The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-06-11
LITTLE SAYINGS OF THOSE WHOSE MINDS
 ARE CHANGED

4AVSA " AOSA MAkNOS
 ARE ,CHANGEI
 Mayor Lee. before the Railroad
 Commissioners. Dec. 3: 1T will have
 to move out of Bridgeport if I ever
 favor the laying of spur tracks
 across Stratford avenue at the
 points in question"
 'sThe Post" in editorials of Dec.
 and 1. 1908: Tt is many years
 since Bridgeport has had such g.
 chief executive who can fight her
 battles with that pugnacious per
 aistency that is an invitation to
 victory itself"
 He (Mayor Lsee) has taken hold
 of this dispute in so business like a
 way that he is no doubt prepared
 upon every point-'
 ssSo far as the city was concerned
 1t might be just so much dirt which
 had to be removed in order to make
 way for the advancing (railroad)
 engineers
 ssIf the speaker represented the
 position of the Company ssss then
 that position does not take into the
 slightest consideration the welfare
 of Bridgeport in guarding against
 trafffc congestion"
 'sThe street car company asks to
 be allowed to lay spur tracks over
 two heavily travelled thoroughfares
 because that plan IS the most con-
 venient to them"
 The city insists that 1t will be a
 grave blunder to hamper travel in
 this way" <ssIt ought mot to be difficult for
 the commissioners to make a decis-
 ion in such a case. that, is if muni-
 cipalities have any rights which are worthy of consideratiop.''
 The street car company asked to
 be allowed to lay spur tracks over
 two heavily crowded thorough
 fcreS because that plan is at pres
 ent the most convenient for them. The city insists that it will be a
 grave blunder to hamper travel in not to be difficult for the commits
 sioners to make a. decision in such
 a case. that is if municipalities have any rights that are worthy of consideration.'f
 Thus, with emphasis, the Post, in its editorial of Dec. 4, 1908, anent the car And in the same editorial, this lan- guage: 50 far as the city is con- cerned 1t might be just so much dirt which had to be removed to make way for the advancing engineers" And in the same editorial occurs this paen of praise: 'It is many a year since Bridgeport has had such a chief executive who can fight her battle with the pugnacious persistency that Is an invitation to victory itself"
 The editorial from which the quo- taticns are taken was written a. few hours after the hearing upon the pro- posed invasion of Stratford avenue and Congress street had taken place before the Railroad Commissioners, Dec. 3, 1908.
 The New Haven road had applied for permission to establish it's death traps and the council, as yet unseen of those who make arguments that are never heard except by those to whom they to grant the petition The railroad company had appealed, and Mayor Lee, the unwhipt, well advertised champion of the people, had himself displaced the city attorney from his normal function in the city government to conduct the hearing himself.
 Those who read the extracts from the reports Of the proceedings before the commissioners, which were printed In the Farmer yesterday will remember sort of triumphal progress. He spoke to applause. His every retort was greeted with applause. The hand :lapping of the multitude who had come to see the city's David bestride the prostrate form of Goliah of the ,ailroad went away filled to the full. At no time was the applause so vo- sfferous. the crowd so well satisfied, IS when the Mayor said: '1 WILL HAVE TO MOVE OUT OF BRIDGE LAYING OF SPUR TRACKS ACROSS AVENUE AT THE POINT IN QUESTION
 This was the scene to which the en- husiastic Post, stirred to defend the ,ity from corporate aggression and hn so much dirt under the corporate eet, referred in its editorial.
 This is the scene to which the Post eferred when it wrote of a. chief exc .utive filled with ''pugnacious persis- ency that is an invitation to victory tself."
 And now the pugnacious municipal David apologies to Goliah for even laving thought of bringing his sling hot with him, and David's herald no ouger sings that others have slain heir tens and their hundreds. but Da- id his tens of thousands of railroad Mayor David now celebrates vic ory most gratifying to himself though he city's end of it is mostly mud, and he Post sings the praises of g. chief xecutive pugnacious enough to hreaten a Goliah, but too tender earted to kill him.
 With such a Mayor and such a news aper fortunate indeed is Bridgeport. lever will it's people be denied a dra- 1atic finale to the little dramas that re arranged for their benefit. to be dded to the Little Book of Dramas ,r People With Short Memories" The Mayor was not really David at II in that scene in City Hall. before he Railruad Commissioners. The rail- Dad was not Goliah. He who can lny but one part lacks versatility, -1 <11S ufnxor.[ fa n nxofeans arffaf of