Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-10-04

lhNOkeu 10 Senu us commission OF
the best men that can be selected
from the largest cities-men who are
familiar with the sanitary arrange
ments of these cities, practical men,
and let them decide what we should
do; then let US have corps
Of engineers to estimate the cost
Of the work. Then we can
proceed intelligently to the considera-
tion of the next proposition in the
regular order, to-wit How shall we
raise the money necessary to do the
work? This is the third proposition
in the division of our subject and |
confess the hardest and most difficult
of all to meet. | conceive of no other
way than by taxation and once the
people are satisfied that their money
will be properly expended and not
thrown away upon some Nicolson
pavement or other abominable scheme
that they will set about the task of
raising the money more cbeerfully than
at any former period in the history of
Memphis, but our people are poor,
already oppressed to meet the demands
upon them. We must adopt some
such plan as suggested by our worthy
city dad, but instead of taxing the
merchant as he suggests, or the com
merce and capital of the city. l say
let the realty alone be taxed. Business
and capital have already been taxed
almost beyond endurance and it would
be suicidal policy to drive capital and
business away from us by imposing
such burden upon it. Our merchants
and trades people must be in position
to compete with those Of our neigh
boring cities or else they will, in self
defense, pull up stakes and seek more
congenial latitudes; betides, it is really
the real estate that reaps the benefit
But to return to the point of digres-
sion, let the tax be collected in a serie.
Of years, not to exceed one or two pei
cent. per annum until the debt is paid
If the State will remit the State taz
until the debt is paid and let the tax
be paid to whoever may advance ui
money to meet our payments that viii
help us that much. | believe that the
National government would come tC
our assistance and at least make us q
loan of the money necessary, by giving
the proper security for same. which il
seems we ought to be able to do witt
twenty-five or thirty millions of dollars
worth of real estate as a basis fol-
credit. Cannot our State legislature
in this time of our great and dire
necessity, enact some law that woulC
make real estate a good collatera
security for debt2 This is not a mat
ter Of strictly local importance al
epidemic of this character derauges
the commerce of several States, in
fact of the whole of the Mississippi
valley and thus becomes a matter O.
National interest. IF France is
sues a loan of millions of dollars
to revivify her PROSTATE indus
tries and manufactures, woulC
our government, think you, re
fuse loan of a paltry amount to save
not only our property from destruc
ton, but also the lives Of our thou
sands of people. But the objection
might be raised that time presses u
and we can't wait for the assembling
of congress or the legislature either
[ could reply to this that we hav,
plenty to do in the meantime; let u
go to work with the means that W,
can raise ourselves. Clean up tn,
streets, clean out the privies, disin
feet and do such other things as the
plainest laws of hygiene and common
sense would dictate. We can rails,
means to keep this work going on be
yond a doubt. If we can't, then in
deed-we do not deserve sympathy o
aid. We have great many poo
people, who have their little homes
but no means outside of this; they de
pend upon their daily labor for sup
port. Employ them to work, ant
many of them no doubt would mos
willingly contribute in labor a reason
able amount to aid on the work. Th,
large real estate owners can advanc,
money and can well afford to do i
Immediately, for they are pretty much
in the position Of noted gentleman
who once appealed to Cassius, Hell
me or | sink /"
In conclusion, let us all pull to
gether; let us feel that we are working
for common good let every man pu
his shoulder to the wheel, make lonl
pull and strong pull, for the fight i
made against a common enemy, an,
victory will bring life, prosperity an,
happiness to all our people.
SUBURBAN.