The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-06-10
WORK FOR CONSOLIDATION
VESTVILLE CITIZENS STRONGLY IN
 FAVOR OF IT.

tendance.
 The sentiment in favor of consolida- tion in Westville is very strong, as evi- denced by the meeting of citizens call ed to consider the matter last evening at Masonic hall.
 About seventy-fve voters were pres ent, and of the several citizens who spoke on the question only one--Mr. Cleveland Smith-expressed himself as opposed to the consolidation, which will be decided by the vote of the three out lying wards next Tuesday.
 MT. Smith evidently felt lonesome, and asked that a vote be taken to see if he was the only one in opposition. Five other gentlemen rose with MT. Smith as opposed to consolidation. " hile the rest of the meeting voted in the affirmative.
 David Munson called the meeting to order. A. L.. Downs was chosen chair man.
 MT. l.. w. Beecher, one of the strong est supporters of the proposed meas ure, explained the advantages of con- solidation to the Westville district. He said that the plan of consolidating was old, 1t having been started twenty years ago. ''The present plan of con- soldation," continued MT. Beecher, lis substantially the same as that of two years ago., which was defeated by the vote of the outlying wards.
 T favor the present plan of conson- dation and have worked for it because it leaves to the voters of this district the right of saying whether they will entirely consolidate with the city or not. If they want to, a majority of them can vote to consolidate and if they don't want to, the majority can vote to stay.
 ''The vote next Tuesday will simply free us from the Fourteenth and Eff teenth wards, and leave us to act as we see fit in the future. The consolidation to be voted on next Tuesday will prac- tically make no difference to us as far as the district is concerned. It will simply transfer to the board of public works and the board of charities and corrections certain duties which are now performed by the selectmen. Af- ter that, if one hundred voters shall so petition, meeting may be called to vote on complete consolidation with the city.
 T know this is the best policy, and I believe that under the plan of consoli- dation proposed we can secure the best teachers and the best results from our schools"
 Amos Dickerman said: "If we vote to go in believe 1t will be for the best interest of all; but think we had bet ter stay as we are rather than go into the city full-fledged. I am in favor of the partial consolidation proposed"
 MT NJ. I. Terrill said: T understand that some of the committee of fifty are going to educate the voters in the out lying wards. I don't know how much we in Westville need educating. I un- derstand that those who favor consoli- dation in the city have attempted to find out just what the voters in the outlying wards want, and that they have incorporated in this consolidation plan those wishes. I believe this ward can get no better government than the one proposed by the consolidation act"
 Mr. Beecher explained that the cam paigning of the committee of fifty was to be done in the other two wards, where there is little interest and where the plans of two years ago were de- feated.
 Cleveland Smith: T am opposed to this consolidation act. It is one step toward complete consolidation If we vote for this consolidation now 1t will be an easy matter to get one hundred men to favor the complete consolida- tion''
 MT. Beecher-"But, MT. Smith, one hundred will not carry it."
 MT. Smith-"But it is a stepping stone. It is like giving a boy one glass of beer; it makes him want more"
 Judge Hotchkiss No MT. Smith)-'It is very rare that the legislature lets the people vote upon the question of con- solidation. It did not in the recent consolidation acts in Hartford, Meriden and Bridgeport.
 People make a mistake in supposing that it rests with them to decide the uueSLlOll. l uO lOl IdVOr GUY govern ment for Westville. I believe the town government is the best for us. By this consolidation act the question of com- plete consolidation is left with us to decide, and perhaps it can be postpon- ed for ten years or more, whereas if we do not accept this plan we may be con- solidated by the legislature in two years. It seems to me that the plan of consolidation proposed is very favor able to us.
 Robert Veitch said that he favored and should vote for consolidation next Tuesday, although he should much pre- fer complete consolidation with the | city. However, a half loaf was better than none.
 Mir Beecher-"Mr. Veitch favors the plan because he wants complete con- | solidation, and favor it because I am | opposed to complete consolidation. Ii ! is measure that suits all parties" After some further discussion the i meeting adjourned.
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