The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-02-28
Members of the Legislative Council
Unit Against 1t.
The Few Changes They Deem Ad-
visable Already Pointed Out.
Retrospective View Of the Present
FORMS Grand Achievements.
No City in This Great Union Can
Parallel It's Record-A Change
Means to Retrograde-A Cat
in the Meal Tub

sidiously called the "Home Rule" PROPOSE
ton, an ArPEAL reporter called on the
eight members Of the Legislative Council
yesterday.
To each was propounded the following
question: "Do you prefer the old ward
system of government to the Taxing Dis
trict formp and they replied as follows:
PRESIDENT MADDEN.
81 do not. In a word, | prefer no
changes in the form Of government. Let
well enough alone. To attempt to i'm.
prove the form OF government, the inn
provemcnts may be greater embarrass-
ments than any little evils we now bear.
The system seems TO he working very well
and without any friction; the people have
become accustomed to it. They may not
be altogether satisfied with the person.
mel OF the government; some OF our
eight members, or all of them,
may not be satisfactory to very
many Of our constituents; but
this will always be the case in any kind OF
municipal government. II is athoroughy
representative and democratic government,
without reference TO imaginary lines
within the corporate limits, and for the
benefit OF the whole corporation. Better
let well enough alone. Our elections occur
every two years, and the people can de.
eide for themselves who are the best men
for the general prosperity of the whole
city. Did any city ever have greater cvi.
dence OF the efficiency Of our present form
Of government than Memphis shows!
Within ten years IL settled 5000 900
bond of indebt, dnCss, which was worth
only ab0ut3O cents on the II, andan assess.
able value Of property Mt that time of only
81, 100000 The name OF the city was in
disrcpute, both financially and in saai.
tury point OF view: the surface was honey.
combcd with privies, bad cisterus and un.
sanitary vaults; there was no money in the
treasury, no health among the people, no
bright hope or anticipations OF the future.
Our merchants were scattered, with their
! offices and stocks OF goods in other cities.
drawing our trade away from this central
point TO save thcmsclyo from bankruptcy.
a condition OF matters 30 depressing, 80
horrible, called forth the sympathies and
the pitying eye OF the whole Union. Some
friends at adistancc, who contributed 10 us
In the time OF our want, said: Now burn
mp the damned city and lot her go' Our
own state looked upon us rs the blightod
spot upon her fair cscutcheon-a set Of
sick, impoverished repudiatorsl The Gov
ernOr was induced 10 call the Legislature
together to relieve this municipality. II
met, repealed the charter. appointed State
officers, relieved the community Of the
mandamuscs OF our own courts aud OF the
Federal Court We went to work under
this new government, and what is the 10.
sult2 Can any city IN the world, or in this
Union, point 10 such a record made within
4 80. i
tied, aud our bonds oi 50, 80, 900 now worth
over par, and third more than The en-.
tire S7,OOO,OO0 was worth when We
started in. Ten railroads entering our city,
where only four entered before. the COM
mcrcc upon the river also double what II
was then, the banking capital OF the city
three times ~ large as what Il was, Cotton
aud Merchants Exchanges building
erected and the business men havea home;
thirty miles oi streets improved aud paved,
~ that every man within the city can get
TO within one block OF his residence upon
moderately smooth street: bridges aud
cuycrts improved; transactions through
the clearinghouse qnadruplcd; manuiac.
tories established; thousands upon thou.
sands Of houses built; twenty mechanics
here where one was in 1873, every man
can get a days work aud got pay for il,
wages being liberal aud active; forty miles
Of sewers laid, vaults and pfivy vaults
closed up forever, the mortality Of the city
reduced, aud IL Is now looked upon
M about the hcalthiost city In the
South; the rich aud the poor can remain
comfortably at home the year round; no
season Of panics, no hcgiras 90 the mount
aims Tor health, all feeling satisfied that
they can remain ut home the year round
and worship God under their own vine
and hgtfcc-; no accumulation Of debts by
the city, all going along on the cash hasi.
or cash assets new streets opened, new
railroads wanting 10 enter our city: magni
hccnt railroad bridge acruss the Mississippi
now Ia course Of construction, aud th,
value oi our property, instead Of being
only Si2, ,jOO,O 900, now worth at least so,
100000 in cash. Why should We change
Why should We contemplate a change
Why should we urge q changer lnstcn,
Of twelve miles Of street railroads. We nov
have thiHy-two, the stock Of one Of then
selling at that time nj about 20 20 q
cents, has recently been sold at dollar fo
dollar carrying also bonded debt cqua
g. stock debt upon the road. Did ans
species of property ever increase In yolum'
like our various enterprises aud every oni
Of them Is worth the money that thel
command and more besides. The cts
government has been liberal in inducing
enterprises 10 come 10 the city for the ben
eft OF the people. The franchises OF thcsu
enterprises are valuable. Think Of th,
great boon Of the pure, sparkling aricsiai
water. hcalh-giving Ia every bubble
Who can estimate the benefits 10 this pco
ple7 Besides all this, look at our dunn.
railroads, penetrating out ten miles int,
thcsubufbs, whore the mechanic, the poo
man, aud the rich man san retire TO TN
umbmgcous shadows ol the live oaks
We all get Into little controversies Owe
these franchises, aud the obligation
resting upon them In the con
sluction Of the contracts still tak
ing all IN all, everything II workin
out Tor our own prosperity. No live gu
iorprisc has been hamI cred 0r preyen,c
from rcapng the fruits Of sane. A me-
gas company, bringing a half million ,
dollars 10 the city, is another suhsianiii
benefit not 20 be overlooked. Why del
Gomez Because the men who had tll
money felt that their deposit Ia this Ial