Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-07-21

A Few Plain words with ti,e BUSINESS
Mem of Nashville.


what shall be Dome with the Build
fngs 9-shail we Have Anosher Dis
play of our Industrial and Mineral
Resources?
Since the brilliant entertainment last
May by the second Industrial Exposition of
Nashville, but little interest has been mani
tested by our citizens for the future preser-
walton of this grand enterprise. On account
of heavy, yet necessary expenditures made
for buildings this year, the present indebt-
edness of the Nashville Exposition is ST, 600,
to secure the liquidation of which the Asso-
citation have buildings worth, with their
fixtures, at least S21, 600. The question for
our business men to solve is, "Shall Nash
vile give its third annual exhibition,in which
to display the industrial and mechanical pro
ducts ofthe United States?" Let this ques-
ton find welcome consideration from every
one interested in this city's prosperity and
claim to metropolitan importance. 1t were
as vain 10 argue the benefits arising from
our Expeditions, as it were to speak of the
rainbow's beauty or the heavens bright
light. To every one who has sense enough
to perceive anything patent to the eye, this
is obvious and undeniable. 1t is useless to
enter at length concerning these benefits or
to speak more fully than we have done al
ready, in relation to the way Nashville can
be benefited by continuance of our great
enterprise, which, the first in the South and
the second 10 the Union since the war, has
already induced Memphis, New Orleans and
Louis Vile to attempt similar experiments.
What greater argument can be adduced,
what more powerful offered than this fact
itself, to show the Importance and bespeak
tie benefits resulting from ExposiG0ns?
At present no steps are being taken to do
anything, for the matter really belongs to no
particular individual or association. The
Board of Managers of the Nashville Industrial
Exposition was constituted by the Board OF
Trade, The Mechanics and Manufacturs' As
ISOLATION and the Tennessee Horticultural
Society, each Of which sent representatives
to be jointly the managers of the enterprise.
What is most astonishing and yet most Gre
ditable to the Exposition Board is, that il
inaugurated and conducted satisfactorily
and pleasantly the grandest enterprise that
our people have ever seen created in Ten
nessee, even when the association which
constituted the Board of Managers had
dwindled into an insignificant reality
and lived only in name, not even in
sound, for no word is ever heard
from them. When did the Board of Trade
meet; when did the Horticultural Society
convene; when did the Mechanics and
Manufacturers Association assemble previ-
ousIy to one night in the past month, at
which time not ten of its members were
present? We speak in this manner most
friendly and are actuated through motives
of I;,,Ayaee. fvfanA ,,Ofhinor tO xUnJJTA
the feelings, upbraid the dereiction or NOR
tify the pride of our citizens. But we do
for the good of our people speak in terms
true and language honest, appealing to the
enterprising and public spirited in behalf OF
this enterprise, whose past grandeur, bril-
liant management and successful influence
viii prove as monumental mockery to us
in the future, should its end be due to a
want of proper attention and energy.
To pay the $4,000 the buildings
worth $4,000 viii be sold at sacrifice,
unless this amount be raised otherwise,
which means through subscriptions by our
citizens. If the amount of $4,000 be MT
raised, there is no alternative. The money
was advanced upon this hypothesis in many
instances. The Board of Managers are
compelled, for they are obligated, both le-
gally and morally, to sell the buildings IN
order to refund the money advanced by
subscription notes to the Exposition fund.
Should the Exposition 60 down, Nashville
will assume third class position, and no
tower of strength nor sign of prosperity
can for years to come be so great In inviting
skilled labor and educated enterprise, hon.
est immigration and mechanical skill to
this place In speaking or the completion
and opening of the Louisville Exposition,
journal of that city most aptly
says: "Eyery one irrespective of age, sex or
condition, is invited to be present, and
every citizen who feels any interest in the
prosperity of Louisville, every one who
feels proud of the first step towards some
thing substantial and promising in the way
of real progress, should give their presence
and encouragement to the rather extern
pore ceremonies of tomorrow evening.
The manufacturers and merchants should
close early and give their employees an op-
portunigy of swelling the numbers on this
| occasion. The manufacturers and the m
ployes are directly interested; they should
witness the formal acceptance OF this grand
edifice in which in a few weeks will be eX
hibited the work of their skilled hands
work which must take its place beside the
productions of the workshops of the great
| cities of the country. The merchant aud
his clerks are equally Interested, for in this
building will be gathered In few
weeks thousands Of men from
abroad who will come to see what
Louisville enterprise means and what
Louisville has to offer them in the way of
attraction and business inducements. With
formidable rivals near our borders, success
and pleasing visitors should not be left to a
J doubt"
The same arguments may be applied to
the Nashville Industrial Exposition. We
imagine one Of our business men trying TO
sell goods at distant place, when the city
! he lives in is unable TO raise $4,000 for a
! la4dable undertaking. We imagine a
wholesale merchant speaking of duphcat-
! ing Cincinnati, Louisville or Memphis
bill and yet his business will not guarantee
! him in assisting an industrial exposition
| We imagine a drummer for Nashville
| house inviting a customer to visit this city
whose Impotence is net Of 2 character to
maintain a place wherein to exhibit
the mechanical and industrial products
ofthe county. These pictures would grace
most consistently some comic weekly or
burlesque paper. Our citizens make one
great mistake; we imagine Nashville the
size of Cincinnati. While this is untrue,
yet her Importance as a central point in the
South, where six railroads come from rich
mineral sections, and a fine agricultural
country, is equally as great. Her intelli-
gent and cultivated society; her education
al system, comforting priceless benefits; the
character of her citizens for honesty, all
conspire to render her conspicuous in the
eyes of the country and fair as the lily OF
the South or as ''Venice the beautiful briGe
of the sea-" But with all her social gran
deur and the prestige of intelligence, this
day we need energy that falters at nothing
in the pursuit of its objects, and enterprise
that is unchecked in its advancement of the
prosperity of the city. Shall we have
another Industrial Exposition? Who an
swers?