Proposal: When a town is created, the city that currently controls that tile gains an immediate 1 population. The town also provides the normal benefits. The population is permanent even if the town is pillaged or later removed.
Rationale: Great Merchants still need some love to compete with other great people. While the town has good yields, its still not as attractive as most other GPTIS. This gives it a boost in a more unique and distinctive way, providing a nice boost of population, without just slapping on more yields. It also provides a strategic minigame in timing and optimizing the best moment to place the town for optimal benefits.
Rationale: Great Merchants still need some love to compete with other great people. While the town has good yields, its still not as attractive as most other GPTIS. This gives it a boost in a more unique and distinctive way, providing a nice boost of population, without just slapping on more yields. It also provides a strategic minigame in timing and optimizing the best moment to place the town for optimal benefits.