Waterbury Democrat., 1900-12-14
NOW ALL THE RAGE
Consolidation Talk Heard On
 Every Side.
\ BOARD OF CHARITIES.


 The Present Town School Board
 Will Be Abolished-TaXltiOn and
 Representation Bound to Cause
 Trouble-Waterville Getting Ready
 to Talk It Up.
 The consolidation question is inter tSting all classes. the poor as well as klip rich. and in consequence it is the principal theme for discussion in the factories. the stores. on the street and avery place else where d few people come together. It was stated last Night that under the proposed change no outdoor relief will be given and people who have no means will hc sent fo the almShOuSc. While We have haard nothing definite on this matter, still we think it safe to state that there must be some mistake about this for it would be the worst kind of 5cOnomy and would do q "rel ifjus- lice to many who are not able to meet all their wants. but with q little help they manage to pull through until their children grow up. and then the Demand for assistance on their part ceases. Take. for example. a woman ~ith four or five small children. She E1ay be ill q position 10 earn q few Collars a week. and also receive some aelp from friends who wish to help her along. so that about all she would want from the town would be house rcnt. which is never high for that class of people. and. possibly. q little coal and wood once or twice q year. Tn this way q good wOman-and nine ienthS of the women are all right and making the most they can of them h.lN can raise q family. decently. too, and when her children become youn% men and women and take their places be side others in the stores and faGtorieS. ao one can wound their pride by taunt ing them about he time when they were inmates of the town house. some thing which iS tCO often done by Uco- pie who have no respect for the feel tngS of their nei@hbOrS and never be- stow q thought upon the edge there !S on such remarks until the lance col iideS with their own hides. While ir < ho disgrace for q man to have it said that his boyhcGd days were spent }n q charitable Institution. still it is well to avoid such things and parents should be sure that they are i'll the last ,Glitch before they allow their children so go 10 such places. Public officials should look at tho matter in this light. zoo. ana nor liCSlTIIEt anOuI lending Il hand to needy families in the way of rent. fuel. clothing and provision. al most anything so long as the expense is not too great. and they are satisfied that those who are receiving this aid are using il properly. and endeavoring 10 do something for themselves. To some people this phase of the bill may not amount to much. but in the opinion of others it is of vital importance and should receive due consideration of the committee. and We feel safe in ventur- ing the statement that We believe it will. and if il should be neglected there the aldermen will attend to it.
 After all. it is a question if consOli- dation will be worth the powder that is. provided what the tOwnspeople are saying be true. They allege that about the only thing it aims at is the wiping out of the authority vested in the se- lectmen and substituting a board of charities instead. The new board will consist of five or seven persons. to be appointed by the mayor. subject to the approval of the aldermen. just the same as the members of the other boards are appointed at present Of course the board of charities will elect 3 superintendent who will receive q fine. fat salary. and will oversee inc town poor something after the man. ner now done by the second Sclectman. The board will also have jurisdiction over the almShOuse. The board Of eelectmen will receive some c0nDen- Dation ill return for their services while occupied ill making electors. but that's all The city will get the liquor li- eense money and will take care of the poor and the town roads. There is said 10 be little hitch here which the aldermen will have to Straighten out. bu+ it is thought that the city SolonS will be able to do that without much froublc. II has reference to the metlod pf diSDosing Of revenues. that is. shall all receipts be deposited in one treas ury and regular appropriations made annually for the several departments. ks k now done in the city, or shall i.iera be separate funds and appropri- Ations for the outlying districts? Many think all revenues should go into one general treasury, but others look al it differently. Which shall it be?
 'Fhe electors of Waterville have ;.alled meeting for December IS for ghe purpose of discussing the consoli- .1ation question.
 Two things, representation and tax Ition are occupying a fair share of She time and thoughts of the commit zee, and the distinguished gentlemen
 
 think that the public has an interest in Ghesa questions. too. If we are to nave consolidation the people on the outside must have representation. If not We must give up the idea of send ing them tax bills. Wasn't it an effort Ea tlie part of the ssmother country to sax our forefathers without represen- sation that caused the big rumpus of | century or more ago and resulted in giving the collector q thrashing that he has mot got over yet. The city should profit by this blunder and see tIlat the several districts to be annexed khall have full and fair representation In the city boards. Then. on the other hand, the committee should keep q sharp lookout and see that the boot does not get on the other foot: that is. that the townspeople shall have equal representation without paying their 1usf proportion of the taxes. At pres ent the city folks are paying all their own bills and about nine-tenths of the towns. This will have to be changed before man who lives on the ex trenle end of the town should be permitted < -t<, <,<.1,1vsv T s,llcn in fin 9ltfprlnanie