Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-12-24
STALL 1T BE

The Avalanche Of this morning de-
votes considerable space to an article
in Saturdays LEDGER, and tries to
make a point out of the last sentence,
in which we disclaimed a desire to
"enter upon a controversy" A cause
must be weak which has to rely upon
such a bubble. There is not only a
nice but a very wide distinction be-
tween a controversy and a discussion.
W. prefer to engage in the latter when
it becomes necessary or happens that
we differ with our contemporaries and
friends. The proposed repeal of the
city charter is no new question. 1t
has been discussed for years and an
elaborate bill was prepared two
years ago to carry out the idea.
Strong influences, originating in
Memphis, defeated the meas
ure, and the compromising scheme
was adopted. This promised much
and has yielded little The Avalanche
after quoting largely from u very
mild and conservative article, says
that it is IAN appeal to popular pas
sion through an attack on the holders
of city bonds" This is not sustained
by anything quoted, for we said jus
the contrary. Our neighbor may &c
in some better work after a while, Blu.
after uniting shields so long with thu
LEDGER in the wal between the peo-
Die and the holders Of State bonds il
comes awkwardly and i~nefectiyely Il
take q high credit position with refer
enee 10 the city debt We make bold
to assert and can prove cOnelusiyely
that Memphis has less to show fol
her debt in proportion to the amount
Of Il ard 70 taxable property than th'
safe Of Tennessee has for her bonded
i1iebtsdness We not only have YER
little 70 show, bat can point to tainted
funds and transactions Of doubtful.
legality. When the Avalanche Of
anybody else chooses to defend thes,
things Ee may be able to show hen
up However, re do not at present
intend TO elaborate upon this branch
Of the subject The people Of Mem
phis-the solid tax-paying people
have stood By and seen many thing
done which were detrimental to tn
best interests Of the city, and it i
rather late to offer a protest now. TIL.
utter Reputation Of all the suspects
or tainted bonds would not give u
much relief The nearest approach
to an argument advanced in the Ava
lanche article occurs toward the las.
as follows:
A law applying 70 this community
meaning, Of course, Memphis-wOuld NJ
be q general law. II would be such spI
cial legislation as does not seem warrante
by the constitution. 1t Is through charte.
that exceptional powers and privileges a
conferred on communities, the density
whose population causes themt0 be know
as cities and towns. This is the pivot q
which the whole practical question turn
The present charter Of Memphis
a general law, and the word Memph
does not occur in it once. 1t appli
to cities having at the last FEEDER
census thirty-fvo thousand or mo
Inhabitants. There happens to
only one such city in the State.
the legislature should repeal this Il
and all former acts since 1923, viii
gave Memphis a corporate existen,
it would leave us under the couu
and State government the same
Germantown. which has no chart
The creditors would have no recoui
except SC far as present mandamul
reach. The best lawyers of Mempl
are of this opinion, as seen by t
Appeal of this morning. A gene.
law applying to extinct corporate
would give us all the local goyel
ment we want, as good as what
have and much cheaper. The Gre
itors have their rights and equiti
and in the readjustment which wol
follow such a step these should
recognized.