HomeMy WebLinkAbout2581 Circular letter, Selectmen of Beverly and other towns to Selectmen of Lexington concerning legislation for the creation of "club towns," no date but presumed 1891 Dear Sir, --
A petition is now pending before the legislature
engineered presumably by wealthy men in different portions of
the state , who desire the establishment of club towns wherein
they can set themselves apart and escape their just share of
the public burdens . The creation of these club towns has
been repeatedly and persistently refused by successive legis—
latures , and the effort, is therefore being made to obtain by
a general law exactly what has been refused in each individ—
ual case.
It has - been the general policy of the Commonwealth hith—
erto to decide questions of annexation and division in accord—
ance with the wishes of the cities and towns concerned, and
we believe that your town, like all others , would probably
oppose the legislation proposed.
The time of the legislature is wasted and the Common—
wealth and the towns concerned have been put to great expense
in consequence of the repeated have
to secure the creation
of the club towns , and an amendment to the constitution was
proposed last winter by Mr. Elihu B. Hayes of Lynn, the father
of the Australian Ballot Law and many other good movements ,
to relieve both the state and the towns by requiring that a,
petition for the division of a town should be first endorsed
by a vote of the town concerned before it could be considered
by the legislature , exactly as is now required by the second
amendment of the constitution in the case of the creation of
cities .
You can materially help this reform and aid in frustrat—
ing the projects of the advocates of club towns if you will
secure the signatures of your own town officers to the en—
closed petition. The office should be stated after the signa-
ture. If the petition is returned in the enclosed envelope
it will be duly presented, but it would be better to send it
to your own senator or representative and to enlist the active
aid of both in such ways -as you may think advisable.
The matter requires serious attention for the reason
that those who are seeking the incorporation of these club
towns have money in abundance and they have shown in tires
past they they are not over scrupulous as to its lavish ex—.
penditure to influence legislation.
Yours truly ,
IF NOT DELIVERED IN TEN DAYS, - -
RETURN TO -
T.HEODORE C. BATES,
NORTH BROOKFIELD, MASS.
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