Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-04-07
FooD FOR FUNDRRs.

fOOD FUN FOhbhho'
The Nashville Union and America
finds comfort in the fact that the Gran
Jury of Shelby county recommends tn
funding of the county liabilities. On
eotemporary of the 4th inst. says, eN
ultingly;
The Grand Jury Of Shelby county
after session Of more than two months
duration, made, on the I'd, a report L
the Criminal Court, in which they thor
oughly overhaul the affairs Of the county
They.conclude their lengthy and search
log report by submitting for the careiu
consideration of the court, among Other
things, plan for the absorption OF tn.
Indebtedness of the county OF Shelby.
The county is in somewhat the same
nredieament as the State. IL owes
money aud cannot pay it. Coupons are
mast due and unpaid. What is TO be
done2 The plan proposed by the Grand
Jury among whom we recognize some
of The first gentlemen OF the county, IN
their own language, is
Here follows the suggestions OF the
Grand Jury on the subject, after which
the Union and American awakes TO the
powerful importance Of the comparison,
and declares systematically as follows;
What will the antifunders OF Shelby
saw to this "villainous " proposition from
their own intelligent Grand Jury to their
own Criminal Court2 Where now are
those carefully prepared arguments -
against funding which the Representa-
tives from Shelby were cut of and
deprived from making" in the Leglsla-
ture? Let them make the welkin
ring" Let them make Rome howl
LET them thunder. Let them cry
Havoc, and let slip the dogs OF war.
Let them unlimber and fire away. Let
them-well, let EN- go it while they
young.
The anti-funders say to this that they
know something about the financial af-
fairs of Shelby county, which the Union
and American does not, or il would
never seek to draw a comparison between
Shelby county and the State Of Tennes-
see. So Shelby county owes money
and cannot pay i'll" her coupons are
mast due and unpaid" If our cotem-
porary holds any of these coupons, send
them down to market. Shelby county
has liabilities, it is true, but before rush
ing into any funding scheme case was
made and carried to the Supreme Court,
which was decided adversely TO a large
amount Of claims against the county.
The Barbour Lewis warrants, issued
during the term Of the BrownloW CON-
missioners, were throwa out and de-
termined illegal, and then the County
Court appointed committee TO exam
inc all these warrants presented and as
certain how many aud what amounts
bad been issued for services actually
rendered, such as jary service, bridge
building. supplies, Improvements, etc.
After the report was made the warrants
found to have been issued for proper
pasposes, although technically illegal
nader the decision, were taken up and
new warrants Issued without adding a
cent for interest, aud making such war
rants receivable for taxes only for the
following year. The Grand Jury now
suggests that the county debt be funded.
Nobody has as yet made any objection,
because the outstanding debts are all Of
q well ascertained character, and fund
ing, il is not believed, will increase the
burdens OF the county. CouRty scrip
has steadily gone up in the last three or
four years until. when in demand by
tax psyera, it sells almost at par and the
busiuess of the county is virtually upon
q cash basis. So prosperous are our
own county affairs that the County
Court last July reduced privilege taxes
from an equal rate with the State to one
fourth that rate. Whenever the State |
patterns after Shelby county in discrini- |
mating between just and unjust debts,
the number Of anti-funders will be.
come smaller. Drowning men grasp
at straws," but there is not even
a straw OF resemblance between the pro.
posed measure of funding in Shelby
county aud the hasty previous question |
business that was consumated in the last
days and hours Of the Legislature. That
whole affair was unbasiness-like, to say
the least, and since the funders continue
TO crow over the easy victory achieved
at the expense Of outraged taxpayers,
We propose to allude 10 the subject very
gently, Of course. often eHough to keep
the people, all the way from Sullivan TO
Shelby, reminded of the great blessing
they have had conferred on them in the
shana If a ,on,noun1oI Qt,t. H.