Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1895-03-22

way behind the schools oi his bOyhOod
and suffer UNNECESSARILY hy comparison
with those Of any other city. town or
village in the state. They teach children
lot of fOl-de rolls nowadays and spend
an inordinatr lot of money uselessly
Three or four weeks schooling ia year
was sll he got. and what was good
enough for him ought TO he good enough
for his Young ones.
If the town or village has n water
system. it is too small and the water IS
unfit for use anyhow. He wouldn't give
it to his hogs to drink. Any suggestion
looking towards an increased supply or
the bettermeHt Of the quality. however,
meets with his unqualified condemnation,
and he raves and rants about taxing the
poor for the benefit of the rich.
Is it proposed To increase the attrac-
tions of his village as place OF resi-
dence. to introduce modern system of
lighting or sewerage, your village
grumbler buttonholes every man he
meets with indignant protest. He don't
want to have taxes increased Just for
the sake OF Illuminating the whole town,
and he cannot see why the people OF this
generation are forever wanting lot of
new tangled notions.
1t is ON town or village meeting day
that your village grumbler is in highest
fettle. He is on hand early and stays
till the last gun of opposition is fired.
He is "agin the government" every time.
The outgoing board of selectmen or
trustees il the most incompetent that
ever wasted the money OF the burdened
taxpayers. No matter what appropri-
atoms are suggested, he is on his feet to
move this article in the warning be dis
missed, that one be laid upon the table,
or the proposed appropriation he cut in
two. Money from the public treasury
for new books for the library, one or two
hundred dollars for music, an appro.
priation for the observance of Memorial
day? What in the name of goodness is
the use of libraries or music or the in.
culcation of patriotism He buys his
own literature, provides for his own
family music, and can be patriotic enough
without spending dollar. Either this
or he has no use for books, no soul for
music, and looks upon patriotism as q
humbug.
| If some feeble minded citizens imagine
it is desirable to keep in touch with the
times and provide reputable place fol-
the people to transac. public business
the village grumbler declares any place j,
good enough for him, aud so perhaps il
is. But other citizen. who contribute
quite as much to the public treasury. ar,
quite as good men and good citizens
fully as honest and as mindful Of tn,
general interests, think differently. Ant
then, if they venture to express thi.
Judgment, how the village grumbler vii
"go for them" to be sure. How he vii
descant and declaim about the rights o
the poor man and the oppression of tn,
rich, forgctful all the while that each ant
every citizen is benefited by public i'm
provements and must contribute towards
their adoption.
For the citizen who believes i'll wis
economy in the administration OF tow
or village affairs, wants every dollar con
tributed to the public treasury CAREFUL,
and judciously expended, holds selectmel
and trustees to rigid accounta blity
and insists proper regard shall be hat
for existing conditions, everybody ha
the most cordial good will and respect
1t is not from this class in the communit,
the village grumbler comes.
1t is the man, or men, who are Away
in opposition to anything that savors o
progress or Improvement, grOwl abou
the highways and the sidewalks, and op
pose any appropriation for their i'm
provemcnt, grumble about the educa
tional facilities, and attempt to talk dow
and vote down any measure designed 70
their increase, complain about the water
the lights, the sewerage in private and il
public, and array themselves against an,
proposition for their betterment; tn
men who every time and everywhere ar
finding fault with things as they are. an,
are steadfast in preventing, or trying t.
prevent, action looking toward improve
ment, out of whom the village grumble
is made.-S.. Adams Messenger.