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CAPE MAY COUNTY TIMES

B«paUieaa bnt Indepwidcut.

Weat Jcnry and Landis Arenuea, Sea Isle City. N. 3.

CHA&. O'CONN OE,

C. F. SCHUCK.

AdTtrtisinc Rates Furnished Upon Application Subeeriptioc Price *1.50 per year In Ad ranee.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 26, 1917 Tbe Giant Enemy of ttie Public Good Id the contxrsstion of both the metropolitan and the village citizen and in the columns of the big daily and the borough weekly the civic observer finds the expression of a common grievance. However, it is not always directed at the same place, thing or person. There is clearly manifested a universal preception as to the existence of a common enemy but a difference exists as to the identity and location of the enemy. Just now when food prices are soaring and many cities are considering measures of relief, the protest is particularly vehement but there are no apparent signs of any clearer recognition of the real

enemy.

In one city the Street Railway Company seems to be generally recognized as the greatest malefactor. In another the citizens quite generally complain against the exactions of the Electric Corporation. In still another it is Gas. A muchabused townsman in many places is a prominent citizen who is otherwise called a Corrupt Political Boss. The citizens of Eden insist that annual Appropriation Grabs are the bane of their existence and the sole cause of their tax burdens. Ill-Gotton Franchises are clearly the cause of all the unhappiness cf the people of a large number of municipalities. If their common council years ago had been composed of honest men they would not now be suffering under 99-year wrongs that, with all their present honesty and intelligence, they cannot right In some municipalities tha public mind has grown exceedingly comprehensive. They do not charge the Street Railways with all their ills nor do they trace them all to the Gas and Electric Companies. They generously distribute the guilt but recognize a common foe by the common name of PrivatelyOwned Public Utilities. In a few places there exists a complacent sense of all-pervading wisdom among the citizens. When public affairs are mentioned, knowing looks arc exchanged but no discussions take place. It is no use to discuss tbe matter longer, they are all sure of both the identity and the location of tbe enemy. The)' know it is Inefficiency ar that it resides in the chambers of the City Hall. As a matter of basic truth, found by resolving things into their last analysis, we are obliged to dispute each of the above claimants. We respectfully suggest to them to look within the public mind—not outside—if they would find the Giant Enemy of the Public Good. The tendency of the public mind to stay put, the inclination to let the other fellow do it, Uie disinclination to know, and often the aversion to care, anUhing about the public business—the Social Inertia of the mass is tbe Giant Enemy of the Ihtblic Good. The numerous ills above referred to find ready germination in the fertile field of deadeued civic mentality To recognize the ills and not the cause is but a further evidence that the public

mind is put.

We arc not asking the busy citizen to inform himself about the details of municipal aflaits. His official niuuicijial servants should efficiently take care ol them. We are not even asking for greater intelligence on the jiait ol the citizen. The average citizen will measure up in ut umeuA11 we ask is greater rnterest. Given this, the civic intelligence tun eases, the civic spurt follows and the enemies of the public good disappear

- S. J Miiuuipalitu \ Maya. me.

" Tbe note is plain, very plain," said Mr. Lansing as he gave out the text of the Allies' reply. “ It requires no interpretation." Consequently Mr. Lansing found his duties lightened. Perha]« we should be thankful because we are not yet threatened with a shortage **■ Everything else that we need is said to

Cape May County “Skeeters.” We cannot agree with our esteemed contemporary. the Atlantic City "Press," when it charges that Cape May County mosquitoes are the only ones responsible for the discomfort of Ventnor and Margate residents. We in Cape May County are jealous of our mosquito crop, and naturally must resent any implication that there are not enongh full-blooded visitors in this county each summer to make it interesting for our mosquitoes without forcing them to go to Ventnor and Margate for an occasional feast, and we would respectfully suggest that the salt marsh meadows on the borders of Atlantic County s mainland, from Pleasantville to Somers Point, .uay furnish some of the mosquitoes that are being laid to Cape May County. The “Press" editorial of last Wednesday, however, gives some interesting infonnation of the work of tbe Atlantic County exterminators, and should furnish those of our Freeholders who are prejudiced against a continuation of a moaquito extermination appropriation this year, with some food for thought before the meeting of the Board, when the matter will be decided. The editorial follows: “That the work of extermiuatiug the mosquito hereabouts was not such a formidable undertaking as most people at first supposed, is evidenced by the annual report of the County Commission just issued. t “A scrutiny of the document discloses the inlormation that Atlantic City is rapidly being rendered immune from the onslaught of the famous Jersey bird, and that there is substantial ground for the hope and belief that the pesky insect will before long be driven back to the remote sections of New Jersey, where it may possibly be accorded more hospitable treatment. “The Atlantic County exterminators have dug their first, second and third line trenches on the meadows between Atlantic City and mainland points, and the forces of General Mosquito will probably be repulsed next summer, when! they attempt to storm the first line defenses of the exterminators. At least, it is to be hoped so. “ To revert to the report, it was most gratifying, indeed, to find that Cape May and Ocean Counties have at last made appropriations for the work of banishing the mosquito, and that the drainage system, so successful in this county, will be undertaken in the others. With the work in Atlantic County intelligently carried out, nothing was aeeded to insure immunity from the mosquito pest but the co-operation of neighboring counties. No matter how well the work of exterminating the pest was carried on in this county, if the marshes of neighboring counties, especially those of Cape May, were left undraiued, considerable of the work here would go for naught, inasmuch as ever)' puff of wind coming from the direction of the morasses of Cape May would bring a horde of mosquitoes with it and the southern extremities of tbe county especially would suffer thereby. “Cape May skeeters have been known to invade Chelsea and Ventnor and to have made screenless porches uninhabitable, but inconveniences of this kind will probably not be experienced in future by comfort seeking cottagers, since the call to the colors for a warfare on the mosquito has g"ue forth iu the neighboring counties and Atlantic, Ooean and Cape May have formed a triple alliance."

Ed. Note.—The publication of a communication in the Cape May County Time* must not be construed as an endorsement of the sentiments expressed therein. The columns of the Times are always open for the publication of any signed communication.

Communications

because W' tagr W air o be smret

Woman Advisors at Pleusanlvills l» TS« laqulirt. PLEABANTVILLE, N. J.. Jan. atVlayor Crawford baa appointed an advisory committes of women lor Uie city and it baa been approved by Council. The committee consists of Mrs. M. K. Fish. Mrs. Charles A. Campbell, Mrs. II. H. McClelland, Mrs. K. K. Ktrauon. Mrs. Harry Warren and Mrs. K. L.

Race.

The above item clipped from a Philadelphia newspaper would indicate that the women of Pleasantville are coming into their own—and that without storming Council and placing pickets outside the Council Chamber and Mayor’s home in true suffragette style, differing in this respect from their sisters at Washington. The plan of having an advisory comunuee to any municipal governing body is an excellent one, and there is no reason why women, alio pay taxes and ate vital factors in the development of the community, should not wholly, or at least partial!) , comprise the members of such a committee. City Commissioners, or memliers of City or Borough Council.-, ate not always in a jiosition to bear the tax|wyers’ kicks and see tbe er-ors of their government. Man is loath to tell another of municipal misiuauageineut t--|ieciallv if the other is directly responsible lor the condition. The advisory committer, however, is iu a g •sitiou to hear ami »ee these things, arm then place them before the proper tribunal for adjustment, if possible, or at least tot public explanation. Pleasantville is setting a good example fit South Jerse> It would be well for all concerned, and most of all for the city officers thmn-clves, if similar committee- weie e»tabli»ucd m every city, borough and township in the State.

January 22, 1917. Editor Cape May County Times. I read with no little interest the statement made at the Commissioners meeting last Wednesday by Mayor Atwater on the business management of Sea Isle City, as published in your issue of last Friday. It appears to me that good business judgment would'show that Sea Isle City is too small a town to bear the cost burden of a Urge city, and it occurs that Mayor Atwater should hove started out in a different way if he wanted to see the city run on business principles. Certainly not with a aalary of *750 a year, and $1000 worth of Commissioners as partners, and a Solicitor at *900. and an asseaso *400, and a clerk at $400, and a collector at $300, and a treasurer at $100, *nd a police force in the summer sufficient to guard a town of twice our sise, and a $600 man to ran a fire en-

gine

All these items are at least fifty per cent more than the town can afford, and if it is not possible at this time to go back to councilmsmic form of government, let us see if we haven't a few citizens willing to serve town for patriotic purposes rather than for the salary there is in it. !n reading the 1917 appropriation ordinance we see that there ir $5200 provided for salaries, and only *1000 to maintain miles of streets snd boardwalk. It appears that the salaries take preference to everything else. The item of *350 for fire, and the *395 for sewer mean nothing as lots more must be added to these sums before the year is out. I am not seeking office, but if public spirited citizens will come forward and offer to fill the City offices at sixty per cent, of the present cost, 1 will do the same. (Signed) CHAS. H. CLOUTING. Editor Cape May County Times: In your last issue you correctly stated that it is my wish that all the taxpayers shall t* as familiar with the financial condition of the City a* myself, and I deem this the proper time to inform the taxpayers of what may be expected in the way of a tax rate for the current year if further appropriations are made and which must be to provide the necessary funds for the successful operation of government. I-ast year (1916) there was appropriated the sum of *34,310.00 for all purposes, which included *2000.00 for music and *1000.00 for advertising. For the current year there has been appropriated the sum of *33,000.00, which does not include music, advertising or the cost of operation of the sewerage disposal plant. The local tax rale for 1916 was $1.3310. It will be absolutely necessary to provide funds for the operation of the sewerage plant, which is estimated at *2000.00 This alone mill increase the appropriations to *35,000.00, or *900.00 in excess of 1916 and will necessitate a local tax rate of *1.90. Unless a material reduction ran be made in operating expenses during the cunynt year this additional tax rate cannot be avoided, and if the tax payers again demand that provision be made for music and advertising at a coat of *3.000.00, it moans a further addition to tbe tax rate of $.16. making the total rate for local purposes *2.06. The County and State School tax rate for 1916 aggregated *8690, and in view of the appropriation! iready made by the County and the influences being used to secure further appropriations for Mosquito Extermination, Advertising, Vocational Schools, Farm Demonstration and County Fair upport it is reasonable U> assume that if these additional appropriations are made the Ux rate will be advanced from 8 to 10 rente or in all proba bility a total of *.9600. Adding this to a prospective local rate of *2.06, which will be necessary should there be provided music and advertising, the aggregate tax rate for local and State School purposes will be the neighborhood of *3.02. or an reau- of $-32 over the year 1916. These figures may appear slightly xcessive to some, but unless, hsve.hereinbefore stated, rxpensi lie pruned to a considerable extent, the figures 1 have given will prove to be very nearly correct. 1 do not mrish to be considered a pessimist and. as you stated in your columns. 1 wish the taxpayers to be enlightened as to what may be expected if provision is to l«c made for the purposes herein stated in addition to the appropriations already made. The foregoing has reference entirely to tax rate, and as your space u limited 1 will defer comment upon MO »

Economy

makes happy homes and sound nations; instil it deep." — George Wasington. Get interest on your savings by depositing them in the Security Trust Company, CAPE HAY, N. J. 3/ Interest Paid or. Savings Deposits

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CONTRACTORS <f BUILDERS

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HOTEL BELLEVUE

Landis Avenue and Fritz St.

Sea Uie City, N. J.

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Let me estimate on your PA IN TING Special attention to seashore work. Best material* used and work guaranteed. THOS. S. FLOUNDERS & SON. Contracting Painters and Paperhangcrs. SEA ISLE CITY NEW 1ERSEY Phila. Office—6110 Master Street.