NORTH SHORE BREEZE 
MANCHESTER, MASS., FRIDAY, MARCH 5, 1909. 
RANDOM THOGHTS. 
BY D. F. LAMSON. 
if NO. XXXIV. 
Looking out of the window over a 
landscape of many square miles on a 
snowy day, the thought came—how 
many things we have to be thankful for 
in our northern clime. A scene such 
as no tropic land furnishes, almost daily 
delights a New England eye when the 
snow lies deep on the ground, or, “‘an- 
nounced by all the trumpets of the sky,”’ 
goes whirling through the air. And the 
contrast between the cold without and 
the comfort within often adds zest to 
the enjoyment. 
And is not all life made up more or 
less of compensations? So nicely bal- 
anced are the forces of nature that we 
can hardly suffer an inconvenience with- 
out some corresponding advantage. 
Dwellers in city and country alike do 
well to think of this. What is lacking 
in one way is so often made up in an- 
other, that hardly any room is left for 
unfavorable comparison, for envy. or re- 
pining. But it needs some breadth of 
vision to see all that is to be seen. 
vw ow ww 
The gift of perspective and of values, 
also, does not seem to be given to all 
men; as, for instance, to legislators who 
cut down appropriations for greatly need- 
ed public improvements, or refuse to 
check the extravagant waste of forests 
that is menacing all our natural interests ; 
and at the same time vote millions for 
battleships which will ina few years go 
to the scrap heap, which impose an 
enormous burden for their maintenance, 
and which we do not need if we intend 
to keep the peace. 
vw ow ww 
With such an enormous debt, too, 
staring us in the face, it would seem to 
be time to call a halt in the growing 
tendency to augment on every hand the 
public expenses. An added danger in 
this direction, apart from all economic 
considerations, is that of making ofhce 
more and more a lure to that large and 
increasing class whose only idea «f serv- 
ing the country is that of feeding at the 
public crib. And this is a danger that 
threatens the small community as Well as 
the nation. | 
Ww Ww Ww Ww 
Let justice be done, though the heav- 
ens fall, as the old Roman proverb has 
it; but if justice is done, the heavens 
will not fall, they will become more ser- 
Continued to Page 15 
_ MANCHESTER TOWN MEETING 
Articles of Warrant, 72 in Nomber Disposed of in Record Time. 
$193,000 Appropriated. 
Manchester’s annual ‘Town Meeting 
the past week went through in record 
time. When the meeting adjourned 
Chairman Frep K. Swett, 
of the Board of Assessors. Elected Selectman. 
Wednesday night every one of the 75 
articles in the warrant had been acted 
. 
Wa cter R. BELL, 
Re-elected Selectman. Also Assessor for 3 years 
upon. With the exception of a few 
odds and ends, the business of the year 
had been disposed of. Appropriations 
amounting to over $193,000.00 had been 
made. 
‘The warrant this year, while it covered 
a lot of ground, had nothing of moment- 
ous import, such as an additional water 
supply, which has been before the town 
for the past three or four years. 
‘There was very little outside the rou- 
tine business expenditures called for. 
The proposition to build a $7000 bath- 
house at Singing Beach was not accepted 
by the voters, though it was voted to in- 
struct the commissioners to bring in plans 
for a $2000 building. 
It was voted to spend $3000 for dredg- 
ing the channel in the inner harbor, 
while the proposition to dredge a chan- 
nel to the pier at the Masconomo Park 
failed. 
The school appropriation, $23,000, 
was one of the largest. For highways 
$21,000 was appropriated, besides $5000 
more for concrete sidewalks. 
The selectmen were instructed to look 
into the matter of laying the dust on the 
streets, and also to look into the matter 
of purchasing a street brush, —something 
new for Manchester. 
The election Monday did not contain 
many surprises. Chairman Edward S. 
Knight was reelected to the board of se- 
lectmen, as was also Walter R. Bell. 
Fred K. Swett was returned to the board 
with a handsome vote,—321. This is 
one of the largest votes, if not the largest, 
ever given a selectman in Manchester. 
The voters evidently took occasion to 
repudiate their action of last year, when 
Mr. Swett failed election. 
Mr. Bell was re-elected a member of 
the board of assessors, in a three cor- 
nered fight, by a handsome majority. 
‘The result of the vote for school 
committee and for park commissioner 
was somewhat surprising. Mr. Reed’s 
margin over Mr. Beaton for the latter 
position was only four votes. Dr. 
Tyler's big vote for school committee 
was something to be proud of. 
Last year’s license vote was 260 no to 
182 yes,—a difference of 78. ‘This 
was cut down this year to the small mar- 
gin of 26, which showed that the no- 
license element was losing ground. 
Total Vote 1908, 470. 
