Evening journal., 1912-03-30
SATURDAY, MAR. 30, 1911
AGITATION AND MISREPRESENTATION.


g CORES of letters received by General T. Coleman
- DUPONT and being made public through the
columns Of THE EVENING JOURNAL show how shame
fully the DUPONT Boulevard situation has been misrep
resented by those who endeavorng to defeat that
magnificent ad-buildng project. There arc in this
State many thousands OF substantial thinking citizens
who Of the opinion that greater blessing could
come to our commonwealth than the great public thor
oughfare which General DUPONT proposes build and
give to the people. With absolute confidence we ven
the statement that if the question whether the
boulevard should be built along the lines and under the
conditions proposed by General dupont submitted
be participated in by the voters in the State
large the result would be ten to one in it's favor
1t is unfortunate that such debased campaign Of
misrepresentation and small politics has been inaugu-
rated against great private beneacton What makes
N douby unfortunate is that few of those who
gagged Ia the campaign OF abuse and misrepresentation
have anything for their State that amounts TO
anything The attack the S2O0O000 gift 10 the peo-
pie proposed by General DUPONT and the ground
less nsinuations that the motives underlying the gift
are unworthy Of the gver and would prove harmful to
the people as a rule from persons who either
do not understand the situation who do understand
ii and yet maliciousy msrepresent it.
The truth Of the matter is that General dupont de-
sired do something nice for the people of Delaware
Just other wealthy have done nice things for
other communities in which they have patriotic or
public-spirited interest He looked about him
what he might do that would be benefit to the entire
First glance told him that there is nothing the
commonwealth needs more than a comprehensive good
roads system. He decided to devote S2O00000 of his
private fortune to building great trunk line extending
from the Pennsylvania boundary the North TO the
upper part of Sussex county and thence down to the
Maryland line trunk roads, serving tho eastorly
the westerly sections of Sussex county The roa-
for planning two roads in Sussex that that
county is much wider than either New Castle Kent
county.
When General DUPONT had decided what he wished to
do he about the prelimnaries in busness-like
way. Public interest was aroused legislation was OBJ
tanned, surveys made many consents were obtain
Cd and then the real trouble encountered. Small
fry politicians and lawyers began working up oppos
on along line and the fears, cupidy and prejudice
property played upon by those who ha,
defeat the philanthropic project. II no
before the effect of that campaign felt Oppo
son tho boulevard developed in several places il
others exorbtant prices asked for the right o
way There even instances IN which hod-ups were
attempted. The property were advised by al
active force agitators disregard all benefits ha
would arise from the construction Of the boulevard
demand excessive compensation for real or imagined
damage. and in short to get their arms up to The
elbows in General duPonts pocket If the giver O
the boulevard should refuse TO give many of inc
property owners were advised to resort to the courts
and block che construction work.
Those agitators knew that when they played on Tho
fear cupidy and prejudice Of property owners the,
were striking chords which ring strong in mos
natures The result of it all was that General DUPONT
found himself up against unlookedfor situation viii
which he must deal in practical and common-sens'
way. Tho original act allowed damages to property
but made provision for deductions from
such damages for benefits accrung 20 property from
construction of the boulevard. In all enlightened com
munities today damages and benefits go hand-n-hanc
in the working out of great public improvements. The
agiators knew that they concealed it and worked
up opposition to the boulevard grounds that alb
soluely untenable
Being fully cognizant of the laws delay, and wshnl
TO give TO the public quickly possible the beneh
OF the operation Of the great roadway General duPon
proposed that the law be amended land at dis
puted points that might needed for the boulevard
could be taken and used the questions OF damag
and benefits adjusted subsequently, That is in no sens
new proposition. and yet the agitators seized upo
1t and made the of it in ntensfying the opposo
among property owners directly affected
And the agitation against the boulevard has gou
until it has reached point that ridiculous I
il Is unfortunate. We feel sure that when the wave
agitation has reached its height and begins