The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1904-01-29

the Legislature HAS dltl dSlCd Alueh
attention, not only i'll this State but
in several others
New Jersey is a beautiful State, with
an attractive and varied landscape.
This is gradually being shut out from
view of the traveller. On the leading
line of railway between Jersey City
and Trenton there were in the early
part of December by actual count,
1901 signs. They are of all kinds and
sizes. They are disigured by all sorts
of effigies of impossible men and wom-
en-, and they advertise remedies for all
the ills that human flesh is heir to, as
we'll as all sorts of foods and drinks,
and the various contrivances born OF
human ingenuity. II they continue to
increase it is not difficult to imagine
the day near at hand when the traveller
will have the beautiful hills and wales
trees and flowers shut completely from
view, and will pass through continu-
Gus and unbroken lane Of sign boards
that will trouble his nights and days
with suggestions of things that are
disagreeable. / am told by the lawyers
that the problem is difficult, but | have
thought that perhaps the solution
might be through taxation-made so
high as to be effective. In the interest
of suffering and indignant public |
present the subject to the Legislature
in the hope that they may be able to
find a remedy.
The press appears to have taken
the text and suggestion under adj
visement and opinion apparently
points in one direction, namely, the
expunging of these blots from pri-
vate property, but without furnish
ing any rational suggestion as to
how it shall be accomplished The
Paterson Daily Press is of the opin-
ion that the remedy lies in arousing
public sentiment against the evil,
apparently recognizing the fact that
the constitutional rights of the citi-
zen are not easily overthrown. 1t
says
We do not imagine, indeed, that this
appeal of Governor Murphy will be at
tended by immediate results, but it
may perhaps, start a train of public
sentiment that will after while insist
on the abolition of the signboard nui-
sance from public highways.
For our part we think the most repul-
sive feature of the nuisance is the
painting of huge and startlingly col
ored signs, generally advertising some
kind of patent medicine, on the sides
or roofs of barns and even of dwelling
houses. The owners of such places
cannot receive more than a trivial
compensation for allowing this distig
urement of their homeSteadS, it being,
we believe, generally paid for by coat
of cheap paint on the whole of the
structure.
The New Brunswick Home News
indorses the Governor recon-
mendation regarding heavy taxa
ton, without for a moment consid-
ering the validity of such an act:
The proposed tax on this kind of adj
vertising cannot be made too heavy,
for the only object of it would be to
drive the nefarious things away alto
gether, and force the owners to confine
themselves to legitimate advertising
that does not nauseate the public.
The Newark Sunday Call sug-
gests that vehicle of doubtful utility
known as the boycott:
There should be some way found to
abate the nuisance, for nuisance it is,
and legislative ingenuity must get to
work on the problem. Mean
while, it would be a good rule to care
fully avoid purchasing articles thus
advertised, and if customers of the
firms using the bill-boardS would noti-
fly them of such purpose, much might
be accomplished without legislation.
The Passaic Daily News alludes
to the " hideousness of the bill
board, I" but offers no suggestion
toward its adjustment
The billboard increases in numbers
and hideousness with each vacant lot
or dead wall coming in view of the
billboarder.
The Jersey City Evening Journal
also indorses Governor Murphy's
protest:
Governor Murphy's protest against
the bill boards which line the railroads
and disfigure barns, farmhouses and
scenery generally, has elected very
general and favorable comment.
The above are fair samples of the
press comments throughout the
State. 1t will be noticed that the
one suggestion offered is on the line
of the Governors remedial idea
prohibitive taxation. The Out
1ook," a New York journal, says
1t is very much to be hoped that the
Legislature OF New Jersey will follow
the Governors initiative and levy a
prOhibitOry tax on billboard advertiS-