Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1893-04-24
DUSTY CONSERYATIsrI.

New Haven is conservative city. Some
cities are not averse to change, especially
if the change promises to be for the better.
But New Haven meditates long before she
changes. She takes time enough to make
up her mind, and often after her mind has
been disturbed by the painful and unusual
process of making 1t up she takes still
more time to let it settle and become en-
tirely peaceful before taking the action
decided on.
The conservatism of New Haven is we'll
illustrated in her dealing with the dust
nuisance. For many years she has been
gently turning 1t over and over in her
thoughts. For many years she has also
been rubbing it out of her eyee, washing 1t
out of her throats and brushing 1t out of
her clothes and her houses. Always pa
tient and gentle on the whole, with ocoa-
sionslly q sharp note rising out of
the general Rentleness and patience. A
good old doctor, who Is now dust himself,
was wont every spring to write to this
paper in strong protest against the sharp
and the vile dust which blows about the
unwatered streets of our beautiful city
He told how 1t produced diseases of the
throat, the lungs and the eyes, and he did
his full duty in vigorous protest against al
lowing 1t to continue to blow. Occasionally
other protests have been made by those
whose lives have been made miserable,
whose clothes have been spoiled, whose
furniture has been Damaged and whoss
temper has been injured by the all pervad
ing duet. But these outbreaks have been
few and far between, and have only made
ripples On the placid surface of New Ha-
ven's deoorous, slow and profound consid-
Grafton of the dust nuisance.
Possibly We are premature, but our
idea is that New Haven has displayed
enough of her ancient and historic con-
servatism concerning dust. We would
not even now favor any unseemly agita-
tion concerning the matter, but we think
that something should be done. For in
stance. at the next meeting of the Histori-
cal Society some papers on the subject
might be read, and some remarks might
be made. The nuisance is certainly old
enough to entitle 1t to the consideration of
the society, and 1t would be treated there
with suitable oslmness and wisdom. The
papers and the discussion might lead to
some action, but If they shouldn't happen
to, the next move could be made by call
ing the attention of the Chamber of Com
49,
rather extreme measure, for that body, as
is well known, is not quite az conserva-
tive as the Historical Society, and If 1T
should really become convinced that
the dust which blows around New
Haven is damage TO proper
ty aud to business here It might
say so. But If nsither the Historical Soci-
ETY. nor the Chamber of Commerce shall
be found willing to break out, perhaps the
Board of Education will say something.
1t may be argued that the matter Is none
of the business of that Board, but we
think it is, or may be. If 1t il thought
best for the present generation not to deal
with the dust nuisance, it Is but fair that
the boys and girls of to-day should
| be taught that 1t is not like the
constitution of the United States OF
the "town born" idea of New Haven,
but that it can properly and legally
be abolished If the people living here
ct any time choose to abolish it. The
board could with propriety have this
taught in the schools. 1t is plain that the
belief that New Haven and dust are for.
ever inseparable should not become ire
vooably fixed, as 1t now seems possible tina,
| It will.
AS for the boards at the City Hall, 1t Ia
evident that they don't intend to shook
anybody by saying anything definite about
the dust. They well represent New Haven
by their conservatism In certain matters.