Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-06-18

PERSONS leaving the city during lne SUM-
mel months can have the DAILY APPEAL
mailed 10 their address at the rate OF twenty
i've cents per week.
THE AUaLaHcke, which is now in the
enjoyment of the County Tax List
from Collector McLean-which Was
not let OWt to the JolCest bidder, and
which is worth to it double the
amount of the City Tax List-talks
about the poor taxpayer being
benefited by taking from the APPEAL
the city list, which is its right by con-
tract. We want nothing which is not
our fair right, and We would sooner
publish the list for nothing, though
running a newspaper at a cost OF ff-
Teen hundred dollars per week, than
take one cent from taxpayers which
is unjust or oppressive to them. The
facts are simply these: In January
last, the public printing OF the city
was advertised to be let out to the
lowest and best bidder; w~hereupon,
other journals Of the city coming in
fair competition with it, the bid made
by the APPEAL was accepted, and the
APPEAL elected City Printer, as pro-
vided by the old ordinances OF the
city. The bid of the APPEAL was to
publish the proceedings of the Boards
at two cents per line, to publish what
ever else might be ordered al an adj
vertisement at fifty cents per square,
and DO the job work at the lowest
current rates, and to publish the tax
list al the rates allowed by law.
The following were the bids Of the
ACala1che and APPEAL, as published
in the city papers on the 3D. Of Feb
TuaTy last:
AppeagS 5id-For printing full official
reports OF meetings W. ~ cents per line.
For advertising, one square, each Inser-
ton, ulty 800 cents. For printing tax
lists, the rates fixed by law 70 be paid for
the same.
A-Ualaaobe's 5id-For printing full official
reports, five ~ cents per line. For adver-
Using, one square, one time, ATTY 800
cents; every subsequent insertion forty
40. cents. For tax list no bid.
The reason the AUalanche made no
bid for the tax list we take to be that
the publishers believed the publica-
ton Of that list would follow, Of
course, on being elected City Printer,
and the compensation being already
fixed by law, the old was regarded as
unnecessary. The first part Of
the contract thus made by the
APPEAL imposes a heavy burden,
such as would not have been under
taken by itself for five times the price
stipulated to be paid for it. The sec
oud part was at lower rates than those
charged to private individuals, which
are necessary to the existence and
support Of a daily paper, Ia the third
part alone was compensation TO be
found; and it was to gain that, that
the bid was made. 1t was the sole
pecuniary indUcement, which, if Ia
ken away would leave the APPEAL
to serve the public for nothing, at an
extra expense of one or two hundred
dollars at every meeting Of the City
Boards. The APPEAL, in accordance
with the law requiring it, has given
It's bond for the faithful discharge of
the duties undertaken. 1t has with
much pains and great fidelity COM
Piled with the stipulations Of its con
tract up to this time. And it now
claims as a vested right the enjoy
ment Of the profitable part of its con-
tract, while bearing the burden for
two years Of the Improbable part Of
it. The claim will be recognized as /,
simple justice by every fair /,
minded person. The Boards
Of Aldermen and Council may :
advertise for bids if they will,
but the APPEAL viii not be a bidder.
If the city will not execute the con- :
tract it has made with US, we are not
disposed or green enough to make
any more with it. To say that the
Taxpayer is in any wise injured by
carrying out in good faith the con
tract made with the APPEAL is an alb
surdity, for the reason that the whole
public service performed is at a low
rate, and lower than others were will
ling to undertake it for-One part ofthe
contract being profitable, while the
others, constituting the main portion
Of it, was a burden. And to say that
taxpayers would be benefited by tax
ing away the rights of the APPEAL,
would be to say that they could be
benefited by rank injustice toward a
journal which has served them faith
fully FOX years, and not been a begger
at the public crib. Injustice benefits
no one, and though it should save j
them the whole amount of their taxes,
would be spurned by the taxpayers !
of Shelby county. When the whole
expense of publishing the proceedings
Of both Boards, running through a
period oftwo years, is taken into con- /,
~sideratiOn, with a tax list to publish
prohtably but ono a year, it will be
seen that the APPEAL could make at
the most but a fair living rate. And
if the proceedings OF the Boards and
tax lists were to be paid for separate
Iy, the expense to the tax-paying
community would be greater than by
the arrangement made with the APP
PEAL, even 1.-THE tax list was pub
Bshed at less than half the rates now
allowed by law. ],