The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-27
PLAYING AT GOVERN ENT.
a MAKE-BELIETE MATOR, WOMAN
SUFFRAGE AND AN INCUBATOR.

Everything " Thriying Except the Council
The Women Are Running That All by
Thcnscives-How Real Estate Agent siins
u. Drake Runs the Politics OF IincoIn.
Politics aro booming In the town Of Lincoln,
N. ]. 1t Is all play politics." Of course, for
tho whole town is Il kind OF a make. believe
place. as far us its government goes. just a.
much so as II it had been transplantod from the
pages OF II story book. There aro roal houses
in process OF building, to 10 sure, and real
roads, and a real sewerage system, hut the
town government Is all u lets pretend" on the
part of the real estate company which owns the
land, and tho agent Of which l. the Mayor Of
the town, Tho trouble with which he Is al
present struggling has arisen from tho admis-
sion of women into all tho municipal privt
legcs.
When Lincoln was founded. on April Q last,
just one day after April |, Silas u. Drake, the
real estate iuan who laid II out, determined
that 1t would be a great thing to admit women
to equal privileges with men in tho govern.
mcnt. 1t would advertise tho place. To in-
corporate The town would have annihilated this
scheme, rs women cannot vote under tho laws
of New Jersey, 80 he diun't Incorporate it. He
simply went to the residents in the one square
mile of territory which makes up Lincoln and
said to them:
Lets pretend we're a town and I'm the
} uhh W navy plAlt 5hiilukO auu y
real nice time"
Certainly" responded tho residents, cheer
fully, IF tho real estate company will foot the
bills"
with tho greatest alacrity,' said Mayor
Silas d.. Drake. aud it was SO arranged.
Within tho town limits there live some sew.
enty persons. After u few str eets-no, NOT
streets: boulevards and avenues had been laid
out and "a half dozen houses started, not Ia
mention tho foundations for IA steel fpunIrv
a paint factory, and an incubating establish
n ms,, which vi ,no is exx9 re ,ho to civ give 7 steady employ,
town meeting was held. Forty.scven voters
were present tTensy.seyen Of whom were
his own reclamation that office was passed by.
A Council was elected consisting Of four men
90 years, = CLERK empIoysd in his c,ilS; Edgar
Steel, Works, Ralph Bates. Secretary Of tho
Franklin Paint Company of Lincoln; Mrs.
Miss Egel was elected President and served
with efficiency and dignity. The Council
TEN, for which the real estate company paid the
bills. The Council made appropriations for
real estate comnany furnished the cash. The
Council had telephones, put in the railway sta:
ton and an electric light was arranged to shed
It's. radiance upon the entrance thereof, the
bills for which went to the real estate company.
Never ,was there a more entertaining expert
ment Mt playing house on a large scale.
Everything, went as smoothly as could be
until Miss President Egel was requested to
serve upon a COMMITTEES with Mr.. Close. She
declined. on account OF his tender years. 1t il
alleged. Miss Egel Is by no means so old her
self that she appears to be tottering to the
grave. Quite the reverse, in fact. But she
declined TO serve. and young Mr.. Close stopped
coming TO the meetings. Then the Rev. J. b,
Cleaver failed to appear at meetings, for no rea.
son in particular, unless possibly he was tired
pasl psday That m Ma{SSF G Of Ike d nsa i T Tfs9l faiisa
10 attend the meetings should be asked to re-
sign. The two gentlemen re iSned, and now all
/ ia activity in the llliIlrHl ,irrlp- 1f ,panln
Strong Influences have been brought to bear
on behalf Of Mr.. Sheldon. President of the
Chirp and CaCklc Incubator Company of Lin
coin, aud he is sure To get the nomination for
one OF the vacancies. Ii is designed to balance
the Council ia The matter of sex, therefore the
Other member will be "a woman, and IL is said
thar half II dozen of the female residents ara
making preparations for q Lively canvass. The
election viii be held u week from Saturday.
Meantime q. w. Hunt has been elected Mar
shall, a litter OF four Newfoundland pups has
oetn added to the population. and Lincoln u
reported thriving as 1t never throve before.