Morning journal and courier., 1885-05-05
Tuesday, May s, 1885.
SHALL WE DO ITa

It is a "blessed privilege" to live in New
Haven. And when to that Privilege is
joined the boon of birth which entities
one to be called "town born it is enough to
make one feel that his "cup runneth over"
When we really think of what it is to be
''town born" and live in this town we can
understand the feeling of that good old New
Havener whose only objection to dying and
going to the bliss of heaven was that he
should miss the privileges he had enjoyed
here. The advantages of life in this beauti
full city are many, SO many that we do not
intend to occupy the space at OUT disposal
with catalogue of them. We will simply
mention one which has always appeared to
us peculiarly pleasant and beneficial This
is the opportunity which the people have to
improve their minds by discussing questions
of public interest and Importance. We have
a great college here, but all cannot study
there and thus obtain that readiness and pol
ish of mind which are SO desirable. But
those who are not able to spend four or six
years at Yale are not left without aids to the
cultivation of profundity and acuteness.
New Haven is some like ancient Athens. 1t
has fine Greek structure on the Green. And
the Athenians were fond of discussion. This
discussion, 1T is believed. helped educate the
Athenians. The people of New Ha-
ven are also fond of discus
sion, and there is much evidence that
this discussion is very educating process.
Some who are not t'town born" affect to
think that the constant discussion of public
matters which goes on here educates the peo-
pie to such an extent that; seeing too many
sides of the questions which arise, they are
unable to make up their minds. That is,
they lose in decision as they gain in knowl
edge We do not think this is the case.
1t is more probable that by ample and pro-
longed discussion the Nsw Haven mind
gains such a sense of the Importance of
questions which in other and more benight-
ed cities are speedily settled, that it does not
like to take the responsibility of decision
without more light. This has been well
illustrated in the Tomlinson bridge matter,
the Soldiers Monument question, and the
Quinnipiac Bath House problem. All these
questions have been more or less settled
which indicates that the New Haven mind
can be at least partly ''1dade up.''
But we turn from fruitless discussion of
the quality Of the New Haven mind to a
living question. This is; Shall a 1agpole be
erected on the Green in place of the one
which has been taken aways Here is a
question which has already engaged; and
deeply engaged, the public intellect. The
signs are that if the discussion is allowed to
proceed unchecked, there Will be no decis-
ion, for the Importance and scope of the
matter are daily becoming more and
more apparent. We therefore move that, for
once, debate be stopped and the question
submitted to the vote of the people as soon
as possible. We do not say that this is the
best plan. 1t is not possible to say what is
the best plan without thorough discussion.
# let's be little reckless for once, just to
see nvs5 it seems. We hesitate to urge any
| thing more of radical nature at this time,
but if it is thought that the voters can en-
dure the strain, would it be too rapid a
scheme to ask them to decide on the same
| day whether the Green shall be fenced or
unfenced? To be sure, these are very
| weighty questions, but the voters of New
Haven have great minds.
At the risk of being called Socialist, leon
oclast, etc., we will make just one more sug-
gestion. If it is found that New Haven's
voters are equal to the strain of deciding the
fagpole and the fence questions, the band
stand problem can then be submitted to them
We think it should be. Of course in this
way everybody might not be satisfied, but
something has got to be DONE Time is
feeting, and some of these great questions
should be got out of the way. Ws may
soon be called upon to decide whether the
members of the Police and Fire departments
shall be taught Rhetoric, and how are we
ever going to do it, with the fagpole, the
fence, the band stand, etc., on our mindsa