2581 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

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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 ,