our debt is continually increas-
ing by mismanagement of public af-
fairs, corruption and extravaganza.
In the individual struggle of life, re-
sulting from the stress of difficulties,
shall we continue abuses, support
vampires, tear down and deyOur one
another, like so many cast-aways,
frantic on the raging seas, or shall we
make individual sacrifice for the
general good, and. endeavOr by such
means as are left US to build one an
other up? This is a question of our
day which has become one of serious
unprecedented we shall have
" peace" cooperation and union in
the eXertiGn of our energies, a
generous rivalry for the public
good, OF IA tear down, cut
throat policy, every man for himself,
and " the devil take the hindmOst."
Suppose we were altogether to put
our shoulders to the wheel az one man,
cannot we lift our city from its difficult
ties, and renew THO situation of go,
when we were crow ding with pOpula-
ton and building houses at the rate of
twenty-five hundred a year? Suppose
we should double our indebtedness,
and run in three millions more for the
purpose of building our projected rail-
roads, establishing manufactures and
providing swifter, safer and more eff
Gent means for using our great river,
should we be able to payour then debt
of six millions easier than by our
present policy and course of action we
shall be able to pay the three? The
question may be not improperly con-
sidered.
The skies are now Frightening. 1t
is to be hoped we shall have, ere long,
both a good and economical admins
Of public affairs, instead of
prodigal waste and Il legislative
which discourages Investment
and every enterprise which is based
on sound principles of economy and
profit. Shall we not make suitable
preparation for the then possible har-
vest? Suppose we should contrive to
a Selma Railroad, and a Lit
tie Rock Railroad, a Yazo0 Val
ley Railroad, and a Mississippi Val
ley Railroad, added to those already
existing, and a line of low pressure
steamers blowing the Mississippi river
1t the rate of twenty-six miles an
hour, with every lifesafe, with freights
md insurance reduced one-half, and
grain coming here in bulk. What of
THE cost and the profit? !