The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1907-07-06
THE WEEKLY JOURNAL.
isSued Thursday, One Dollar "a Year.
TIE CITY OF oRANG z.

what might be called a feast day i'm the
town of Orange. The more than ever
attractive shore resort drew thousands
of people, not alone from New Haven,
but from adjoining towns. The at
mesphere was that of a huge picnic and
the personnel that of lively picnickers.
1t was an orderly, well behaved crowd
of people but the impressive fact re-
manned that 1t was the love of outdoor
life by the sea shore which made the
borough of West Haven in the town of
Orange a-people with the pleasure seek
ing thousands.
We refer to the occasion and the bor-
ough as another and fitting illustration
Of the absurdity of making a city of
the town Of Orange because the bor-
ough of West Haven is during certain
months In the year popular. There are
many, of course, who live there during
the Summer months, and still many
more, though fewer in number, who
make it their home throughout the
year, but from the municipal point of
view there is no more excuse for trans
forming the town of Orange into city
than there is for transforming "the
White City" into borough because
during the period West Haven is
crowded it's patronage is profitable. 1t
IN this mistaken view of it's own i'm
portance that the town of Orange
should get out of It's head, not for the
sake of New Haven, but for its own
sake. The protection which is needed
for the control of this artificial popula-
ton for a few months is the kind of
protection town or borough is fitted
to give; 1t is the very kind of protec-
tioE a city cannot with Justice to it.
SELF give. 1t would be every bit as ex-
cdsEble to talk of making Coney Island
q city by itself because thousands seek
dts cool breezes and entertaining diver
sions during the same season of the
year.
1t Is not an unnatural thought that
because we who live in an adjoining
town and believe as much in greater
New Haven as we do in the City Beau
tiful, look with apprehension upon the
movement to transform Orange into a
city we are moved by Interior motives.
Ever since man associated with man,
it has been the habit of each to sus-
pect the motives of the other, but this
ought not to cloud ones judgment in
the matter OF the welfare of people
whose political advisers are sincerely
leading them but along mistaken lines.
If the growth and expansion of the
borough of West Haven could be ex-
planned on the grounds which account
for the growth and expansion Of a sin
gle Connecticut city the situation would
be different and the logic of it assaila-
BILE, Then 1t would have to be admit
ted that, though there is political abb
surdity in two cities lying side by side,
and separated only by bridge, there
was reason for the fact Then the
Journal and Courier would, while still
lamenting the necessities of the case,
accept the inevitable and follow with
state pride the development and pros
perity of New Ravens sister city.
1t is not difficult task for the town
of Orange to care for the thousands
who visit it during the Summer months
Because It is picnic ground and be-
cause it is viewed as a picnic ground
by the crowds the situation provides its
own protection In the case of the city
of New Haven, it is because the thirty
thousand people who come here each
Autumn to attend the big football game
at the Yale field come here in a like
spirit of fun~msking that New Haven
is able to cope with the conditions
which arise. But upon the theory ad.
vanced by the political revolutionists
Of the town Of Orange, that because
crowds visit it for the fun of 1t few
months in the year, without thought
or care of local traditions and loca
aspirations, a city is needed, the same
theory would reasonably make a State
of New Haven. If we are going to dea
with the logic of the conditions which
are said to be making for municipal
life we must admit a universal applica'
tion. Visitations. in other words, D!
hundreds or thousands of people a
stated periods scarcely demonstrate tn
need of municipal organization. It il
because this mistaken Interpretation
has been put upon the significance of {
crowd, or possibly a misconceived un
Outstanding of the service a municipal
ity can give by ambitious men, tina
the people of the town of Orange ar
face 70 face with crisis in their lives