The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1891-01-08

'ary men cannot touch it.
In our government Of the people
where the government itself is insep
prsble from the life OF the people
every election that indicates desire !
nj the people to make radical chang |
in tax laws, brings panic and upset
all business. For several weeks tn
country mas been on the ragged edge
Of terriahle panic, and money has bee"
hiding but now the monied men h.
gin to see the people did not really il
tend to destroy their great prosperit!
by radical and disastrous changer
that the masses of the people had be-
come dis itisfed with the old parties,
rs shown in the alliance movement :;
and, one OF the great parties had EN-
hraced the election occasion to discip
line It's leaders, as it often does, tn
scare is passing away, and money will
soon be in cilculation-the financial
ship will be sailing in smooth waters,
and johnson City will be in the swim
The delay in huilding our great rail
road, IS it began before tie election
scared money men out of their sensrs,
il both bread and meat to the croaker.
But the 8 C's is a fixed fact--it is an
absolute necessity to the develop
ment OF this American Eden-t""
much has been done to be lost-ii
must and will be built--if the mer
who so bravely undertook to build it II
yea: ago fail 10 pay the debts. and e.
IN with the work, others will. Thu
trouble has reached the courts, bur
allowance must be made for chancery'>
delay and, perhaps, q little for The
mistake Of the lawyers in their meth
dds. The best news would be that
the railroad people we're on theiI
financial feet, the next hest would b.
decree of the federal court selling
the road to people who could pay tn.
debts and build it. One or the other
| il sure to come; and johnson Ci:,
should be ready for the tide OF pros
perity the good news will bring.
And what can the town do? That
is the question for every thinkini
man tu ponder All admit that muCl
ough to he ne. Here we have !
town full Of live people gathered from
all quarters, located in splendi'
mud puddle, that has been permitted
10 grow to population of near 5ON
without sidewalk, stree or rch0"
house, Va compared with similar towns
It il said that every thing happens II
this w0ndersul country, and such
condition of things WAS never visabl
before.
Manifestly the first thing to do IL /
build school houses for the chlldre
who otherwise must grow up in ign"l
ance, aud get rid Of the mud by sid
walks and pave the streets, But thi
costs money and the town is too youn
to have money, but all live town
have credit, and it is good manag'
ment to use it, and true econom!
Our city government is moving SLOW
" in tins direction, and il they ar
! not moving in the right now is tn
I time to change their policy or nevc
They nave adopted the plan Of scho,
and street Improvements by issuin
! city bonds for which the whole prof
erty of the city is bound and is tax
. BILE, and if this plan is the beat, $25 OF
), is mere drop in tie bucket, and lei
!. islalion is needed to increase the issu
I Of bonds; for it is the truest ecouom
e to begin now the making Of pave
: aide walks and streets and finish the
b at the earliest moment. The amour
n of bonds will look large hut tho int
y est will be small and easily paid by
small annual tax and the bonds pa
u of without depressing the tax pave
o in the years they have to run, tt
D. present plan is feasible, but is it t!
a best? Is it a good plan to tax person
d property to make streets? Is il fair
D tax the hut of poor man. situated {
y some street too insignificant to
l. paved. TO make paved stree
Ell front Of our fue propertie
. Il not the plan Of street improveme
d adopted b" the city Of Brooklyn mu,
70 better and fairerY There two-thir
Of the property owners on any sire
h may have pavement bonds issued, al
1t select the material for paving. The
or bonds are taken by the paving col
n. panies and readily converted in
II money, aud the work done under pa
Of street commissioners. The bonds 8
in charge only ON the property adioi
y ing the paved street, and hold ov
ne mortgage do not interfere with I
is transfer Of property--the city is Aot
ns sponsible tor them, is only chargeal
a; with the collection OF the stret4 I
OF and the payment OF the bonds.
small tax once year pays off t
e bonds in the years they have heen RI
ne and without expressing the tax pay
- The Brooklyn system his be
u adapied by severa States with Vr,
RI satisfaction In Indiana il Is grpa
inanrovad nm with this r.. stal1 that I