The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-03-01
TIE APPEAL UTTERLY OPPOSED
TO THE WARD SYSTEM
To The Editor Of Tho Appeal:

TIE APPEAL UTTERLY OPPOSED
TO THE WARD SYSTEM
To the Editor OF The Appeal.
SRI think your morning contemporary seeks
TO put TIE APPEAL In the attitude of ndonlng
irssocalled "Home Rule" proposition. While APP
parently agreeing with TnE APPEAL in the lattcr's
opposition to the old and inlqwtous Ward System,
Il leaves the implication that THE APPEAL fayors
The AUdIdnch,'s proposition OF Ward Representa-
tlyes chosen by the vote Of all the citizens Of Mem
phis. Therefore am moved 10 ask:
!. Is tbs APPEAL In favor OF the Ward System IN
any iorn2
. Is II IN favor OF n restoration OF the name OF
"Tho City of Memphls2'
Q. Is II IN favor OF n restoration OF the taxing
power TO the local government
Is II In favor OF any increase whatever In the
number OF the members OF the local government
OLD CITIZEN.
In answer 10 "0ld Citizen" The AP-
ZEAL has to say ~ that it is NOT in favor
Of return to the old ward system, under
any pretenso, guise or disguise. And this
because there Is no necessity for 1t, the
people being quite content with things as
they are, and quite satisfied with the
results attained by the Taxing District
Government, compared with the debt
and disaster that were the legacies OF
the ward system after more than
fifty years Of trial. And here THE APPEAL
would ask "old Citizen" why try a system
over again that resulted only in debt OF
nearly 100000 and reduction OF the
taxable wealth Of the city from $50, 900, 900
in 1866 to sl2,50O,OOO in 1897 No pru-
dent business man would revive so dead
and damned failure us this.
In answer TO paragraphs two and three.
The APPEAL has to repeat that II is in
favor OF the restoration Of the name Mem
phis, and OF the taxing power to the Tax
ing District, but we are more than willing
TO iorego these high evidences OF self
government II, rs some very able lawyers
contend, the comforting OF them would
open way 10 a restoration Of tho ward
system to any degree or extent.
Answering tho fourth paragraph TnE
ArrEAL has to say that il is not in favor OF
any increase whatever In the number Of
tho Taxing District Commissioners. As
that body stands Il is admirably proper
toned aud allotted 10 the work COM
miticd TO IL and the balances be-
tween the Board Of Police and Fire Com.
missioners and the Board Of Supervisors
Of Public Work are clearly defined and
well maintained. The Taxing District law,
10 the making and strengthening Of which
Judges Clapp and Craft and Col. CAN'T
and nearly all the members Of the bar in
1870 gave their best and undivided atten-
ton. has stood the test Of the courts, in
GLIDING the Federal Courts aud the State
Supreme Court, and II has weathered
several campaigns by interested poli,i-
clans 10 alter, amend and abolish
il, and TuE AFFEAL Is quite satisfied
Il will weather the present squirt And II
will DO this because IL represents an unex.
ampled prosperity, private as we'll as pub
lie, a. compared with the debt, dirt,
disease aud degradation Of the old ward
system. In addition 10 this. TmE APPEAL
also reminds 'Old Citizen" that 10 revive
the ward system is to go back. and not
forward. Memphis, when she adopted
the Taxing District method, took a new
departure In municipal management, and
oncas important asthc Australian law Of the
secret ballot inc rushing the ward hummer,
the everywhere recognized curse Of Amcri-
can politics The able lawyers who de-
yiscd II rs the remedy for great crisis
and emergency In tho history Of tho city
were from the iirst sanguinc Of Ia success,
aud their hopes and predictions have been
moro than verified. by Il Memphis
has been thoroughly clcanscd and puri-
fed, 10y the construction Of forty-six miles
Of sewers aud the laying Ct thiriy.siS
miles Of sub.soil drain pipes aud the paw.
Ing Of forty odd miles Of streets, the old
city debt has been reduced onc.hali and
assumed by the District, the interest on Il
being met promptly every six months
the population has been doubled, aud The
private prosperity has morc than kept
pace with the public. With all this Ia
view. TnE ArrE,L says let well enough
alone. The budget for the next two ycan
has passed, and we are already In III,
swim. lot us swim.
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Tnr nrllnn Of tho ArLnnan. gnnnIn rn.