Connecticut western news., 1908-09-10

! largest crowd of people ever seen iu Dover Plains. The ball game between Philmont and Millerton in the afternoon proved somewhat exciting and was won by Millerton, score 5 to 3. One of the most conspicuous figures at this tourna- ment was Prof. A. E. Bangs, of Dover,
 who, clothed in red shirt and an air of authority, would not be taken by an on locker for a writer upon immortality and kindred philosophical subjects. And yet "Tis true, lis pity. Pity tis, lis true. !"
 The following notices have been sent out. The democratic electors of the meet at the Town Hall in said Sharon on Wednesday, Sept. 9. 1908, at ? p. m. for the purpose of electing delegates to the Democratic State Convention, the Democratic Congressional Convention and the Democratic Senatorial Conven- tion and to transact any other business proper and necessary to be done at said caucus.
 o' O. II oAAO1 Sh1AA Ao" A SOAAAAAhs0O Dated, Sharon, Conn.,. Sept. 1908
 Your scribe has 9 local reputation, tor notoriety) as moro or less bum um- pire, and therefore has a tender place in his heart for any umpire who tries to be fair and is then abused by the players and Fans" He journeyed to Lake vile last Saturday to see game of ball between Sharon and Sheffield. and will frankly admit that there is no tender place in any part of his makeup for the gentleman who umpired that game. Quite the reverse. He was simply rot ten. and on all close decisions roasted sharon msrOilessly. It h shame that . man of such poor judgment, to cay the least. should be allowed to occupy 70 responsible . petition. Neither is 1t right that the umpire should have . brother playing Oa one of the opposing mines, As was the oAse in this game. Blood is thicker than water, and . man will naturally favon his own kin. The umpires in all league Eames should be disintsrested parties, or a nearly that as possible. The score As recorded was 3 to 2 in favor of Sheffield.
 It is, of course, much easier for an ordinary man to find fault with existing conditions. than 1t is for him to take off his coat and do his share of the hard work necessary to improve them. And existing conditions are seldom changed without hard and uphill work being done by someone. Yet 'tis the "kicker', who usually calls attention to needed re- forms. Many people think it laudable to kick the "kicker" but ''kicker" who kicks in a good cause and from no un- worthy motive, is often a more or less important factor for the general wei fare. All this being predatory to the registering of a most emphatic "kick" against the roads of our town, and the antiquated methods ill vogue for their maintenance, which are at least thirty years behind the times. Road making is science and successful road maker must possess some technical knowledge of local needs and conditions and prac- tical knowledge of how best to meet them. It it a mistake to think that all most any man is capable of being a road important position to anyone as a re- ward for activity ln local politics, re- gardless of their fitness or qualifications. We all know how this system works. The appointee for the time being will hire few men, few teams, go through the same routine that his predecessor did, and very often leave the roads in worse condition than he found them. He probably did the best he could, but he simply does not know how to make roads, nor can he be expected to. Even if he should know how, he has no incen- tive to do permanent work, since his active interest in the roads will likely terminate at the end of the season, and his position be handed over the next year to another claimant to repeat the previous performance. As a result we 1leafC hO AOaIAS, HUT WILL we ever nave under such methods, which are utterly and wholly wrong and would be tolera- ted by no one i'll business of their own. Why not apply common sense and busi- ness methods to the road problem, as it is matter which is becoming more i'm portant every year? We spend great deal of money every season on our roads bridges etc. and what do we get? Drive over the roads and answer the question yourself. Do you think we get the re- suits we should get for the money ex- pended? It is not my desire that these remarks be understood as a reflection in any way upon the honesty or good h. tentions of those who have now, or have had, charge of our roads. My claim is. that our system of working roads is a very bad one and should be abandoned at once and forever. This is a matter, MT. Taxpayer, i'll which you are, or should be, vitally interested. What