Worcester morning daily spy., 1898-02-09
CoRBlNS SILENCE.
Webster Man Believes That He
Should Speak.
New Electric Scheme Directly Involves
Large Property Interests of Hon.
c. G. Corbln.
Webster, Feb s.

Webster, Feb. s.
To the Editor of the Spy
The Webster 'electrics' controversy
has now been before the public for sew
eral months, during the whole of which
period one of Websters most eminent
eounselors, one of It's foremost citizens,
the second largest taxpayer in the town,
has been silent; a man whose voice has
for many years invariably been heard in
town meeting and in most assemblages
where matters affecting the veal of the
community were under consideration,
has not been heard; man who has de-
/ voted his energies and his perfected
practical business training and acumen
to the benefit Of the town, seeking only
the best results for the town, whose eff
forts and the policy he has on many &C.
casions laid down have so many times
been accepted, especially in an under
taking Of any magnitude, has expressed
no opinion; SO much has the gentleman
l am referring to been identified with
all that goes for the good Of the town,
! that our townSmen in matters affecting
our municipality have, in the past ir-
respective Of party, creeds and differ
ences, relied on the wisdom and sound
judgment of his counsels, yet this prom
inent citizen is silent on the question of
'electrics." I have not yet mentioned
the name Of the gentleman referred to,
but there is no need to tell Webster men
that speak of the Hon. c. c. Corbn,
who has been grievously sick, and that
his sickness and enforced ignorance of
what is transpiring Is locally accepted
as the reason for his silence.
The Hon. gentleman, than whom
no other man personally or from a pub
lie point of view has more interest in
'electrics" with all that the petition of
the promoters implies, has to date been
! silent.
We are told on the street that he has
been seriously i'll, but it is now town
talk that his physical condition is such
that, although very much improved, he
| has not yet reached that stage Of con-
| valeScence to safely take any part in the
all absorbing controversy, further than
that we are given to understand that to
date the gentleman has been purpoSely
kept totally ignorant Of the fact that
the town has under consideration the
giving away Of our street rights for a
time longer than the rest of the term Of
the natural life of the gentleman re-
ferred to.
I am in favor Of electrics and a be-
lever in the equality of every citizen;
1 believe that the hurnblest poptax
payer owns Just as much of the realty
-
king as the honorable gentleman refer
red to, or as any other taxpayer
great or small; I also believe that our
I selectmen appreciate this fact even
though objections have been made to
citizens who were not financially inter
ested in the project being heard on the
/ question, and Notwithstanding the fact
that it has been publicly argued that a
citizen who is not fortunate enough to
be possessed Of real estate, who express
sed his views in nublic at the statutory
hearing Ought to be four feet under
I the ground" to quote the words of an
| advocate of the petition, and while in
! matter of this nature I differ from the
sentiment expressed, as quoted, and pay
no homage to the bank account of any
man, yet I think 1t would be no more
I than what is due the honorable gentle
man, and that the town owes it to him
to make some effort to ascertain his
views on the all important question, not
Il because he is not one Of the untortu-
mates so charitably consigned to mother
4 earth, but rather that in the discussion
of the problem, If he were in it, we
should have it argued from broader
standpoint and the realty of the poll-tax
payer in the streets Of the town would
4 be cared for from public point OF view
and public rights rather than length Oh
4 tax bills would be the question before
the house.
The "four feet under ground" quotation
! is a literal extract, and I take 1t fair
sample of the standpoint of the petition
| ers. SO much so that it has been pub
/ Iished In our local paper as an argument
j in favor of the franchise; it was the bur-
den Of the speech of the only speaker at
the statutory public hearing whose Ut
terances could even by the use of con-
siderable elastic, be interpreted as an
argument in favor of the petition
The contrast between such position
| and the one we are accustomed to from
the honorable gentleman, is as black is
to white, and the instance Is quoted
| only to illustrate the need OF Moses
to deliver the poor poll tax payer from
an early grave, and to place the discus
! sion on the plane it deserves.
Is there no possibility that the views
of the gentleman named can be given to
the town before any final action is Ia
ken by the town fathers. We all of us
understand that he is sick, but is there
no one who can express his views on
this all-important matter? 1t is fact
that this is not the first time we have
/ been in the throes of an electric battle;
| is there no one to tell us from past ex-
| periences whether the gentleman is
probably sufficiently interested to wish
/ an opportunity to be heard? think
! it would be no more courtesy than is
| due the honorable gentleman to call
halt until we are further informed in
| this direction
am no advocate for delaying public
business on account of the sickness Of
any one man, but I submit that this is
| an exceptional case, and that nothing
will be lost by a little delay, and for the
| town to vote away the street rights of
Webster without giving the honorable
gentleman an opportunity to be heard,
Z IN ma a,
/ sacrilege, taking a mans property away
from him while he is unable to resist,
and has no knowledge of the intentions
| Of the despoiIers; perhaps not so bad
as taking the pennies from a dead mans
/ eyes, but in that direction. / submit
! that it is no more than just recognl-
4 ton Of the esteem in which we hold the
4 gentleman, and no more than fair
4 recognition by US Of the work he has
put into municipal affairs, that we go
/ slow until we have some definite in
/ formation on the subject, and that if he
I desires it. or the public or his friends
wish it, he be given an opportunity to
( be heard before any disposition is made
Of our street privileges affecting the
/ very Vitals of the town in which he is
/ so much interested.
! About so per cent of the population of
/ the town travel on national party lines
/ opposed to the gentleman referred to,
! vet I honestly believe from what hear
/ of public sentiment that If your report
| er can take the time to interview our
! local public, he will find that have ex-
4 pressed the views of a very consider
! able portion of the community who,
| in giving every man a fair show and
a chance to be heard before dispossess-
A coon 7 LETTER FORM THE C,T. ERK