The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1916-06-29
LAMBERTVILLE
GOVERNMENT
Dear Editor

Dear Editor
Before l can proceed with a discus
sion of the merits of commission gov
eminent | find that unfortunately |
shall have to stop and issue word of
warning against some of the methods
that few people are using to defeat
the movement. Whenever any move
ment is started looking toward the
welfare of the community, the vicious,
the selfish, and the suspicious imme-
diately begin to look for a motive, not
a good motive, of course, but bad
one. They look only for the motives
that prompt themselves in whatever
they undertake and they naturally
judge others by the venal rule they
prescribe to themselves. At the pres
ent time these self-constituted guar
dams of the town are going about
whispering suggestions that smack of
conspiracy and plot. 81 wonder what's
back of this? Surely there is some
thing. Why would he be giving his
time to a thing of this kind? He
wants something for himself or for
someone else" Some Republicans
have convinced themselves and are
busy trying to convince others that
the whole thing is scheme to restore
the Democrats to power, while at the
same time Democrats are saying that
it is the only hope the Republicans
have to keep control of the town, for
they are bound to become the minority
party again this fall The fact is all
these people are looking in the dark
for black hat that isn't there. AS
for myself | want to say that l have
but one interest in this matter and
that is the welfare of the town. The
people have referred to above won't
believe it, of course, but | can't help
that. That's their misfortune. They
are SO accustomed to measuring a
man by what he gets rather than by
what he gives that the idea of one Civ
ing something without getting or
wanting anything but better govern
ment in return is beyond their COM
prehension. When you stop and con-
slider that some of the strongest op-
ponents of commission government
are the very ones responsible for the
present condition of affairs, the very
ones who have made this movement
necessary, l think you will have to
agree that their solicitude for the fu-
ture happiness and prosperity of old
Lambertville is really fearful. If
those people had been faithful to their
trust thoy wouldn't be suffering such
discontinue now. Suppose | should
want something. What difference /?
Wouldn't the town get the benefits
just the same? 1t may be however
that the above mentioned patriots
think that | am not as competent as
they are to give the city good gov
ernmcnt. If that is the case of course
the people of Lambertville ought to
be put on their guard. But the fact is
| don't want anything. There isn't an
office in Lambertville that would for
cept it if it were rendered to me. |
am not ready yet to commit economic
suicide. But even if | were in posi-
ton where | could accept such an Of
flee l should never think of doing it.
IT would be highly improper for any
sperson who is interested in promoting
commission government to be seeking
an office, and l feel confident that l
am speaking for every one else who
is taking an affirmative stand in the
movement when l say this. When
selfishness prompts man to espouse
a cause ne can never DO justice to
either himself or the cause. But |
will go further and meet the man who
says he doesn't believe what l am
saying: if this thing goes through ]
advise every citizen not to vote fol
any person who has been instrumental
in bringing it to a successful issue
If some people wouldn't confuse the
system we want with the one they love
they wouldn't make themselves so ri
diculous. They must remember that
under commission government the
people can elect whom they please
and don't have to take the choice of
some back-parlor conference. These
people arc just as ridiculous when
they say am working for someone
else. Well, when l find any persons
are willing to make the sacrifices for