Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-02-22
Nashville, Feb. 2l, 1872.

Shall VFe Retain the Publishing
q HOuse2-What is it worth to Us?
We hope our citizens will consider well OF
this question, and consider it now. 1t Is
more vital to the commercial and manu-
featuring interests of Nashville than any
matter likely to come before our people for
long time.
zWe might speak also Of the social and
moral and religious aspects of the case; but
our business is with business men who
have an interest In the business Of this city.
The Agent, DR.. Redford, who is entrusted
with the affairs of the Publishing House,
has no authority to involve the property and
assets In hand In making architectural
improvements TO ornament Nashville. bis
work Is to use the means under his control
to pay the debts that were left on the Pub
fishing House-an inheritance from the
war; and these debts have been an incubus
under which few establishments could have
lived and labored on. The honor OF the
Methodist Church South, and of the coun-
try, has been, 80 far, maintained, and the
credit of the Publishing House Is sound
It has required great efforts to do this.
The Agent must manufacture books,
publish papers and meet a large and various
demand for religious literature. If the cost
of building as Nashville desires, be added
to the price of these necessary products, in
addition to the tax already borne by them,
the effect will be damaging, and not to the
sale Of the books and papers only.
Nashville is benefited in every respect
by this Publishing House. It brings scores
of families to reside here, or gives them
employment. These families must find
dwellings among Us, and live upon our
markets.
To this centre Of ecclesiastical trade,
many come from Maryland and Texasp
from the Carolinas and Missouri, from Cal
Ifornia and Georgia, from every point in
the South and Southwest. The money
flows into the current of our trade. There
is no denOmtndtiOndliSIn in bank bill ex-
cept the figures on It's face. We care not
whether Methodist, a Presbyterian,a Bap-
tist, an Episcopalian, or Roman Catholic
sends dollar here to pay for labor done
and for handicraft, whether saint or sin
ner, is ali the same; that dollar quickens
trade, swells the volume Of business, and
directly or Indirectly every one Is benefited.
It Is clear gain TO us. It comes to us from
far and near, and especially from TAR. No
cotton factory,or any other factory or man.
ufacturing establishment Is so intrinsically
and variously valuable to city like ours as
large Publishing House. Whoever will
take the pains to make the estimate will
find It 80.
We wish to make no unnecessary alarm,
but the conviction of men acquainted with
the case is that, if Nashville does not at this
crisis show an appreciation of this institu-
ton, Nashville will be apt to lose it.
One city, Louisville, offered two years ago
10 give bonus of SIS, 900 to have it located
there. st. Louis and Memphis have made,
and will make again, liberal offers, for 50
long as the old buildings stand as they are,
the question of removal is open.
Unless our citizens respond to the emer-
gent wants, the agent will use the $1,000
paid for insurance, patch up the building so
far as the sum goes, and wait for the next
General Conference, which meets In Louis
vile in May, 1874.
Let any man or commercial house answer
this question: Would you not move your
materials along continuous railroad hun
dred or two miles, If another community
so appreciated the benefit your manufactur-
ing business brought them as to give you a
bonus sufficient to put up first class build
ings?
What a blow to Nashville, aspiring to de-
velope its manufacturing facilities, would
this removal be2
It will be too late to stir about and come
up with liberal offer in 1874, if there is
not spirit in our people to meet this provi-
dental demand.
But this crisis met properly; large and
modern-style building covering the place
now occupied by the dilapidated walls, and
our Capital is adorned, our city benefited,
and the most money-bringing and business
making establishment in Nashville is an
chored here for all time.
Many hands make light work. The can
vassers are abroad-let them be met lib
orally and promptly and the work is done.
Everybody says he wants the Publishing
House rebuilt-that we must keep It here.
Very well; if everybody will give according
to egerybody's interest and opportunity,
this much desired result viii soon be
achieved.
We understand the subscriptions are
going on hberally and briskly. We have
published the list up to Saturday, and hope
to be able tomorrow morning to present
the fun list to date, and show how the good
work goes braTely on.