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opinion

Herald A lantern 27 May 81

Cold Spring May 1981 B«auty iii sensed in rnany ways but sight is undoubtedly the chief means t>v which most people perceive their surroundings I. for one. have a deep recollection of the view from the windows of the several places which over the years have served as home. And when we are in the process of selecting a new house. I’m the one who darts from room to room checking on what's to see from each of the prospective home portholes It is no accident that the view from most of the windows in our present country home here, are spectacular As I’ve mentioned before, the view from our bathroom window is downright breathtaking—the panorama of the field, meadow, pond and treeline stretching out from a foreground anchored by a huge old lilac bush and, at the edge of our frontyard, a fairly young locust tree (which I hope will flower for the first time this season). One of the pleasures I get while seated at the rolltop desk in our familyroom is the reflection of the shrubbery and trees outside in the mirror hanging on the wall Just above the tv set. It is a great relief to be able to

look up from an ordinary television program and see. reflected in the large old mirror, the extraordinary greenery (which is actually multi-colored in spring and fall) undulating in the breeze like giant seaweed moved by under-

human eye (and perhaps that of lower animals too) will make the best out of unsightly circumstances, as if programmed from time immemorial to seek the rhythms of the universe thru all the senses. At any rate. I noticed early in my

drapes. I came to understand why artists are so fascinated by sunlight, especially its effect on folds

in cloth.

That one particular window had such a profound

tat I took

Country Note

water currents. In our previous home in Cape May s "Frog Hollow" section, one of my favorite views was • thru our bedroom windows, which looked out at the Chalfonte Hotel. Depending upon which of the two westernfacing bedrooms one was in at the time, the view was either of the. front gingerbread on the balconies of this century-old hostelry, or at its settled outbuildings in the courtyard at the rear of the ancient structure. Especially in the fall, magnificent red and purple sunsets would dip down behind this clump of whitewashed buildings with red tin roofs. I always imagined I was looking at a setting out of Tom Sawyer whenever beholding this sight; usually it would also dawn on me that the buildings were certainly pld enough to fit that picture. I am convinced the

effect upon me, that

brush in hand and painted a watercoior rendering of what I saw. No$ a good quarter-century Ider. the

childhood that there is 7 picture still has 'leaning beauty all around, even if for me. especially since our

EESSSHEBBSi lottmru to tho odltor Kramer Seen ‘Most Viable, Electable 7

By Philip R. Matalucci On June 2, this great county of ours has a tremendous opportunity to prove to the people of the State of New Jersey that we will no longer be the "forgotten son" the neglected area of New Jersey. Lawrence F. "Pat" Kramer, our Republican candiate for governor has pledged his total cooperation in resolving the many problems facing our county. A strong advocate of home rule, he favbrs the cutting of red tape and bureaucracy that burden proper communication and understanding between municipal and state government agencies and approves of decision making by those elected by their constituents in their respective areas. He knows that local problems are best solved by those experiencing those problems, not by a bureaucrat sitting at a desk in Trenton, "going by the book." He has been made aware of the perplexing difficulties existent in our' area and is determined to play a part in solving them. He knows of our questions and concerns surrounding Riparian Rights, the Wetlands Act, CAFRA. The Pinelands Act, and The Beach and Shorefront Protection Act. He is aware of how vital these various laws imposed upon us by the state are to our tourism industry and general economy. He has a fair, logical, and sensible approach to solving the inadequacies and restrictions imposed by these laws on our local property owners and taxpayers ELECTED REPUBLICAN Mayor of this state’s third largest city for four terms, is a Democratic stronghold, he (Page 31 Please)

unnoticeable at first glance. Take for instance the window in the livingroom of my first home, the place where I was brought up and lived the first half of my life (so far) on Cooper Street, just a few blocks from center city

Camden.

This window was usually in my line of vision because the most comfortable chair in the room was opposite it. From that sedentary position, the view thru the window was absolutely nothing more than the windowless brick wall of the neighboring house about 50 ft. away. There were no trees, no grass, no sky. no birds; nothing to, see. But yet there was: The texture of the brick, the color variations, the irregularities. And, within the window itself, the play of the sunlight and shadows on the shade, the curtains, the

viewpoint

old home and the one next to it with the big blank wall have long ago been tom down to make way for a modem thorofare feeding the Benjamin Franklin Bridge crossing the Delaware between Camden

and Philadelphia.

If any of you have ever wondered why I write so much on the environment and on the ugliness man is perpetrating upon the natural surroundings here on the Jersey Cape, here is your answer I do not want my children spending their inside time looking out on blank brick walls. And I especially don’t want them to have to give up their family home for so-called progress — which usually boils down to ndWng more than man’s destmetion of beauty in the name of con-

venience. —John A.

Other Editors-

TV for New Jersey— The Impossible Dream? by Jane Ann Cunningham You can always tell when it is time for the license renewal of one of the Philadelphia tv stations — we begin seeing frequent mention of South Jersey. Never mind that New Jersey news has been rare since the last renewal. These news stories, which are often trivial, are featured so the applicant can convince the FCC it is fulfilling its obligations to New Jersey. Two states have no VHF tv stations, New Jersey and Delaware. We might concede a point about Delaware — it ranks 49th in area (but Rhode Island is smaller and has a tv station) and it does rank 47th in population (Vermont, Nevada and Wyoming have less people — but tv stations). New Jersey is 46th in area but ranks about 8th in population. THERE IS SOMETHING OVERWHELMINGLY wrong when over 7 million people have no access to a tv station in their own state. When there is also no statewide newspaper, is it any wonder that North and South Jersey mistrust and misunderstand each other? Is it any wonder that no one seems to know what is going on in Trenton? It is easy for N.J. state elected officials to do pretty much as they please, New Jersey’s internal affairs are low on the priority list of New York and Pennsylvania : based newspapers and tv stations. * (Page 31 Please)

Television-Voters Few people will quarrel with the awesome claims of television for impact on the voters in election campaigns. But we demur when candidates decide to spend their campaign dollars in a medium (television) where 75% of the audience is in other states and unable to respond (vote) in that election contest. The State of New Jersey has the dubious distinction of having the largest number of candidates for governor in recent history—23. Since there is no commercial television station in the state its electorate is served via the tv stations in New York and Pennsylvania. It is reported that most of those candidates—the ones with the backing and bankrolls—are determined to use television advertising to reach their potential supporters in spite of the fact that 75% of the audiences of the available tv stations reside in othM^tates than New Jersey and cannot vote in that electionT That, in our opinion, represents slavish devotion to a myth. New Jersey is fortunate to have 27 strong daily newspapers (not to mention dozens of good weekly newspapers) with a net paid daily circulation of about 1.7 million copies. It is estimated there are about one million voters who will cast ballots in that election. Those are home town newspapers read by the voters where they live. They are closer to those voters than the tv towers in New York or Philadelphoa. The tv industry has sold the New Jersey candidates a "bill of goods." It is estimated the cost of a television commercial per New Jersey voter breaks down to between 2 and 10 cents. That assumes they all listen to all the commercials on all the stations (seven out of New York City and six from Philadelphia) all the time. Considering the multiplicity of voices hoping to be on the air. it seems to us any viable candidate could carry the day with a solid campaign of promotion exclusively in newspapers. The door is certainly open for someone to try • with a large chance for success. Editor & Publisher 18 April '81.

Green Belts on the Mainland

H t CAPE MAY II I d X. ^ tier a III I'uMMiH KtrrvHHntwia? B> P.O Hot • The Kra«a\r < nrporaUon Aval—. NJ HM John H. Andrus II J Editor William J. Adams Advertising Director Bonnie Reina General Manager DwrrtlKopp PiiblUhtr • 18*1 Wrwo.« Co»p All rlfAH rM«rv«d All pe—rty tight* lot lh« •Mira content* et tht* pubheotton •hoiI bo tho poftocty o» tho Wowovo Cot? No pm* hotoot tnoy bo ropcodwcod ntthowt pr>b> written contonl DEADLINES News & Photos Thursday Advertising ,. Friday - 3 p.m. ClaaalHed Advertising:.. Monday-Noon 1 M7-3312 For New Qr Advertising lafonnaUon I NoMkar — rtklpaUM *4vrr<latr« oor tW —Mtahora of tfc* HERALD AMD LANTERN *1)1 bo rov—oolbk ao UaMr lor mlaWoraaaU-. mioprlou. ivpograpbkral orran. air., hi aay la*—. Tho rtIMor roaervoa Iho right la r4H aav Mlor or arilrloo aabmltlod lor —bhea-

-LANTERN

PobtlBbei Erory Wr*M0*»v By

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The Lower Township Environmental Commission has come up with an idea worth emulating in the other mainland municipalities in Cape May County which, like Lower, are faced with accelerating development. The idea is the creation of a greeh belt along streams between the back bays of the Atlantic coastal region on the east and the Delaware Bay on the west. The township Environmental Commission will be recommending to the township Planning Board and Township Committee that at least 50 ft. on each side of particular streams ue preserved perhaps too, even larger lowlying areas in which certain soil types exist. THE IDEA HAS MERITS in its own right localise it shows there are at least some public officials who are conscious of the need to look toward the future with an eye on preserving some of what makes this area so attractive. It also indicates there are citizens who realize that local communities themselves are going to have to get involved in preserving thru acquisition, ana not rely upon the state and federal levels of government. As more and more area is developed and the population rises, the need to protect and preserve what remains increases accordingly.

Acquisition of lands with poor soil types for development shouldn’t be as expensive or as difficult as some would imagine. There have already been instances where developers have indicated a willingness to have local government maintain areas within their developments which aren’t buildable and are, therefore, left primarily in their natural state. SOME MAY ASK WHY local government should become involved in maintaining open space and protecting natural resources surrounded by private development. The answer is that as long as there is public ownership and maintenance of such necessities as streets and schools, so should there be when it comes to natural necessities. It would make no sense whatsoever if citizens and government were to sit back and watch beautiful, attractive areas be ruined by the very development and people which this natural beauty entices. You cannot have your cake and eat it too. We cannot maintain the Jersey Cape as a resort mecca and an attractive place to raise a family if we allow the woodlands, farmlands and wetlands to be

destroyed.

The Herald Lantern