Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-09-26
OUR MUNICIPAL DUTY.


thing necessary is honest officials
not self-seekers, not shiftless fellow
studying solely to exc out a living Of
the public, not leeches on the bod,
polite, but men with the proper sens,
of manhood. However we may diffe
about improvements, it is of prime i'm
portance that the expenditure Of tn
public moneysswhether much or little
should be placed in discreet and hon
est Lands.
Last month our people took ivell
interest in the county elections. Cit
affairs come closer home, and with dou
bic force, because municipal taxation
is much heavier than that of the coun
ty. The present rate of our city taxes
is over two per cent-fve to six timel
as much as the State. We have beer
told that the depreciation of property
and consequent reduction of the assess
ment totals, will require an increased
rate of taxation. In our view, this Is
neither logical nor necessary. Hard
times and decreased assets oughtrathel
to induce economy and retrenchment
of expenses. It rests with the people
to-day to elect men who are capable OF
ecOnOmizing. Charity covers a multi.
tude of sins under the present regime,
and We have, during the pasttwo years,
seen Ssacred name prostituted in the
most shameless manner to promote the
political fortunes of desperate politi-
cal adventurer. To continue such an
administration is not the road to re-
trenchment. And furthermore, to con-
tinue it, is to endorse unprincipled ex-
trayagance.
We are called upon to-day to shape
the destiny of the city for the coming
twelve months. An entire municipal
legislature is to be elected, together
with Mayor, whose Office is endowed
with extraordinary powers and in
fiuences for good or evil. In the selec-
ton of committees, the Mayor shapes
the financial and economic policy of
the city in regard to all its varied in
terests. To say that the people arenot
pleased with the manner in which these
interests have been managed of late
years, would be mild expression for
the universal dissatisfaction. The fact
is plain that the present Mayor and
many of his coadjutors have neither
the capacity nor the viii 10 manage the
multiplied interests of a growing city
just beginning to develop its vast ca
pacities. Besides all this, the legacies
of misrule since the war have PLACED
Nashville in financial difficulties which
call for high order of business talent
and money honesty. Look which way
we will, there is crying need for I'M
provement, and any change would be
for the better, as a changefor the worse
is practically impossible.
In this matter every class of our cit
liens, from the highest to the lowest,
is personally interested. No greater
fallacy ever gained Judgment in the
popular brain than that taxes burden
the property holders alone. The rich
man collects his taxes with the rental
from his tenants. High taxes make
high rents aud high cost of living for
the poor and middle classes. High
taxes make a dropping town, uninvit-
ing to capital, enterprise or skill, and
thus cut off the normal means of hveli.
hood for the laboring classes. Economic
administration and the low taxes thus
rendered possible, make a live tos n,
attracting men and money, and allow
ing 1t a chance to grow, thus
giving increased opportunities for
the working masses and enhancing the
prosperity OF all The poor man is
more interested in the wise administra-
ton of the city, than either county or
State, because it has a more immediate
bearing on his daily interests and makes
a greater draft, directly or indirectly,
on his pocket. The merchant looks to
neighboring counties and even States
for his prosperity. So IF the banker,
the moneyed man and the large land
holder. But the retailer, the mechanic,
the laborer, the man of limited means,
whatever his occupation, finds all his
interests wrapped up in the city of his
residence.
For these reasons. it is the obvious
interest Of all alike, rich and poor, the
men of brains and themen of Drawn, to
cooperate together for the installation
of honesty, integrity and ability in mu-
nicipal affairs. Let the polls close to-
day on RESULTS worthy of an intelligent
community, determined on self-im-