Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-03-28


itshas happened that public beneiac-
tons, who expend money, toll and
sIeepless nights in behalf OF any great
work of public good, have been most
generously dealt with BY the PUBLIC
authorities. There are cities that have
given most valuable property and ex-
emption from taxation 70 manufac-
t~urers; the Federal government hss
rewarded inventors and discoveries
with honors and wealth; but Mem
phis lawgivers are wholly incapableo Of
approaching any great public service.
We had a wretched railroad hobbling
across the lOwlands Of Arkansas for
twenty years. Every contractor that
touched it was b~ankrupted, and each
officer was either frightened out Of
his place, or almost made insolvent.
The Little Rock road was deemed the
nightmare Of Memphis. Bold, enter
prising citizens conceived and execut-
ed the purpose Of completing the
road. They have expended in the
work, Of their owe money and credit,
nearly a million dollars; they have
developed a trade which has paid
Memphis a half a million dollars in
six months; they have made Mem
phis the point Of transit, on the Mis-
sissippi, for the wealth Of two oceans.
These are simple facts, confessed by
the meanest intelligence.
How singular the conduct OF those
invested By law with the lsW-makiDg
power in this city! How utterly IN.
like the action Of other liberal and en-
lightened governmental There is no
word Of thanks uttered. No resolu-
lions are enacted asserting public
gratitude. So different from this is
the fact that when these railway
builders ask even for the right OF way
through the city's nsvy-yard property
along the river shore, the representa-
tives in Office Of the people withhold
from the peoples chiefest benefactors
the mea1est concession. "Suier
u.s." say the railroad builders,
ste run oUP road along the
waters edge, and give Us the
privilege Of landing cur Arkansas
trains within the navy-yard, and we
viii expend s~eventy-hye thousand
in perfecting trackways and
Such was and is the propo-
sition of the Little Rock Railway
company. Our good, wise and gen.
erous city fathers hesitate and hold
grave deliberations and
make majestic reports from windy
committees until the hayward be-
comes a fog bank and solid enough to
wreck the cfty's trade with Arkansas
Oy transferring it to ST. Louis. Per-
maps the funniest incident in all these
negotiations is the last condi-
ion imposed by that matches {
craftsmanship which would invest
he city, after notice given, with the ]
light to eject the railroad company ]
rom the navy-yard. Such is the in f,
lueement proffered the railroad COM J
'any to cheaper freight charges and
'romote the elty's trade and pros I
The city, after the company I
ecOmes its tenant and secures one I
undred thousand dollars in improve \
lents on the property, might Or
er the company TO vacate the place; 1
nd there might be a little money =
lsde by levying a little black mail. r
is hardly to be presumed that the n
'mpauy will repOse any alarming a
agree OF confidence in the city's =
snerosity, which thus exhausts it.
If in petty restrictions upon the Is
benefaetOrs. In the con- y
let Of many individuals, in their Il
transactions, we expect l.
tie developments OF narrow
lishness and even of meanness; but
Oh exhibitions are u~nutterably dis :
acenul in government, city, county
State. The wrong done is not con- =
led to individual sufferers; the
oral effect upon the community in
e debssing lesson of narrow selfish.
ss illustrated is most unfortunate, q
ID even worse is the result that a Z
'opls are impelled to lose respect for :
9 intelligence and sense OF justice "a
'yerning those chosen to govern. an
L.