The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1893-06-09

of freemen guaranteed them by the
charter; whether it was to inform the
members of this corporation that they
must not petition for the village meet
ings unless they belong TO r"our set"
whether it was for the purpose of draw
ing class distinction between the
petitioners and tinfoil aristo-
Gratis; whether it was to
inform the people that not the village
charter, not the village bylaws, but the
autocratic will of the trustees is the law
of this corporation; whether it was to
| call attention to the fact that one OF the
petitioners has about mile and half
of frontage without house upon which
the front foot assessment of one third
the cost of sewers as now estimated
would be about $2640.0O; whatever
the purpose was let us be in
formed as quickly as possible as the in
formation may have bearing on the call
ing of a later meeting, if the Water Com
pany, and its allies should at the next
meeting repeat their tactics exhibited at
the last meeting and succeed in deprlv-
ing the people of free ballot and lair
count, or in adjourning the meeting be-
fore there is opportunity for considera-
ton and fair vote upon every question
| DCODOSGu
stay away from the next meeting relying
upon the vote to defer the per front foot
assessments for sewers until after adj
iournment of the next legislature. The
vote was illegal because there was no
foundation for it in the warning and be-
sides the learned counsel employed by
the trustees advised them that the as
sessments must be made per front foot
as required by the act and that the vii
| lage had no power to vote or do other
wise. Let no man forget that the rail-
road bonds, SIP, 800 which many of the
same men who are nov pushing the sew
erage scheme and resisting the purchase
of the Water Works for the benefit of the
Water Company, were instrumental in
saddling upon the town under the pre-
tense that the town would never have
anything to ray, full due and must be
provided for in 1897, and that if we buy
the Water Works at all on credit at low
rate of interest we must do it before the
village is bonded for any other purpose.
Let no man fear the expediency of buy
ing the Water Works while the Water
Company so stubbornly resists the sale.
Let no man forget that the reasonable
request of the petitioners that the next
meeting be called in the evening to ena-
BILE lahoring men to be present without
loss of time has been denied by the trus-
tees, in furtherance of the opposition of
the Water Company to the sale of the
Water Works and in furtherance of the
unlawful determination of the trustees
to put in the sewers, against the will of
the people, and that the trustees need
lessly delayed the calling of the last
meeting more than week, and that the
petition for the next meeting was filed
with the Clerk more than week before
the meeting was called. Let every voter
remember the date of the next meeting,
p. m. Saturday, June II, and make
every effort tn be present and secure the
attendance of his neighbor also prompt
ly, remembering that the future health,
happiness and prosperity of all our peo-
pie depend in large measure upon wise
action now, upon the gravest questions
which have ever confronted us AS a vii
lage, viz; the purchase of the Water
Works and the postponement of the con-
struction of sewers until plan therefor
can be perfected and adopted, which
shall promote, instead of creating, men
ace to the public health This is ques
ton of business, not of politics. Each
of us was born with the same necessity
for water, air, food and raiment; the
| Same Impulse III lho PIoVoouoh VI oui
families and our homes, be they never so
| grand, or never so humble; the same
sense of justice, that public, burdens
should be equally borne by each individ-
ual in proportion to his means, or in pro-
portion to benefits received. Whatever
of misdirected, partizan zeal, passion,
prejudice, party spirit, personal hostility
or pride of opinion may have resulted
from the controversy over these ques-
tons of absorbing interest should be
laid entirely aside and we should exer-
else the privilege and discharge the duty
of citizens in such manner as will be
most beneficial to the common interest
of all. Respectfully yours,
w. B. SHELDON.