The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-12-17
BY ESTHER GRIFFIN WHITE.
This is a curious world.

This is a curious world.
And self interest is rampant.
But not quite as rampant as it has
been.
We're getting round to the humani-
ties.
Slowly and circuitiously.
But the day is coming when Wen
arrive.
And it's bound to come. You can't
sidestep or deny It. Whatever you
may or may not think of it, you'll have
to admit it.
Am | my brothers keeper"
Perhaps not wholly so-but in part,
yes. And we can't keep things going
as they are. We're going to have to
change our attitude.
This vaguely careened across the
mind of the writer yesterday morning
as she sat in that portion of the city
building that is apportioned Off by the
municipality to the Board of Public
Works
And listened to the vaporings of
those who were for and against the
opening of South Seventh street
However this latter statement must
be modified.
No one is against the opening Of
South Seventh street.
But one or two against the way it's
going to be opened.
The matter of the Harmon Swicker
damages has been brought up here be-
fore.
And it is brought up again.
Since it has assumed the proper
lions of municipal problem and
many people are interested in it who
do not know Mr.. Swicker or exactly
understand his position.
The fact is that no matter how they
ballywhack around, the old man is get
ting a dirty deal from the city.
And the present city officials are not
altogether to blame for 1t.
Because they are more the victims
Of a system than its originators.
But there can be no doubt about ii
Mr.. Harmon Swicker is getting the
worst end of 1t.
And Mr.. Swicker is honest.
He's also shrewd.
You can't fool him.
He's being homswoggled out of his
property unfairly and he knows it.
SO does everybody else.
Mr.. Swicker is not against the open
ing Of South Seventh street.
In fact he has distinctly stated that
he Is not.
But the amount of compensation he
receives from the city is not common
surate with the damages he sustains.
The board of works room was filled
with those living in that end of town
who want the street opened and think
Mr.. Swicker-or say they thinks be
ing adequately compensated by the
city.
The scene reminded the writer of 6
hunted animal in corner surrounded
by a pack of dogs.
Ready to jump on the former anG
crunch its bones.
home.
The other people say-sell it. Lee
him sell it. We've made him goot
offer.
But perhaps an old man and his wife
who have lived in the same house fol
thirty-three years want to keep on liv
ing in it.
The individual has some rights tina
the municipality is bound to respect.
However this is the more sentimen
tai aspect of the question.
One of the property owners wht
wants the street cut through said /
was "bosh."
There are certain varieties of "bosh
however that make the world habita
BILE.
This is one of them.
The balance of the mans propert,
will not be benefited sufficiently b,
the opening of the street to repay hin
for the amount lost by that which tn
city will take over.
Mr.. Swicker is public spirited cit
izen and the first president of tn,
South Side Improvement Association
He has not, as his opponents affirm
any other money save that represent
ed by this property.
He has no funds invested.