The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-06-15
IMPROVEMENT SOCIETY
THE LADIES OF SELMA HAVE
 STARTED ONE.
A Member of the Organization Talks Entertainingly of What It Pro- poses to Do for the
 City.
Advertiser Bureau.

Advertiser Bureau,
 Selma, June IA. The ladies of Selma have started a | Village Improvement, Society. An Ad- vertiser representative had an inter- esting interview with one of the lead CTS in the movement this morning and below her views are set forth in full. and what she says will not only be read with interest by the members here in Selma, but by other towns contemplat- ing starting a society of this sort:
 'Since this movement has been started in Selma, many. have inquired What is it forS and what does II m. tend to dol? etc. which questions it will be the aim of this article to answer in part. The first society of this kind was started in Stockbridge, Mass, the primary cause being a sharp remark made by A summer visitor regarding the unhygiene and unlovely condition of the place. The society had all the ordinary evils common to villages to combat-muddy. uneven streets, ab- sence of decent sidewalks, shabby, ill., kept fences, weeds, and all the other abominations with which, alas! we are all too san1iliar. The first year over one thousand dollars was raised, and over four hundred trees were planted. Gradually streets were drained and graded and other improvements made. All of this work was aided and abet- ted by the Town Council. Could a Selma society hope for the samee The Executive Committee in these societies Is given full power to hire laoorers, make contracts, and expend the money of the society. It is empowered to of- fer premiums for planting and protect ing trees and other Improvements. but no debt may be contracted for. beyond the amount of its available means. The avowed object of the society Is to im- prove and ornament the streets by planting and cultivating trees. cleaning and repairing sidewalks, and doing such other acts as shall tend to improve and beautify the town
 Any person over 14 years of age who shall have planted or protected a tree under the direction of the Executive Committee, or shall have paid into the association one dollar, or its equivalent | in labor, shall be qualified for mem- | bership. Any child under 14 can be- come a member by paying 20 cents or its equivalent in labor. The payment of $10 annually for three years, or $25 down. entities one to life member | ship. The Honesdale Improvement As sociation of Pennsylvania has for it's motto. Let us all work together, and | great results have been obtained. It Is composed entirely of women, men be- | ing honorary members. Active mem- | bers pay 70 cents per year dues, hon. orary members $1. Cans painted darks green and lettered are placed along the streets at intervals for trash and rubbish. The school children are interested and do fine work.
 No task is too great for these asso- citations to Nndertake. They create sentiment in favor of ornamental back yards, and tidy alleys. Prizes are off, fered for the prettiest back yard, and neatest alley. It Is said that the small sums offered by these associations as prizes for the cleanest alleys have done more to cleanse some towns than thous- ands of dollars spent by town councils. | Tradesmen are taught that sidewalks are not the place to store empty boxes, nor to expose food stun to the conta- zion of dusty streets. They consider the planting of trees (not the cutting | of them down) one of their sweetest privileges. In one report one reads the i following anecdote: "In 1872 an emil nent Washingtonian visited the South, and upon his return North he was asked regarding the trade prospects in | the South. His answer was. The South may never hope to compete with the North until she uses more paint and | whftewaeh.'
 If Southern people knew what their Cherokee roses and jasmine ("the Yel- low Princess of the South'O meant to Northern eyes, every section boss along the road would spare them, and cover their fences with Virginia creep CT, American ivy, and other vines.
 What can be made of Selma were all to join working together for a common good? It is hard to realize. so bright her future seems, and nature has so blessed her. It has been de- cided to start this work here by beau tifying the cemetery and IVf0ihity, II Is always a sure test Of the >hVang tc note its attitude towards It's dead. The index to a towns character Is the con- ditlon of its cemetery. Trash cans ar' to be gotten. Grass planted out sev' eral feet into the street, forming beau
 tifui ribbons of green. will every citizen try to preserve them by not driving on them? Every member will promise not to throw papers into the streets, and as for the present habit of throwing trash on the principa streets from the gates of the wealthiest and best citizens, whose pride one would think would prevent such a reckless exposure of miscellaneous filth some other method will be introduced and enforced.
 "The merchants will do their part by such a spring cleaning. as they have never experienced before. Alleys will be swept and garnished, or fines gladly CD paid. No politics will be involved in this society. so its course will be just but fearless, as none of it's mem bers seek office, either this year or next. The sanitary inspector will be upheld for the first time in his check cred career. In the near future we may hope to drive over beautiful, smooth streets, see clean sidewalks, the expectoratIng habit controlled, and beautiful flowers everywhere. Forty years hence. perchance, even the un- slightly poles which have been thrust upon us like a fungus growth. will be