The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-09-19

To the Editor OF The Appeals
sir-So much has been said by the press
recently calculated TO injurc the fair name
Of our town and people that deem II my
duty 10 correct some errors which have evil
IDENTIFY crcpt into the correspondence OF TnE
ArrEAL. Not one word will be said TO cx-
cuse the wrong doings Of any Of our citi-
zens whore justly accused; but grow
ing out Of the death Of tho poor
pirl Willie Tisdcll and the inycstiga.
tons of the causes which led mp TO II, charges
have been made against the innocent and the
absent as we'll as those who may or may not
be proven guilty and responsible. II has
been charged that certain Iocona mill OIL
cial said, Virtue bc id" What mill
oflicial9 Certainly not Mr.. II. NJ. Rom
berger, IN Pennsylvania, ofJ. H. Pate or u.
r. Wagner, both citizens Of this town, the
one In New York and the other In Knox.
VILE. Tenn. for the last four weeks know
these gentlemen. Their we'll known high
character at home and abroad rs merchants
and business men places them, rs
principal owners and chief officers
of the Yocona mills, above even n
suspicion of a knowledge of or responsibility
for the unfortunate affair, although the ruin
and death Of the poor victim appears Ia have
been n sequence of her connection with their
mill Let the law and the press hunt oui
and punish the guilty only, but spare the
fair name aud reputation Of our most enter.
prising and puhlc-spiritcd citizens who, In
stead Of investing their earnings Of life
time In United States bonds, have built up
manufacturing enterprise In our midst
which gives employment a. over 100 of our
people Hut few days since the papers
were full of the great riches "a the south,
could We but spin In the south the cotton
we grow. Two hundred millions annually,
a was said, would be- added 10 the wealth u
The south. ana cotton would indeed Doe
King and our cotton States his kingdom for
ever Th,n. controlling the production, the
manufacture aud the commerce ot the
world In this great staple, We could indeed
shorten the hours, increase the pay, and clc-
waite the labor of our people engaged In t.
But A. Il Is nov, with mill In the south,
here and there. " We spin and weave at all,
we must do Il with the samo hours Of labor
aud the same wages of labor NJ In New kng
land aud old England, or not ut all. II ~
,piu. we must ron-u We sell ut all
we must sell o. cheap - II We sci
rs cheap We must spin "a chcll
or close The mills. The hours Of labor III
cotton mills should BE- shortened, the wage
hut this can be- accomplished, not 10y heap
inc abuse uuun mill owners who ar limo
cent of the crimes uf individuals, aud driving
capitnt out of such enterprises but hy in
cr,nsing their number until both owncr'
and employees can To- protected 10y wholesome
law. We are inviting northern men 10 cutn'
md bring their means and invest With us
and hclp 10 build up our waste places. Nhnl
We without cause, on mere suspicion, IN ih
Few cases where our invitation has been a'
ecpted. drive them back 10y unjust clnrgy
of cruel management, When they mr. alfcnd
In SORROW tuf causes beyond their cunitu
No. sir. better had We be generous than M
lust tn the stranger in our midst. bnt u,
Wagner, the principal owner ~ the lucui
mills N no stranger here. I've came here
mere youth. sh0uldcrd his muskct with ri
boys rpNe four years 1T his early manic,
90 the people and the cause ~ lis adopt
country, and has invested oil the iuriui
made hy his industry since in Mississippi
Twenty years nru few Ut our old I'll
rcns most of them are nov sleeping "
jcctcd aud hal the writer Ia ~ "a uour'
and procure plans aud designs and erect q
Yoc6na mills building Like hundreds
such instances IN the souu soon after u
war, they had more cnicfptisg than none
and failed The property iay there dead Z
years The same old story ut Curinih, can't,
and At other places. These gentlemen houf
a and put hundred people 70 work. ma'
a n financial success and added SN,"h
year 10 the value of the cotton crop afuui
Water Valley. These gentlemen were
new IN cotton manufacture. A. lcnrnc
though, they hay, succeeded. They are VI
adding to rnd pcricctiug their mill and
management Without sewerage nud vat
work. they DO not claim. nor can they nttg
perfection in their domestic maulguncl
They are on par with our country tow
oil of which should hr hUttorin their santa
hTmurvm,uu. uo better uo worse. q
board 81 aldermen will examine aud nrH
report on this matter our DitlHsus will
anime generally. and nsk that "Iusiiyc
done though thr heavens ihll' Respectful
". 4 iiwuSu,
Mayor Oi Water VALLEY