Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1889-03-27
A Plea for Justice.

| One noticeable feature in the, delibera.
tions of the city council for the past year
has been the unanimity of purpose and
feeling for the general good. And vet
there has seemed to be an apparent clan.
nishness on questions of local signifi.
canoe. For instance, the question of. an
elevated crossing over the c., NJ. & St. P.
tracks in the third ward. An examina-
ton of the vote on this question would
seem to convey the idea that it was of no
general mportance-slmply local af-
fair affecting the interests of that small
portion of our population lying east of
the Milwaukee tracks. Yet it is of gen.
eral importance. as 1t creates a division
OF sentiment; and naturally the discrim-
mating line seems to lie north and south,
arraying the eastern portion of the city
against the western. A division of pub
lie sentiment on policy lines may be fair
and just, but division of pubic senti-
ment circumscribed by local boundaries
is often perniclous and seldom warranted,
and can generally be avoided by care
fully considering the exigencies. To il
lustrate. not long ago, in part considera-
ton for certain shops and improvements,
1t was proposed to vacate certain streets
In the third ward. The benefits to be
thus derived were to be shared by all, the
burdens of taxation to fall alike upon all.
Thus far the proposition seems founded
in equity. but another feature presents
itself. namely, the segregation of a con-
siderable portion of the city, practically
cutting of the communic= ton of one por
ton of the city with that of the other; or
in other words. rendering the former
easy and safe communication laborious
and hazardous. Now this feature OF the
case imposed burdens upon one portion
of the inhabitants not shared by the rest
of the community. Therefore, there was
just cause for complaint; and the situa-
ton may be thus summed up: Cut off
from all schools, churches and places of
business by numerous tracks, streets va
Gated aud blocked by cars, and the only
crossings left open made inaccessible for
want Of sidewalks. We find a commu-
nifty practically living in exile, at the
same time paying tribute by way of tax
es for the benefit of the rest of the city
Now an appeal for a modification of
this condition of affairs can out dictate
to our better natures the injustice Of its
further continuance. The practieabillty
and usefulness of an elevated way over
the tracks may with some propriety be
called in question. 1t is urged that after
the novelty of the thing had passed, the
majority Of pedestrians, both young and
old, would rather risk life and limb BY
crossing on terra firma than accomplish
the task by making the aerial transit. and
by disuse it would prove monumental
piece of extravaganza and folly But
this should not stop all efforts in the di-
rection of better state of affairs. The
establishing of a school by the school dis
trict, proper system of sidewalks estab-
lished and kept up, and other things of
minor Importance, might be done to NIT
igate the evil, and ought to receive the
support of all fair-minded persons in all
parts of the city. The mQe politician
might say the majority should rule, and
so they should, but justly. Let US hope
the time has not come when if the ma
jority make a mistake they cannot cor
rect it, and thereby do justice.