The evening times., 1900-02-02
.I,.rse,.s pudd,nhend MiIson.

When Mark Twain created an unpre-
frr5io,s man Ct brains. called him Pud-
d.nhead Wilson and placed him in a neigh
horhood presided over by number o
lucolic wiseacres. VINO solemnly regarded
him as a simpleton. because be was 10
them ncomnrehensible, the author proba-
lilly drew largely upon his Imagination fer
fbe development OF his characters and bis
situations. There are many rustic corners
ina This great land where Mr.. Clemens de-
lighrfuIIy satiricaI work either in book or
dramatzed form, has undoubtedly fallen
HAT There are no statistics at hand TO
SHOW whether the town of Crawford. in
New Jersey has or has NOT seen the play
nr read the book. But it so nearly re-
>embles at present the scene OF Puda'n-
head Wilson'S activity. in its community
characteristics. that the famous American
humorist would almost have sufficient
grounds to sue the provincial corporation
for unconscious infringement Of copyright.
The town of Crawford has an agitation
which is so absorbing that the residents
have ignored the reyerberating battle
thunder from South Africa. the events il
the Philippines, and exciting affairs in
other narts of the earth The Gran
ford Township Committee has tied it.
self into a hard political knot over
the prodigious problem that is troubling
the people. The inhabitants Of the Jersey
burgh lose sleep and forget 10 appear at
the dinner table, so arduous has become
the discussion
The trouble began when the authorities
Of Crawford decided to and did install a
rev sewer system. But their drainage
pipes were made so tight that gas accum-
ulated therein and an explosion followed
That brought on the internecine war,
which has divided the residents into two
bitter factions One coterie consists OF
those who believe in the germ theory of
disease and are determined to keep up
v-ih the progressive procession. TIE
other faction SCOTS at modern science and
lis reputed discoveries and declares that
the good old way Of doing things in gener-
al is ample for the well-heing of the
community
The strife has grown more bitter with
each rising and descending sun. The moss
back element has gone so far as to declare
that sewers and clean streets are unnec-
essary Injuries. They proclaim that the
bacteria theory is all nonsense, and their
leader who is a powerfully strong talker.
has demolished the pretended discoveries
OF scientists like Koch Pasteur and 9TH
ers by his earnest if illogical Oratory.
After declaring that il is useless to cork
mp the sewers he says.
There amt any germs 10 get out, and
il there were. il wouldn't matter anyhow.
\ germ is such a little fellow, I'm
lold. that you cant see him.
II he is so small as that, Z don't believe
lie could bite to hurt. We stand mosqui-
toes all right and millions Of them.
never seen a germ anyhow. and / don't
believe there is any in these parts II
they deliberately went 10 live in the sew
ers | believe they'd stay there
This geRtlemans expose of the germ
fallacy has been received with signs of
satisfaction by his supporters. but the
neople who are on the other side of the
question and who believe in soap and sew
RS. clean streets and an occasional
.hange of raiment, insist that they Will
stick to the progressive management of
he community and win the fight IL it
axes all winter and a little longer. The
,auabbie gains vigor almost hourly and
The town is in as great q state of uproar
A. il can produce with it's present number