Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1875-05-06
"a FOE THE RING.
wATEELv

eNAs
Yesterday alVerhoon 'ne is
in a few y~etoes-four, we believe-il
which he sets forth his peculiar views on
questions arising under the new charter
That instrument takes away much OF the
power and patronage Of the Mayor ana
if we we're credulous enough to suspect
him OF aspirations for reelection, we
might connect that presumption with his
strenuous endeavor to block the opera
ton OF the new charter. In the five Or
diHance veto he takes the ground that
the appointees and officers of the city
have a contract to hold until the end Of
the term. This may be SO or may not, but
the people who pay the taxes have some
rights as we'll. The rest Of that veto is
devoted 10 the subjects of economy. Very
consistent. The General Council failed
to concur with his honor in that veto by
a vote of "A to 3. Next was read a veto
Of the resolution under which the police
and FIRE commissioners were elected,
which contained captious objections,
but no sound reasoning; non-con-
CURED in by a vote of q to G. The
third veto was on the budget recently
adopted. He had started ont on vetOes
and concluded to wade through
everything done under the new charter.
This veto is a copious paper, Astounding
in legal ~phraseOlogy and set with ex-
tracts from opinions recently given by
members of the bar, including, of course,
Judge Tom Brown argument as to the
unconstitutionality of the charter. There
was no other place to lug it in cor
Veniently and it saved the trouble of a
special message on the subject. And
this veto was hsttened out by a vote of
twenty-five to two. The fourth and last
veto was directed at the police ordi-
nance. He says: my reasons for do
ing so when mentioned will be easily
understood, and, / hope, fully appre-
ciated by your honorable body and sus-
tanned by your VOTE" They understood
him better than they sustained, as the
veto wal greatly non-concurred in by
tWentY-three to four votes. We have
read these vetoes rather care
fully, and find them about the
weakest fulminations which have yet
emsnated from our adroit and usually
clear headed Mayor. Only a few weeks
ago he advised the General Council to
90 ahead under the new charter, and
said that it was as good as any in the
land. II had not occurred to every one
then that the FIRE and police commits
sioners would be elected and 90 on duty
before next January. Now be opposes
in the most captious manner the practi.
cal workings Of the charter. Some oil
his budget Of vetoes we're expected yes.
terday, but hardly so many at once. The
CONSERVATION of the little ring, when il
was developed that the immortal six.
teen" had increased to over twenty wal
INDISPENSABLE. The dismay was almost
pitiable. When personal interests con.
fiet with the public welfare, we say sur
Vive the people, let it hurt whom it may
The little war made in resistance to thu
new charter is in the interest o
a few ofice.holders and aspirantl
who hold on like fatted calves to an at
tenuated teat. 1t is simply a struggle o
a few interested individuals versus thu
people. There is not SO much squirm
ing unless somebody is getting hurt. A
gentleman at the Cotton Exchange thu
other day remarked: II have taken
greatfancy to that charter. / have no
read it yet, but l know there is some
thing good in 1t from the kind Of oppo
sition it has stirred up" 1t is remark
able that the most vigorous and louC
opponents Of the charter happen to b
those who a few weeks ago thought it wa
. splendid thing. The shoe had no,
then begun to pinch. The low rate o
the school tax, which vas the prime OBJ
lection. has ceased to bea battle cry. al
the forces were concentrated at anothe
point where they we're signally routed
yesterday afternoon. They have nov
only a slim hope Of getting into tn,
courts somehow until after the Januar,
election.