The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1900-04-20
written for the DrrSocrat Star.
fOR INCORPORATION OF MOSS POINT.

divided and each one "looking out" S
exclusively for number one? 1t is in
deed ii case of "me and my wife, m,
son John and his wife, just us fou
and no more" We Of Moss Puiu
should come together ard agree upol
the one question IF paramount impor
lance, namely, that OF Incorporation.
Our people, we believe, as IA majorit,
are in favor OF this move, but out O
consideration for ii few who Oppose i
no n seems willing to take the initI
alive step, which would undoubtedly
bring about tins ''consummatlon de
vOntly to be wished"
Even II some are opposed to incor
porati0n, that should certainly be NJ
reason for Others standing back anC
losing opportunity after opportunity
Tor asserting their rights to become d
municipality. The advantages of be
coming Il town. to any unprecedented
ma who will stop to consider seriously
for n moment are many, and those
or u community as it now is, are
found wOefully lacking when placed in
the other scale pan Of common Justice.
Those who own property here will
ind, as have those in other villages
that have been Incorporated. that the
value OF their real estate will be en-
HANGED more than enough to counter.
balance the expense incurred by the
city tax, and the diSagreeahle condi-
tions necessary in becoming an incor-
porated town become a mole hill in
stead Of a mountain as some see them
through the magnlfying glass Of self
interest and prejudice. We repeat that
the az advantages will he many.
First. compare Il streets. or rather
our roads, with those Of any incorpo-
ratct village or town, or with those of
our %neighOring town Of Scranton. for
instance, and the contrast itself is
enough to convince any thinking man
that there should be something done
To work Il change in the condition of
our roads. 1t is a conceded tact that
here, where each section of the COM
munity must keep up it's own roads,
incorporation is the only remedy for
the present state OF affairs. When We
become an Incorporated town we will
have some good man for mayor whose
duty 1t will be to keep the streets in
GOOD condition, not only the street
passing in front Of his own gate, but
every street in town. thereby making
the interest In our streets general in
stead OF local as now, II indeed there
be any interest at all now.
Not only will improvements he made
IN our roads, hut public spirit and
pride in our town will be engendered,
and as a natural consequence Improve.
mcnts along every line will follow.
AT no time in the past history Of
Moss Point have circumstances been
favorable toward Incorporation.
Just now u river channel is being
decpcncd so as to allow us to give large
vessels their cargo direct from the
lumber yards, which fact within itself
lnSures growth both ia population
and In The value of property. But in
addition to this is the fact that at the
present time Il survey Is being made to
survey for a new railroad to onDec
us with the almost ~ineXhauStible yir.
gin forests of yellow pine aud fertile
and corn lands lying between
his point and the northern terminus
this proposed road. This road is
lot merely a plan on paper as some
'eem 10 think, but it is a real living
proposition destined to take
Material shape as the greatest i'm.
This section has seen since
he construction OF the l.. Il N. rail.
Sufficient proof of this is the
act that such j~udicious, conservative
nd successful business men aS 0ur
elbow townsmen, j. W. Stewart, W.
benny u Co., l.. N. Dantzler Lumber
To-, and Others are supporting and
lanaging the plans for its cOnstruc-
ion.
Now, since the y. S. government and
hese business men are taking 50 much
interest in our welfare. Il We our
elves afford to sit idly down and do
othing - TO bury the one talent
iven US and u the risk of having it
AIKEN from us through sheer neglect
D improve the advantages and oppor.
unitles that are at present thrust
pom us? by no means can we afford
. remain only a tllickly settled COM
lunlty IN the country with all these
atural and achieved advantages sur.
ounding us.
The reasons already mentioned, it
to us. are sufficient to Justify
ur Immediate Incorporation, but
here Is still another cause outweigh.
ny an other reasnnS combined, name
that OF education. The education
! u boys and girls is a duty more
acred TO ourposterity than any other
We nave to perform AS citizens and MS
ithers Of our children.
Or course, those who are able TO nav
ign tuition and to send their sons
nd daughters off to college can and
o educate, but the tuition paid by
hose few put into the form o! a city
.hool tax would amply pay excellent
.achers to teach every child in town.
lot only would those who now edu.
ite have better and less EXPENSIVE
Tor Their own children. but
lere would be Il city graded school TO
.hlch the poorest child could 20 and
'celVe the best Of instruction with
richest. Each succeeding wear u
rings ABOUT better results in graded a
;hool work In every part OF our coun. i
y and State. In case of incurpora. +
on the town would have a larger
'hool where the work could be done
d more systematic way, and the re-.
llts would be much more satisfac. n
Try. l don't wish to say anything
our school as 1t is, but | for
would much prefer to send nv
llldren to a graded school. No teach.
can do as good work in an nn~""A