Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1922-12-14
WHY ANNExATIoNa
What Benefits Win Accrue to the City
of Milwaukee?

economic problems which must be con
sidered from every possible angle, The
reasons given most publicity are that,
with one government effective
throughout Milwaukee County and
City. the management of the territory
affected might be more economically
administered. This is theory. What
Of its practical side?
Ii you are asked to become one of
many shareholders in commercial or
Industrial enterprise needing added
capitol for enlarCing its activities,
your first and final inquiry win be
directed to the question of previous
success. Are its affairs conducted ON
a sane and profit producing basis? Is
the management in the hands of trust
worthy Jnen? Do past performances
justify a belief in future success? Ii
the answer is "Yes" and we have the
money TO invest we say Lets go"
If No. we speedily forget the matter.
Put this test to the proposition of
the City of Wauwatosa joining a part
nership with the City Of Milwaukee
and the answer will certainly be in the
negative. Not because Milwaukee is
among the least desirable of our big
cities; bat, because it is a big city,
there are so many ways for its pan
agement to go wrong, we just don't
want to take the chance.
Its political complexion may changS
for the worge al any spring election.
Its educational program does not
please us now and it may grow worse
instead Of better; while in Wauwatosa
the affairs of the community are in
our own hands, and we are most OF
us satisfied that the money we pay
in taxes is carefully and intelligently
used.
The claim is made by some of the
Milwaukee advocates of annexation
that the city is becoming cramped foI
room to take care of the material In
dustrial expansion necessary Co de-
yelop the city. This may be true, but
a casual inspection of the map of Mil-
waulSee County viii be most enlighten-
ing to those who merely take the say
lso Of shrewd newspaper writer's, who
delight ii throwing mp i smoke screen
to hide real action. After you have
looked at this map-~found the Nil
waukee city limits on the west, ask
yourself this question, "Why the
ragged, jagged boundary line? Why
doesn't the city look to its own physi-
cal contour before it reaches out to
gobble up cities which are now definite,
self-governed units in themselves, in
stead of trying to make itself look
more like an overgrown village than 1t
now does?"
If it is the honest desire of the an
nexionist to give Milwaukee chance
to expand, why not extend the West
limits to the Hawley road or to the
East limits of Wauwatosa and West
Alhs; North to the southern boundary
Of North Milwaukee; South to the north
line of South Milwaukee; leaving the
City of Cudahy as it is, unless the
people of that city desire to help swell
the Milwaukee city population without
getting anything in return for their
sacrifice.
At the present time the northern
limits of Milwaukee city (wcst Of the
Milwaukee river) extend half mile
north of the southern limits Of Shore
wood. This squaring up Of the Mil
waukee city limits would add a vast
area Of residence, business and manu-.
featuring territory to the city and give
it a chance to build out in three direc-
tons. When the territory mentioned
is built up, and the City of Milwau-
kee and the surrounding cities become
in fact one thickly populated init
then and then only will a program
looking tcgarl metropolitan govern
ment be sgne and sensible proposi-
tion.
In the meantime those advocating
annexation should be careful to tell
the whole truth when discussing yari-
Gus phases Of the question. "a half
truth is worse than a lie" and we have
men who are supposed to be honest
telling us that Milwaukee County and
the State of Wisconsin are paying the
ertire cost Of the bridge now u
Z construction IN WauwaJosa, across the
I Menominee river. No one, so far as
have been able to discover, has told
I-of the fact that the City Of Wauwatosa
has paid $4,000 Of the county's share
/ for this work. That the actual county
money used on this job is Somewhere
around $4,000.
/ That the people Of Milwaukee City
will use this bridge vastly more than
will the citizens Of Wauwatosa Is
easily proven by observation on an5
Sunday afternoon when continuous
! line Of Milwaukee owned automobiles
pass through Wauwatoza from thc
west, using this thorouelfare because
for part Of its distance &c iss,sst, it Il
better than the Blue Mound road.
If Wauwatosa were to build val
around itself to keep the people Of Mil
waukee from using the public high
ways, there might be some reason 10
/ the Miiwaukpa ciffzan who claims 4,