Morning journal and courier., 1888-05-10
THREE COMPARTMENTS IN ONE.

of Seven to Report Elan for One system Of Taxation for City, Town and school D1strIcts-P0liticaI Heal. Ousies Ruled Out.
 The Chamber of Commerce held meeting by adjournment last evening to further dis
 cuss the expediency of consolidating the town | and city governments, and making local
 government for New Haven so comprenen- | sive as to have but one taxing power for the
 town, school district and city. The question
 also involves one as to whether the powers of the Mayor should be increased.
 Ex-Judge Joseph Sheldon offered the fol-
 lowing:
 Resolved, That the committee recommended to
 be raised by the committee on municipal Gaffairs
 the Mayor three to be appointed by the town agent
 board of education to consider and raport to the Court of Common Council within = weeks upon A motion was made to eonfine all speeches within ten minutes of time.
 To this James Reynolds, the town agent, ! objected. He said that to his mind this was ! an important matter, and to limit speeches to ten minutes each would be to establish cloture and force upon the chamber the pre- vious question. The more light which could
 be thrown upon the subject the better for all | concerned.
 ! Sald MT. heynolds: Ut Is only two or | three years since this matter was discussed | before the legislature of the State. The | arguments then made have not been forgotten. | It would be we'll that everything said there l three years ego should be read before this ! chamber should act. I can place on your table the literature of three years ago upon | this subject, and the more fully we under stand this matter now the better it will be for the future common welfare.'
 MT. Sheldon said this was not a discussion | upon the main question of consolidation. He assured the meeting that it was only preliminary movement to see whether com ! mittee of investigation should be formed. Mir. Charles Kleiner explained the position \ of his committee in making the original report referring the appointment of a com | mittee of inquiry to the Mayor. Hobart l.. Hotchkiss plainly intimated that
 the action might be so taken as to in fact amount to discussion of consolidation A number of members of the chamber spoke, the question being on conRning the \ debate to the ten minute limit. Ex-Selectmsn Beecher objected to ten | minute limit for the debate.
 John c. Gallagher said there ought to be no limit to the debate
 Ex-Judge Sheldon said he concurred in the sentiment. The question now was whether there should be a discussion of the main matter now.
 George Sherman spoke for the limitation A vote was taken and the ten-minute limit was voted down.
 The question now came up on Mir. Shell \ don's amendment.
 Major Strong asked if the amendment in. | cluded the chance for an appointment on the committee of delegate from the Westville school district
 Ex-Judge Sheldon said that should the 4 committee be appointed in the way suggest cd it could be instructed.
 Major Strong said that if this chamber \ could not agree upon the appointment of a
 committee they could refer the matter to the | two political parties. This looked like in- trod1cing politics into this chamber MT. Reynolds said that it looked like put ting this chamber in humiliating position. It would be better for this chamber to ap- point its own committee instead of going to Hartford and publishing to the world that we are having quarrel here. Let the com mittee of this chamber first formulate plan for consolidation and arrive at our own con clusions here before going to Hartford and airing our troubles there. N W. s. Beecher spoke for Westville repre- sentative on the committee.
 MT. J. 0. Gallagher advocated the appoint ment of 0 committee by the common coun- oil. The local government here was very good, but the form of government was very
 bad. Should the committee be appointed as recommended by the committee of the cham Der, the whole question of local govern
  the need of going to Hartford. Everybody could be heard here at home. Should the committee make biased report no harm could result, for there were able enough men in this chamber to detect any one-sided or pre- judiced report Mayor York could be trust ed to pick out fair members of the commis- sion. This movement does not bind the chamber.
 Mr Hotchkiss-When it comes down to
 having the Mayor appoint our judges it is all fair Ironically, but when it comes to having Wsstville man on the committee it be- comes, as Judge Sheldon says, ridiculous" This chamber ought never to agitate this question. Captain Townshend [emphatically) )-"No." ."
 Ar. Hotchkiss: There are realsreasens why this matter has been brought before this I chamber, which gentlemen will not tell.
 General cry-''Tell them, tell them" l i, Mir. Kleiner This is not a proper way to I treat this question. Why should Westvills I come down from West Rock and appoint this l commission
 MT. Beecher: It never ought to be here.
 Two or three voices: "That is true"
 MT. Reiner: Mayor York will go out of | office long before the question of uniting the l three governments in one is settled, therefore | he cannot be affected.
 MT. Bsecher: It seems if you were ask I ing us to . dinner that we sould not stomach. | Why should you do iti
 Ex-Mayor H. G. Lewis-It seems to me that the debate has run into the wrong way. This ia no new subject. It is covered with ! difficulties There should be some mode for | discovering what is best for the city. AS an abstract principle our local government l should not have three heads Each depart I ment-school, town and city-thinks 1t is I as earnest for economy and good government | as either of the others. One board of men | having public veal in view can do better | than to have three powers of taxation. | suggest that the president of this chamber | be intrusted with the a@pointment of com ! mittee. Then let them report @ good plan \ and this chamber can act. To-day we have | no equities. What these are there is a way | to find out Now with a committee repre- | senting the three interests they will | sit around the table and whirl it around. | When Westvi1le and the Annex grow they ought to belong to the city, but they ought ! not to be taxed for fire and police depart ments which they do not want. We are all \ here in the interest of the growth of New Haven. Party has nothing to do with it. | This is not political club and don't want to see it turned into one. would have the committee report to the chamber and then the chamber can act.
 Mir. Sheldon offered to withdraw his to the report of the committee.
 Charles W. Beeeher spoke upon the topic.
 The amendment was withdrawn and the A~NSAAAAA~A~~AA@6 ment by the Mayor and common council of @ committee to consider and report upon the subject of consolidation was passed.
 James P. Pigott preferred that President Dewell should appoint the committee, they ! to report to this chamber. The appointment would have more influence than if made by Mayor York.
 The discussion now took range covering Cne old quarrel about taking in the Annex into the city, Captain Townshend saying it was an outrageous thing to take the Annex into the city to be governed by mayor or council.
 John T. Sloan--I will use my efforts to make the government of the city the govern ment of the town.
 Ex-Judge Sheldon presented resolution with @ number of propositions opening up the whole question of consolidation.
 c. L. Baldwin said the recommendations as made by the committee of this chamber were made without political bias. The in tentions of the committee had been to give the appointment of the committee to the Mayor, who had fair and judicial mind. Ought not, therefore, this committees re- port to be adoptedi This chamber is not made