Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1922-12-07
NJ A Y o r H A Ms ON o N
ANNEXATION

1Ile milwaukee, journal has been
running a series of articles on Annexa-
tion and has invited the Mayors Of
Milwaukee's suburbs to give their
opinion on why they should or should
not come into the City of Milwaukee.
Our Mayors answer follows:
You have asked for an expression
OF opinion giving reasons why Wau-
Watosa opposes annexation.
There is such a thing as people low
ing their city and its independence,
Just as you love your city and native
land. You would understand our
reasons more readily if you were a
citizen here and realized how intensely
interested our citizens are in their
city; how loyal they are in backing
every worth while movement and how
they display on every occasion a COM
r1lnity spirit the like of which Is not
found in any other city in the United
States.
WauWatosa is growing more rapidly
than any suburban city in Wisconsin.
People are coming hers from all parts
OF the country; the greatest number
from Milwaukee, and when questioned
as to why they picked Wauwatosa, in
variably the reply is: eve like the
home-like conditions, splendid new
schools, healthy atmosphere, the good
water, beautiful streets and the ex-
cellent service given by every depart
ment of this city that serves the pub
lic." In all of us, away down in our
hearts, we must admit that we appre-
ciate knowing our neighbors and in
knowing personally the officials who
handle city affairs. One hears every
day that there is great satisfaction
in being able to exercise control over
municipal affairs and get "what we
want when we want it, rather than
be, perhaps a ward or a part of an
outlying ward of the City of Milwau-
kee, awaiting the pleasure Of the City
Fathers there, whom but few of us
know, personally, and many of US will
never know.
The first settlers arrived here in
1887. THIS city was first peopled by
New Englanders, who laid down the
principles of good government and
this same policy of administering
municipal affairs has been rigidly adj
hered to. We have a beautiful city,
of which our citizens are intensely
proud and they naturally want to pre-
serve its identity and live out their
existence in the way we are now
doing.
Many speakers of note from Mil
waukee, cities in the East, as well as
the West, have been here; looked over
the situt tion, and no matter what their
subject has been, they have always
given as their opinion that this city
should remain Wauwatosa. / have
talked personally with many leading
men in Milwaukee, men occupying
high public office, who while not wish
ing to be quoted, have, nevertheless,
freely stated that if they lived here
and bad anything to say about Wau-
watosa, they would take a firm stand,
the same soand we have taken.
There is no one here who wishes to
see Milwaukee ha1npered in its devel-
opment. 1t is now and always will be
great city. There is no question
that great deal of territory contigu-
Gus to Milwaukee's borders should be
and viii become part of the City of
Milwaukee, but that does not mean
that this city should be forced un-
willingly to become part of the City
Of Milwaukee.
Much has been said and written
about Milwaukee paying s. per cent
of the money used for county roads,
bridges and other county expenditures.
This argument does not mean very
much. It can be applied to any
county in this or other states which
happens to have a metropolis within
its borders. One might ask, "Who
uses the county roads and bridges the
most?" Isn't il a fact that thousands
ard thousands Of Milwaukee owned
machines are constant users OF the
county highways, daily and Sunday,
and would anyone in his right mind,
ask for return Of the old-time con-