The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1907-05-03
Problem of Municipal Growth

No city is what any one or any doz-
en- of its citizens would like to have It,
Municipal works and public improve,
ments are almost invariably result OF
COMPROMISE. The location Of pubic
building. the architecture and adoFh'
ment and equipment of the structure,
never satisfy everybody who has TO
helm nav for the editice. new street
never runs where every one OF the
admitting property owners and those
who travel would like to have 1t go. In
short. in municipal affairs every one
can not have his or her own way. II
is absolutely necessary to progress 10
make every decision as nearly right
and as nearly satisfactory as possible
and then 90 ahead with full steam on:
So it is with methods of municipal
growth. 1t is utterly impossible to nave
lust the right proportion between man
ufacturers and residential Develop
ment. We can not all agree as to the
kind of industries or enterprises TO
promote or the best means OF adopting
70 secure them. But while we can not
he pleased. we can exercise the great
American right of trying to secure
majority to vote with us, and, If we
fail. recognize that the majority has
inst as much right to rule, II against
ms as it would have were we in the
band wagon.
II is possible for a very few individ-
nails to start a smoke which will scare
away a new enterprise or prospective
resident or stop a new industry Brat
tleboro is having an interesting eXperl-
encc in this direction just at this time
when it is about to institute the CON
struction of one of the greatest cleo
tric power plants in New England
REWRITING to this subject the Reformer
says:
ut may be well in this connection
to reiterate the assertion we nave maze
so often, that in order to keep up with
the procession of progress we must
stop being hypercritical and prepare
welcome for all sorts and conditions
Of men. We must extend the glad
hand to every industry that is Wiling
70 consider locating here. Of course,
If is natural that we should prefer IN
dustries employing the most desirable
class of labor but we are not IN po-
sition to be discriminating in this mat
fer, The more people we can get IN
Brattleboro the better; if they are not
mn TO our standard it is our duty to
elevate them. 1t takes only very lit
tIe Of this 'holier than thou talk to
distract the attention of people look
mo Brattleboro-ward. Those who can
NOT become reconciled to the idea OF
having this town a manufacturing cen,
ter ought at least to hold thelr
tongues.
This is good, wholesome talk, and
there are probably few towns Of any
size in which there are not people who
can listen to it with profit. We are all
liable to become crochety and knock
vigorously, if things are not going as
we think they should, but town can
not grow as it might and should unless
people are entirely willing to lay aside
every rule or ruin policy. Some people
would not want state fair, some would
not want county fair, some would
not want summer base ball, some would
not have an electric railway before
their houses. some would not want Il
single new industry, preferrlng to keep
this residence town, but town can
not grow unless it is doing something
all the time to grow. If any of us
want to hive up and play the drone,
there are plenty of places where we can
do so and be let severely alone, but
the majority of people want their town
to grow and sooner or later in this
country the majority manage to have
their way about things.