Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1875-06-21
NO. 81

TAGEOUs.
The change of the assessment law
made by the last Legislature, is one of
no inconsiderable consequence as n re-
form measure. Formerly the city had
one assessment and the county another
assessment the same year, at very
large expense for every year to each.
and requiring the labor of many and Of.
ten incompetent men. Thus there were
eight assessments of the same property,
differing between the city and county.
as well as between individuals, and the
expense Of every one being extravagant-
ly large. Now we have one assessment,
to stand for four years, made by skilled
and competent man, embracing both city
and county, at an expense not exceeding
any ore of the eight preyions assess.
ments, and involving saving in the four
years Of forty or fifty thousand dollars
more. As to this or other savings we
leave gentlemen to make their own
figures, with the assurance that, when
they look through the full list of accom-
plished legislative reforms, they will find
them astonishingly large. Reporting to
and paying so many different assessors
and collectors has been withal a great
nuisance, much complained Of, and now
in part remedied
SOME FRIGHTENING PROSPECTS.
We do not propose to examine the
new City Charter, with a view to give in
detail the comparative economy Of this
with the old, Notwithstanding the savings
are very considerable. The great fea.
ture of Improvement is in the limitation
! of power to contract debts, levy taxes
and issue bonds The best way out of
debt where that is possible is to stop
transactions on credit, reduce expendi-
lures, and increase production. By this
legislation we have the credit account
stopped, the expenditures reduced, and
we shall have some increase of produc-
ton by reason Of our savings at least,
and the encouragement given to the in
aux Of capital by reduction of taxation.
The very assurance that we have stopped
going in debt, rendered it impossible to
mortgage our property further, and re-
duced outlay, has already somewhat
frightened up with hope in the future of
Memphis the countenances of our home
capitalists, and will to an extent turn, if
1T has not already turned, the attention
of foreign capitalists to this city as
place for investment. That great in
centive has been given to all the indus
tries cannot be doubted, and the initia-
tive of the rainbow of promise seems to
be dimly visible as beginning to form
the arch which is to span and beautify
our horizon. AS the blacksmith, whose
hammer is heard beyond the laboring
hours; and the carpenter, whose plane
and saw never rests with the daylight,
are looked on with appreciation by the
men Of years and property whose pres
ent fortunes had the same beginning;
so capitalists abroad look with favor on
the prudence, economy and good gov
ernment of cities, and will come up
cheerily to the help of the infant Her
cules, with limbs unfettered and re-
sources unbounded, though long half
seli-strangled and lying disabled on the
bank of the Father of Waters. A continu-
ance and energetic pursuit of the reform
policy, we may rely upon it, will make
the city, and the city will make the
country. Both will grow together.
THE CERTAINTY OF SUCCESS WITH sUITA-
BILE ENERGY.
We may all well be proud. gentlemen
that we belong to the army Of reformers,
! though still there be those that scoff and
sneer They who stand back will be glad
to join our ranks, and come in with will
ling purses and earnest endeavor, when
they have more fully understood and ap-
preciated all the facts, when the argu-
ments have been fully made, and when
well-intentioned men have come to their
conclusion upon full advice and rehec-
ton. Then the press which clamors
with platitudes for all reform, yet advo-
Gates in the crisis of decision not sim
gle one, will come in with haring head
ings and furious zeal Men generally,
and very properly, will incline to the
side where their interest lies, when only
they are brought to see which that is.
Many will come in then, claiming our
views as Of their own platforms, and glo-
rying in them. In fact the officials
themselves, men who owe all their es-
tates, and who have fattened all their
days at the public crib, will come run
ming to the reform side, and protesting
their profound conviction that robbng
taxpayers is unconstitutional and
wicked, like .garroting other people.
All this they will do, with wry mouths
and against their official consciences, no
doubt But do it they will, so soon as
they see that the little remaining treasu
ry pap is there, and that a determined
people will be satisfied with retrench-
ment and nothing less. Not the sala-
manders, not the genus iniusoria, or
Proteus himself, could change their
colors, or shapes, or coats, with such al
agile and ready magic, as do these dear
friends OF the people abandon their prin-
ciples or practices, when it becomes neck
or nothing to jump to the popular side.
They will grow more and more powerless
fol- evil not necessarily so much alone
as we may detect and expose exception
al mal-practices and dishonesty, but as
we reform our system of administration
so as to shut the door to abuses. We
have made an improvement in our more
recent selections of incumbents of office,
and we hope the day is coming in which
men of all classes shall stand together
at the ballot box for the common good,
come what may to local politics and
politicians.
THE ALTERNATIVE is A RECEIVER OR COM
MIssIoHERs.
That is n had administration apd o,,