The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1899-08-08
HOW Cities Are Built Up.

How Cities Are Built Up.
The Nashville American has long been
an intelligent and vigorous advocate OF
Industrial expansion in its city and state.
II appreciates the Importance OF manu-
featuring industries and il knows and
shows the natural advantages OF Ten
neSsee and the great results that would
come from their development and utiliZs-
ton. In d recent issue the American pre-
sents an impressive object lesson in man
Ufactures derived from a comparison that
a writer in the Louisville COurier-Journal
draws between Louisville and Philadel-
phia. To begin with. the American speaks
OF the city Of Philadelphia as one Of the
richest and most prosperous In the United
States and says it is regarded as finan-
cially the most solid. In Philadelphia, We
are assured, more people own their homes,
proportionately, than In any other city in
the country, which Is another good sign,
and in Philadelphia there are 20,000 facto-
ries, the valuation of whose products ic
over $o0o, 600 coo per annum, and this is an
other good sign. And further. Philadel-
phia is in two hours ride OF New York,
and still it is not overshadowed.
One Of the reasons why Philadelphia IS
so great rich, and prosperous the Amer
lean thinks, is found in the fact that in
that city a factory pays taxes only on its
real estate; no taxes on machinery, raw
material, manufactured products debts
due, or cash on hand Citing the Courier
Journal writer. the American finds that
in Philadelphia if manufacturer invested
$4,000 in his business, $1,000 Of il being in
real estate, he would pay in taxes only
SOS, while in Louisville he would pay
s., 935, or more than seven times as much.
The tax rate in Philadelphia is slS5 for
municipal purposes on real estate held
and owned by manufacturers; for State
purposes nothing. This is the extent OF
the taxation levied. In Louisville the rate
is s1.4 for municipal purposes and 60 1-2
cents for State purposes, and everything
owned by the factory-real estate, raw
products, manufactured products, cash
due, and cash on hand-is taxed at
about 50 per cent. of its value. The
condition described in Louisville exists
pretty generally in all Southern cities,
EXCEPT those of SouthsCarolina and Ala
bama, where some exemptions are made
The American is disinclined TO favor the
entire policy of exemption" but admits
that il has its good points. II says, how
ever, that it heartily favors the policy Of
1.
featuring plants and the establishment of
corporations Of any kind which are en-
ployeTs of labor. And our Nashville con-
temporary boldly asserts a great fact
when 1t says that every one knows the
chief reason why the North is rich and
prosperous to-day is on account Of its cor
porations. corporations to which the South
pays tribute.
The Americans article. which is
mighty interesting reading" as much by
reason of whGt it implies as for what it
actually says, concludes with these lines:
"If we had great manufacturing con-
terms here in this section of country
which turned out raw material into fin
ishcd products; great banking concerns,
operations of business on large scale;
great insurance companies which could
take care OF our business. both ire and
life, how much better or We would be.
Millions upon millions of dollars winch
are sent North every year would in this
way be kept at home. Tennessee alone
sends out of the State each year over
four and half million dollars IN insur-
ance premiums. The establishment Of
such concerns would open careers for our
Wn1lln A.
Dor, and would keep with US money now
We would not write in this strain If
We thought we were talking OF the i'm
possible or impractieable, but We are not.
We have good ground for what We say.
We have all the essentials here Tor
country every whit as progressive ana
prosperous as New England or Pennsyl-
Vania, and yet compared 10 them We are
poor Ought We not, therefore. 10 do all
in our power 10 encourage the invest
meut, of capital, and the building up or
corporations which give employment TO
labor. instead Of giving heed 70 the dem
agogic cry which derides thamE'
There are States-Texas for example
that have such a horror Of corporations
that they pass laws which, if enforced,
viii drive them out. And yet corporations
are Indispensable TO the prosperity Of any
American State. The South's dependence
on and tributes 10 the wealth Of the
North will never be ended by wild, fanati-
cal onslaughts on corporations. Populism,
not Democracy is the source of indis-
eliminate war on aggresations of capital
that are employed in building up cities
ard States ike Philadelphia and Pennsyl-
vania The theory that war must be
IN orde. 10 protect society from the eX-
actions of monopolies would. if applied to
surgery, call for the amputation OF a leg
to relieve a patient from the discomfort
III corn on his toe.