Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-03-03
THE MAYOR.s MESSAGE.

finances, embracing reports of the differ
ent departments, which by no means
show us as in a hopeless or irredeemable
condition. There is great deal of good
sense in the message, and such a one as
we should have expected from Mr.,
johnson. 1t has been long while
since, if ever before, our people were
blessed with such an executive officer
We are assured that the gentleman is
doing everything in his power to build
up the condition of the city and assist it
on the road to prosperity. 1t is, them the
duty Of every good man to stand by and
uphold the actions of our Mayor. If any
one in the position is found endeavoring
to do his duty there is class always
ready to grumble and find fault in the
most outrageous manner. Weknow gen
orally who these persons are, and
they find plenty Of confederates.
They are the evil-doers who sreek with
corruption, and would hide their acts
under the mask of detraction from
others. We have never heard the good
men of any government complain of
officials who strive to serve the State or
community, and have had the pleasure
of being under the most strict military
discipline. These men never find the
law-whatever itmay be-irksome, when
it is for the preservation of peace
and the happiness of the people.
We are not, then, surprised that the
present administration should be as
sailed when Il is the ayowed purpose of
such administration to suppress cEime or
compel it to support the city govern
ment in part. The assessment on
gaming houses and brothels is especially
just and demaadatery at the present
time, when our Golfers are empty and the
debts of the corporation press so heavily
upon US, The suggestion Of the LEDGER,
some days since, asto the plan of getting
rid of the enormous debt now upon the
city, has been adopted, or is the same as
that promulgated by bis Honor the
Mayor. The Executive is decidedly OPP
posed to the further increase Of the debt
under any circumstances. To decrease
it, he says, and at the sage time carry
on the government of the city, a prompt
and imRediate return to a cash basis is
the only true policy, and to do this we
should require all taxes beEeafter levied
to be paid in cash, making valuations
and assessments upon that basis, and re-
ceiviag in payment thereof only
cash, thereby ea4bling us to have.
all work done for or supplies furnished
10 the city, at the lowest cash prices.
whes dis shall be fully adopted, with
the prompt payment Of interest upon the
bonds now due, then will our credit go up
and nothing more will be heard of bank
ruptcy. We commend the Mayor Mes
sage 10 the careful perusal of every one
who is DESTROYS ef learning the true con-
dition of the city, and EAat IN the
future is proposed to be done to re-
lieye its embarrassment. That il can
be done, and in less time than has
been specified In the Message, we
have not the shadow of doubt Our
taxes pust be necessarily high for the
present, but tAay will be found becoming
less onerous as the general prosperity of
the city il increased, which has of late
become apparent even to obdurate and
professional croakers.
The time for returning incomes to the
Revenue Assessors Office, as we stated
once before, has been extended to the
10th of March. Many persons have yet
to make their returns; hence a complete
list of those who had 2 taxable income of
$1,000 OF over cannot be had for some
time, although an incomplete list appears
in an epterDrising morning paper. We
learn from the Assessor that the list is
unfinished and its publication nnaHthor-
lied by him. When complete and cor
rect list can be had officially, il will APP
pear in the LEDGER. s
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WE have received the first number Of