opinion

Our Readers Write Haunting Past To The Editor: After reading flay Braskis' letter in your Oct. 3 issue, ] could only conclude that be is in error. Perhaps the follow ing information will shed some light on his confusion. As far back as the Spring pf 1983, Samuel M. Stubbs warned that bonding for current expenitures would onlj lead to an eventual increase in taxes. Sixteen months later, our new township manager at a public Council meeting stated that one of the reasons for a probable tax increase was due to bonding. Stump the • person" is not raising our taxes. If our taxes increase in 1985 (and they probable will), the fault lies not with our township manager, but with our past mayor, Peggy Bieberbach She not only voted "Yes" to budgets that increased our taxes by 1 12 percent in three years, but also depleted the Free Appropriation Balance or surplus of the township budget because she did not want to raise our taxes. It was a fine idea at the time; only she forgot to mention the reprecussions it would cause to the taxpayers — a substantial increase in our taxes in future years. These facts are available in Lower Township Hall. AS FAR BACK AS the Fall of 1983, Stubbs called for the resignation of Solicitor Bruce Gorman because of his enormous legal fees. His accomplishments to date have been instituting an illegal 55-hour-per-week work session and twice allowing the then Township Committee ( Bieberbach Fothergill and Clydesdale) to violate the Local Public Contract Law These facts are also available in Township Hall. Take a ride to Lower Township Hall and check the records as I have done. You. too. will find that the past always comes back to haunt you. • I, too, worked very closely with Stubbs during his campaign for mayor and ran on the same slate with him in May and was defeated. However, it does not make me a second-class citizen nor does it take away my right to express my opinion Be assured I will continue to do so if I feel it is necessary. DEBI DE LA CRETAZ North Ca^e May.

Bonus for Vets? To The Editor: I wrote Gov. Kean a month ago to urge giving New Jersey veterans a bonus of $100 from the state's surplus money. As you know, we've never gotten a bonus from our state. 1 urge all veterans and groups to write to him about this little bonus, you have^arned it. *«■ We know the nonvetehans of our state have said we get too much as it is. but have they ever visited a Veteran's Hospital and seen what these brave men went through so they can be free to do as they please? VPW members, it's time for us to fight again for what we deserve from our state. PAUL F. PARRINELLO Public Relations Officer Peterson-Little Post No. 386 Cape May VFW

Recognize Police To The Editor: The election is only about four weeks away. A matter of very important local interest to the voters of Avalon must be considered — favorably, I hope. It is the transfer of the present police pension fund from the public employees fund to the much more appropriate policemen's retirement plan. Granted it will require a very nominal cost to the homeowner, but the tangible realization to the people erf Avalon if we approve the referendum cannot help but provide an immediate recognition to the first-class job the police department does here in our town. . CHIEF FOLEY AND HIS MEN are dedicated professional people who deserve the considerations the new pension plan provides. But really it is the people of Avalon who will benefit most if the referendum is approved. Occasional recognition is worthwhile but transient. Here is the opportunity to show a continued appreciation that is well deserved. I am hopeful you will join me on election day and vote in support of the referendum. BOB MATT Avalon

Unfair Burden To The Editor: I would think Lower Township's sewer and water rate increase is very unfair and a burden on manv sernior citizens plus many other taxpayers. I also think taxpayers deserve an apology from the board for the way they were treated. At least it could have conceded a few dollars ; even five would have been more fair, plus a lesser burden due to higher taxes, more for pensions, trash also no doubt. VINCENT McMAHON Lower Township

Lookin' and Listenin' Lewes Party By DOROTHY D. FREAS Looking at social notes in our local newspapers, there are all kinds of events: small, private parties to big celebrations held for various reasons. All through the U.S. history courses, we heard about the Boston Tea Party. Not exactly a fashionalbe get-together, it was a rebellion against the tax that England charged on the tea brought to this country. To refresh our memory, in May of 1773, the East India Company tea ships had been turned away from the harbors of Boston, New York and PHiladelphia. In October of that year, a tea ship burned at Annapolis. The Boston Tea Party was the final act, and occurred on Dec. 16: when a group of young men dressed up as Indians boarded three ships in the harbor, throwing all the tea overboard. ALL THAT HISTORY seems a long time ago and a long distance from Cape May, but another tea party happened about 30 miles from our county. Only six days after the Boston Tea Party, New Jersey had a party for the same reason. A brig, the "Greyhound" with a cargo of tea and just stopped in Lewes, Dela., where the captain was informed that the harbor of Philadelphia, where he was bound, was barring East India Company ships carrying tea. Captain Allen did not want to chance any damage to his ship, so be headed for the wharf in Greenwich, on the Cohansey River of Cumberland County. A Tory living near the wharf gave permission for the tea to be stored temporarily in his cellar. A few patriots got word of the tea storage and called a committee together to determine some course of action THE YOUNGER members found a quicker- answer however, and on Dec. 22, two groups of "painted Indians" met and rode horseback to the home where the tea was stacked. The cellar was hurriedly emptied, and the tea passing from hand to hand soon fed a hugh bonfire in the Market Square of Greenwich. The townspeople saw the flames, guessed what was burning and gathered to give cheers to the young men of the town, those "Indians" dancing around the hugh fire. Many of the members of the group were recognized by their neighbors and friends and were later called to trial. The merchants in Philadelphia who had ordered and already paid for the tea went to court to get their payment back. Strange, but not really unexpected, in those rebellious days, that the jury voted "no cause for action." The sheriff was supposed to gather the men for a grand jury, but two of his own brothers had been "Indians" that night, so enough evidence was never found to convict anyone. In fact, a large monument stands in Market Square with the Indians' names carved on it — young Patriots all.

Shoot Quickly The Herald and Lantern publish no political letters in the issue prior to the Nov. 6 election, in order to prevent unanswerable charges. So the Oct. 24 issue will be the final for political letters, and the deadline for that is Oct.

BT Goal Topped To The Editor: We are grateful to all the Burdette Tomlin Memorial Hospital helpers who supported the baked goods booth at the auxiliary's horse show Sept. 22-23. Middle Township again topped its goal with the help of all you. KAY MOLNAR THELMA CRYDER ANNE DAWSON Cape May Court House

f V Hera 16 V ^ Joseph R. Zelnik ' Edjtor Bonnie Reina General Manager Gary L. Rudy Advertising Director John Dunwoody Special Promotions Director Darrell Kopp Publisher yy au p.op..iy .^hi. io, tK« this publiiot.on tholl b« tk« p. opart v of fk. Swowevo Carp. No port Koroof mo y bo reproduced without poor writDEADLINES " News & Photos Thursday Advertising Friday - 3 P.M. Classified Advertising Friday — 3 P.M. 465-5055 For News or Advertising Information — *£££ C S'K. ImmtTOMMMP ULAWTEHMC

-8 Dogs; 10 Buns Readers Seek Perfection

By JOE ZELNIK ..p ie* friends and relatives may remember last week's E.T. column aixLits profound discussion on cutthroat competition among new products. It's the same with the news media, of course. This is a dog-cat-dog business and the one that panders to the public's taste will survive. Some people think quality is the key to success Not necessarily. Quantity is also important. Hot dogs come 10 to a package, buns 8 or 12. because market research has shown that's what the people want. Apparently a lot of them like to throw away two buns or eat two hot dc«s without rolls. Who am I to argue? Some quantity questions are practical: Bounty has 56 sheets instead of Viva's 55 so it can boast it's a better buy Sometimes this gets bizarre. The newest version of Kleenex put 60 tissues in a pack after research concluded that s the average number of times people blow their noses during a cold. WE DO SIMILAR things. Our paper is larger in the summer, when healthy, tanned tourists have no trouble lifting it. But we drop the size in the quiet season (you didn't think I was going to pull a Watson and call it "off-season," did you?) when locals, tired and weak, pick it up. The goal is to come up with a product the people love. And :n this business, if they don't love you, then get 'em to hate you - either will ensure dedicated readers. What we don't dare do is bore you. I remember the day they hired me, almost two years ago, I saw the "Help Wanted sign in the window of their Cold Spring office I was wearing cutoffs, my "Don't Shoot; I'm a Journalist" tee shirt, and sandals. I was wet because I had just come from the Erma Car Wash, where I'd forgotten to close mv windows. (Little did I realize then that the Erma Car Wash - cunous, yet practical - was a symbol of the county - one never knows if it will be open. There you find no sterile / *

machinery, no plastic scrubbers, but man at his primitive F?RCET flret provocative worlds the publisher directed at me: Can you type? Then followed a deep philosophical discussion into what management wanted: "Don't bore the reader " Why was I reminded of William Randolph Hearst' aierti a periodic accuraie ^ But in sticking to our high ideals, in maintaining our professionalism we ve created a monster: a puEtion ShiSTS. e2F' for word- bJ readers who miss jwdungjDemanding Perfection, they are a pain in the youAN EXAMPLE: Last month we quoted the Delaware Rwer and Bay Authority saying 259 million vehicles crossed it one threeday weekend. The authority meant 259 000 of course, and we corrected it a week later ' ' of tStn!lS^t?aCame 8 iett6r trom w Armour Jenkins Lutherville, Md., saying he'd picked up our paper while vacationing in Avalonand wanted to "challenge" the 259 nufbon figure He'd worked it all out.TsSd anftS? every second'*'5 ^ -ch direction 1 « m ??y tha1-' bul hf atso pointed out that there are only registered motor vehicles in the U S , " J' 1 a guy who can handle a calculator But ,0 j°u™lists, Mr. Jenkins Di<i? rea!w« L NT'This paper 15 read 100 closely by Htto taeS OT "Mortises 25 pounds of cat i , „ r ^ he wants to do is sell a couple bags of litter and go fishing, no big deal ^ £Lbesei«ed b>' ^tomers swarming all over his store, fighting over kitty fitter. Who needs it' Being biBy July and August is one thing. But this is October' If it gets any worse, we're considering putting a line on tte Herae|1u"^.ri,le CarS: "WARNING: Advertising in the Herald-Lantern can be injurious to your tranquility