Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-02-01
a Dual Local Ge~vernsneni.

q Dual Local Governuaent.
To the Editor Of the Ledger;
Republican simplicity 10 government
commends itself more to the people thai
we are won't to think. ]. is because i
accords with the genius OF our institu
tons. The less the machinery the bet
ter. When we think Of the true object
of governmeRt-life. liberty aud pursui
of happiness-ths statement seems al
axiom. We are much troubled BY rea
son Of many things. Our city debt em
harnesses us much. Our litigation il
matters growing out of State revenue
county revenue aud city revenue fills q
large measure Of our troubles. One il
amazed when he reads the few recent
reported revenue cases; they gil one
entire book(Sth Heiskells and more. How
much of the embarrassments OF our peo'
pie grow out Of these diverse and com
plieated systems of revenue and govern
ment? The question comes up, do we
need them2' The true riches Of apeo
pie do not consist in much government.
They consist rather in a healthy condi.
ton Of the material Industries aud the
virtue and intelligence Of the people,
We havs a glorious country. We have a
generous climate. We have all the ma
terials before US for a grand destiny.
Bat we have too much government.
This we know is a matter Of great
concern. Full well do we sympa-
tbize with the gentlemen who rep
resent US 10 the legislature. Well may
they pause. Great questions are before
them. The peace aud welfare Of this
people for generations are before them.
Now is the time for thought; now is the
hour for sober cauvassing. Shall our
people have a good police? Shall they
have a good sanitary Shall law and
order rule the hour2 Shall debt be PILED
upon us to confscation? Shall u
children be educated2 These are grave
questions. Now, in round numbers, our
taxable wealth is, say, twenty-three mil
lions; that of the county is, say, thirty
one. Our city takes for itS government,
Tor all its powers, for its litigation, for
its streets, for all its improvements-and
she has a city attorney. Our county
taxes are twenty. three m~illions-for
schools, p%oor.house, pest house, court.
house, aud other-and she has a county
attorney. What use has this people for
the two governmental Why not one
government, with certain necessary
powers added2 Suppose Memphis is
made a county, with her present dimen-
sions, with police, FIRE, sanitary and
wharf powers given her by the law Of
the land2 Cut down one government;
have only one set of local rulers;
let it be q simple one. The
difference 10 the costs of the two
governments, county and city, and their
duplicate sets Of officers, their much liti-
cation, their complicated modes of ad-
ministFstiou, when uRder one govern.
ment, will surprise, will almost pay our
city debts interest Annually. Why not,
then, adopt the simple mode2 Give us
an ample police, an effective sanitary, a
good wharfage system, an economic i'm
provement; and under one government,
with full provision for u schools, and
our people will prosper. Bot this must
be done by constitutional amendment,
Let US have a constitutional amendment
Let US have a constitutional convention
If our best men. Let us have some
changes in the constitution-relieve our
selves Of the burdens CT government.
But it is said it will cost too much.
Memphis could afford to pay the entire
expense. But the expense need be but
nominal. Have the members cay their
own expenses Send our purest, and
. ldest, aud sblest men. This will reach
the disease. Simple ferns Of govern.
msnt, and as little government as
possible, but an effective one, and
Memphis, under one, will prosper.
We therefore favor a transition step from
our present ills of two governments-the
heavy municipal. and the burdensome
county; duplicate iu so many aspects,
and as a transition only to a constitu-
tional smsndment-giving us a separate
county government for the present cor
porste limits. with necessary powers sd-
ditioAal, required BY reason of our popu-
latioa.
Give us, then, q transition enactment,
to cut off the heavy expenses Of a dupli-
cate government, until we, by constitu-
tional amendment, can have a simple, a
single local government.