Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-01-10
THE PUBLISHING HOUSE.
Nashville Accused Of Bad Faith to the
N. E. Church, South.
Louisville Watching Her Opportunity


In the Louisville Ledger Of Friday even
inc we find a signihcant article concerning
the proposed taxation Of the MethOdls5
Publishing House property in this city.
After referring to the pledge made BY our
CITY Council, in 1854, TO exempt the estao-
lishment from taxation, in case itshould De
located here, the Ledger says;
ssAs a matter of course, the book agent,
the Rev. DR.. ReifOrli, together with the
Book Committee. will, by all proper means,
resist what they cannot but regard as a
breach Of faith, and decline, unless com
PEELED by law, the payment Of the taxes
levied. Indeed, DR.. Redf0rd and the Book
Committee Will owe this to the seven hum
dred thousand MethOdists, who, through
their representatives in the late General
Conference, placed in their custody this IN
stitutiOn.
.sWe confess TO a little surprise that, from
the time Of the location Of the house N
Nashville. in 1884, until after the erection
Of the present magnificent edifce, the ques-
tion Of taxes has been allowed to siumber.
Perbaps it was thought that the pOSsiblh-
ties were more favorable 10 the removal OF
the house TO some other city before the re-
cent improvement, which they suppose mas
made It's removal impossible.
aThe feature Of this case, with which
we are more especially interested, IS that
the course suggested towards the House IN
proposing 10 tax it, certainly opens the
Question as to its removal to some more
eligible and friendly city.
ain the General Conference Of 1874, at
which time the Publishing House was To-
Gated in Nashville, the final vote between
Nashville and Louisville was: for Nash
Vile 90. and for Louisville j1-Nashyille
Gaining the prize by but small majority.
In the General Conference Of 1866 the
ouestiOn Of its removal was again agitated,
as we'll rs in 1870. Louisville had many
friends among the members Of those bodies,
and no one will deny that If the question
had been an open one in 1874, when thai
body Of distinguished ministers and lay men
met in this city, Louisville would nave
been selected as the proper place Tor the
Publishing House Of the Methodist EpiseO-
pal Church, south
ss'The Gre which occurred a year ago, de-
stroving a large portion OF the old building,
rendered the erection Of the present elegant
edi6ce necessary. Itmay be thought That
this anchors the House forever at Nashville.
and that its removal is impossible. We
cannot accept this idea. The ediice occu-
pies a conspicuous place on the Public
Square. is well adapted to business houses,
and can De sold without loss to the
church.
awe have watched the progress Of this
controversy to its present point, and shall
not fail to fOlluw it to its termination. We
think the Publishing House Of the N. n.
Church. South, uughl to be in Louisville,
where il will nGt be taxed, ard where ITS
location will give it command OF the en-
tire South; and we greatly mis- axe the
temper Of the men who compose the Gene
raj Conference and Of The church, If they
shall not remove 10 at their next quad
rennial meeting.
sIndeed, If the authorities Of the city ol
Nashville and the courts Of Tennessee
should be so far guilty Of bad faith As %
disregard the plain letter Of the contrae'
quoted above, the Book Committee will ID
/ Justified in selling the property and remoy
ing the concern here, without waiting fOl
the meeting Of the General Conference
four wears hence. If the Rock City mus
have tithes, let her, and We will take tht
g-eat publishing establishment"