Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-06-07
LUCK'S PLAN.
He Suggests the Greenbaek Bill sin
lieu Of All Others''-ihe City COun-
ell Charged With Extravagauee-
Expenses Must be Cut Down.

Expenses Must be Gut Down.
To the Union and American
Nashville, June q, ISI4.-As / did
not have an opportunity to give my views
at recent meetings Of the City Council,
called to consider the financial crisis now
upon US, desire to make knOwn my views
upon the subject through your columns.
1t is with mingled feelings of pleasure,
sorrow, and surprise find The City COun-
ell agitated in regard to the present fDan-
cial acknowledgements TO know that
even at the eleventh hour We are fully
aroused upon the subject-sOrrow because
l know that bad management, waste
full and unnecessary expenditures in the
past has brought these embarrassing mt
upon us-slIrprise to see members of the
City Council, gentlemen who claim TO be
of age and to understand the rules Of addi-
ton and satisfaction, with all thefacts now
before us in regard to our financial condi-
ton staring them in the face, voting for
every mans bill that proposed TO eXpend
money, and against all propositions to re-
duce expenses, and create fund 10 meet
accruing liabilities. now springing
from their seats like rubber balls and
CRYING with loud voices, '.Ien and breth
TcD- " Ldl Slldll " z W ~ saw bAC mum
bankruptcy and Tuin?'
Well, gents of the City Council, am
pleased to see you aroused a. last-better
late than never. / now offer for your con-
sideration the only bill that will, in my
estimation, permanently relieve our present,
and all other financial difficulties. The
bill propose for your relief now, and for
all time, is that known in commercial cir
cles as the '.greenback BILL a bill that
should have been adopted and used in lieu
of all other bills, for the settlement of LA
bilities. and the only bill that will now
give us permanent relief. You may
Speechify, wriggle, and fund from now to
judgment day, and the result will be as the
old woman said, jump f.Om 1.-The frying
pan into the tire
NV plan is to adopt at once the green
back bill in lieu of all all funding bills and
schemes now proposed, stop all wasteful,
unnecessary expenditures, limit apprOpiia-
tons to our income, which is ample TO keep
our city in good condition, pay our debts
and make all needed improvements of every
kind, except extraordinary ones, such, for
instance, as our new waterwOrkS, that We
can easily provide for, when needed, by the
issuance of long bonds.
This plan may appear Old-fOgyish to
many minds, but to mine il is very evident
that it is the only one by which individuals,
corporations or States ever did, ever will
or can pay their debts.
This plan, like others ] have proposed,
NAV be ruled ''Out of Orler.' Seyerthe-
less, now tell YOU that if the past ex-
travagant expenditure is continued, the day
is not far distant when olIr creditors will
most empllatically rule it '.in order" and
from their ruling there will be no appeal.
When | became a member of the City
Council | saw at a glance over the Treas
urer's books and reports that ii the lavish
expenditures then being made were con
tinued. the financial difficulties now upon
us would come Is certain as that pound
of feathers is as heavy as pound of lead,
and Immediately sounded the alarm in
the CITY Council, the Finance Committee,
on the street corners and in the daily aotrs,
and although have continued to cry aloud
and snare not, ny warning cry has been
UNDECIDED. and declared 'Out of order"
but, gents of the City Council, Is there is
a majority of YOU against me. l can only
say we will see who is in order at the end
Of the home stretch.
As an illustration of how my plan will
work. We will suppose you hold the note OF
Mr.. Don't-Care- accent for 100000, payable
five wears after date. During the i've years
Mr.. ID. spends his whole income in an eX-
travaCant, wasteftIl manner. At its matuT-
itv. YOU call on him for the money. In
reply, he informs you he is out OF funds,
can't pay, but offers tOIenew Il i've years
longer, and paw yOu the interest in taxes,
chips and whetstones, or other such dry
goods.
Now, gentlemen, what would you do
with Mr.. D.? Would you not come down
on him like a cart-lGad Of bricks, and sell
him out instanter9 Certainly you would.
But suppose Instead Of Offering to renew
he would say with frankneSS and heE0r, Il
have abandoned all foolish and eztravagaut
habits, henceforth will pay all debts at ma
turity, and your S2OO,0OO ont Of the first
money receised in excess Of necessary cur
rent eYpenses.P
Nov, if You had every confidence that
lie would comply with this promise, would
YOU not reply, II viii with pleasure accom-
MEDIATE you, Mr.. D.2' Certainly You
would, and so will the creditors Of this city
give us plenty Of time as soon as we display
the proper evidence of OUT intention to quit
squandeIiRg the corporation money.
In conclusion, now tell you, tell them,
and tell this tax-ridden community, and
every other man, that if the present City
Council intend to appropriate and ezpend
money as reckleSsly in the future as in the
past, The quicker the corporation creditors
put stop to our proceedings and clean out
the Augean stables the better it VIII be fer
all parties concerned. JOHN Luck,
Councilman Fifth Ward.