Norwich bulletin., 1911-03-22

Mr.. Editor: In looking backward to
the beautiful flow of oratory by our
mayor in 1901, which was fed to us
plain people, Of our condition and
what we might expect in the future,
listen: Divine Providence, upon whom
the most of our shortcomings are cast,
is not chargeable with our s1oth. The
sun continues to shine upon us, our
just share of rain still falls upon our
watersheds. the natural highway to the
sea remains open, no plague, famine
or other great disaster properly class
city to diminish either it's population
or it's property.
Tn looking back over the city's path
across the century / fail to discover
where nature has placed any obstruc-
ton to municipal progress unless the
figures here presented constitute an
exception to the old adage that figures
do not lie. Must we not admit that
there is something wrong with Nor
witch; and il we arrive at this conclu-
sion. what is our duty? lis it to pat
each other on the back. to keep hidden
from the people their real situation
and continue on in the present course
towards sure decay? Or should we
look the situation fairly in the face,
seek out the cause of the dry rot that
has struck the city and make an effort
at regeneration?
l.
horn of prosperity unless we are pros
porous We shall never grow great
upon false pretenses. We may with
truth herald to the world that a lot of
ground in Norwich twelve feet by
twenty feet in size recently sold for
$500; but when we state the further
fact that this was a lot in the Yantic
cemetery it indicates no real estate
BOOM
Some more: "The city should be at
tractive to the stranger not merely for
his sake, but because every traveller
gives voice to his Impressions of a
community, whithersoever ne goes. He
should feel that the people are Hospital
-ble, that they are enterprising, that
the city is growing and to become
great. If the story he is to tell is to
attract people to us, he should be able
to say that ehe has visited not only a
beautiful city but a city wherein the
first things needful If we are to go
forward is the honest reassessment of
taxable property to the end that those
who have to toll and save and deny
themselves in order to pay. their taxes
shall not continue to pay more than
their just proportion of the expense of
governing themselves
After ten years of government by
our present mayor, how much of the
dry rot has given way to good sound
business policy? And how much more
has real estate doomed? 1t il without
a doubt real estate has been reassessed
and none know it better than the plain
people whom Lincoln loved so WELL
How about taxes? Are you toiling or
saving any less to pay them than you
were in 1901?
What about the stranger? What is
he saying?.
II what the writer has heard is any
criterion to go by, they are not carry
ing away any bouquets with them, and
one remarked The wanted to get out Of
town before he got dry. az ne did not
want to carry any colon bacili with
him"
told him not to get scared. as those
of lis who were not in Yantic ceme-
terry had been drinking colon bacili
from the IaPierre farm and Fairview
watershed pastures Tor the last forty
years. but they were not as large a.
the Trading cove brook colon bacili
and not to worry until the pumps were
started.
But. never mind; close my eyes
and try to imagine that the gentle
zephyrs that flowed from our mayor in
1901 we're warming tho cookies of my
heart at that time; but when / get my
tax and electric and gas bills and ~
70 drink city watsr. the gentle xephy1
fodq and II gives me = chill to tAinH