Morning journal and courier., 1891-01-02
A REMARKABLE MESSAGE.

A REMARKABLE MESSAGE. Mayor Sargent's first message is long one, but it is full of meat. We print it ir full, because it cannot well be condensed without taking out parts that are impor. tant. The new mayor has ideas enough and he is not backward about setting them before the people. And the people should pay attention to them.
 The mayor begins by recommending an extension of the city's limits and the filling in of the West river marshes. Having done these things, or perhaps before, he would have "all works of public nature, carried on mainly within the bounds of munich pality, and for the purpose of supplying the inhabitants with certain daily require ments of civilized daily life, and requiring special rights of eminent domain to dis tribute their products" owned and oper, ated by the people, and in the sole interest of the people. The socialists will claim a notable ally in our mayor, but that will not disturb him. He believes in such socialism as he recommends, and he sets forth the argument for it very forcibly. But in this matter he is far ahead of most of his fellow townsmen.
 Having disposed of these important matters, he favors fve-cent rides to the top of East Rock Park and music in all the parks. He is right in his estimate of the value of music as soother. He also wants the town farm turned into park.
 Coming to the health of the city, the mayor has something to say which should receive hearty welcome and lead to i'm mediate action. He would like to see a proper hospital for contagious diseases and proper steam disinfecting station. There is no doubt that both of these are sadly needed.
 He would like to see free school of de- sign, with free-hand, architectural and mechanical drawing, connected with the public library.
 No part of the message is more i'm portant or more practical than that con- cernining the deadly railroad crossings which affiict this city. He says correctly that the cost is no valid excuse for delay in removing them. He speaks with proper sharpness concerning the Derby railroad performance, and says: "The proper remedy is for the city and its people to demand that the legislature order the Derby railroad tracks lying at the east of it's present stations to be taken up and discontinued forever. If desirable to connect with the Starin steamboats, the connection should be made by track laid near West river to connect the New Haven and Derby railroad with the north track of the New York, New Haven and Hartford railroad" There is no doubt that this is the proper and the best way out of very complicated muddle.
 The mayor closes his remarkable mes sage by discussion of capital and taxa ton. He comes to the conclusion that ''ir the taxation of land only, for all necessary public revenues, the distribution of the tax over the whole community would be equitable, and in proportion as Natures God intended" And he says further ''The taxation of land only has no valid objection in equity, cannot interfere witt manufactures and labor, and would tend to wider distribution of land and homes among the people,"
 These are conspicuous points of what i' probably the most remarkable mayor message ever delivered in New Haven. | is new evidence of what was already well known, that Mayor Sargent thinks fol himself and is not afraid to say what h, thinks,