Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1873-11-27
PLAIN TALK ABOUT RENTS.
The Mechanics, the Merchants, and the
LandlOrds-Will not the Latter
Bear Part of the Burden OF
the Times.

EDITORS Bailey StatiOnh
in Fridays APPEAL, has apparently de-
mOlished Merchant and "POor Man. y
/ do not know either author, but fee
that portions Of 'Bsiley Ststion'sn Ian
! guage should be noticed. He seems tO
think that all merchants have "bills'i
against prompt paying customers" ="
Such is not the fact. Most of our mer-
chants do a retail (cash) business, being
| TOO poor to hold "bills." Many of them
purchased stocks on time, when gold
was one hundred and thirty or one hun
dred and forty. The goods must now
be sold, if sold at all, at reduced prices.
They will have to pay in full or break.
Would it not be to the landlords ad-
vantage to reduce rent so that his ten
ants can keep up and retain the house.
bailey Station" says hard times are
upon US, and says: "Shall we meet the
issue with brave hearts, etc. We are
compelled to meet it, but many may be
crushed in doing so. VIII he inform us
what part Of the issue he, with other
landlords, are going to meet with such
brave hearts. The landlord rented his
house TO the merchant previous to the
epidemic and financial troubles; of
course at the usual Memphis prices.
The epidemic came and the merchant
not only did no business, but,
being too poor to leave, was per-
haLs among the neble band of
workers who nursed the sick and dying,
and contributed to the necessities Of the
distressed; or, perhaps he and his family
were down for weeks with the fever.
Not being an object of charity, or too
proud to accept it, he received nothing
from the thousands SO nObly contributed
by our northern brethren-DOt by our
landlords. The landlord was able to
leave the city, or perhaps resides at
Bailey Station, and now returns in good
health and-cOllects his rents. Instead
of being losers, the landlords are gain
ers by the financial troubles, because the
money they receive now will buy more
Of the merchants goods and secure more
Of the "poor mans" work than the same
money would four months since. This
is bearing burdens over the left. Will
bailey" show US the landlords "hard
times?n "Whence comes it?i Such
men as Busby, VscsTO, Meriwether,
and Others unknown, have, learn, re-
duced rents? (Will you not tell US, Mr..
Editor, who the unknown are?) These
not be forgotten; they will be rewarded.
"Bailey Station thinks he put in a
"clincher" when he asked "POOr Man"
shout the sewerage and tax business.
There is no probability of additional
taxes being collected for years
on account of sewerage; not within one
wear at least. If "PoOT Man, is in favor
of sewerage and has no property" to
pay taxes on, he will, nevertheless, pay
his equal share with those who have
property. He pays taxes on all he eats,
drinks, wears, and he pays the taxes on
his landlords house. Every man of
sense knows it is the consumer only
who pays the tax. This thing of the
rich mans paying the taxes is an eX-
ploded humbug, and l am surprised to
see that any man would advance it in
this country. The talk about agrarian-
ism is nonsense, at least in this case.
am as much opposed 10 communism as
any man; but feel that in such times as
these every person should bear portion
of the 'qss, il loss it can be called; for
Landlords 20 reduce rents in accordance
with the arSpreciatiOn of currency. |
have ever beItsved that the southern
people were generous and the northern
ers ungenerous. 1t appears that the
tables are turned. Will the landlords
demand the pound Of flesh after the
strangers have contributed rhelr thou
sands? Mechanics wages are being re-
duced by combination of capitalists.
viii the mechanics rents be reduced?
4 REBEL.