Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-02-06
\ FIGHT FOR RIGHT

| The republican members of the court of
common council made a ridiculous exhibit
ton of themselves last night 1t was a
game of bluff, pure and simple, but it did
not work. The attempt of the upper
chamber to ignore the fire board and elect
chief engineer was the most high
| handed proceeding introduced into local
politics FOR many IA day. 1t was Il deliber-
ate insult to the fire commissioners and
| tia men whose jud. ment was blinded by
partisan zeal received a merited rebuke
from Mayor Kilduff. They were in for a
Burpee stated that the council had moth
ing to do with the appointment of a chief
engineer In the lower chamber, also, n
farce was enacted. One democratic mem
Der was absent from the city. giving the
republicans working ma ority, and they
were in high feather over the prospects of
br, aking the deadlock over the--election of
| road commissioner. The democrats
however, decided not to meet until their
full number was present and left the
chamber. Then the great republican
minds devised a scheme that was born of
dcSpt ration. Five men signed a warrant
ordering the city sheriff to arrest and
hiring into the meeting the abSentees
Fortunately the sheriff failed to
find the democratic members or the mat
ter might have proved serious. 1t was
| clearly Illegal for few individual mem
b,rS OF the council to take such action.
The republican members did not consti-
tutr legal quorum and could transact no
business. The queer part of the proceed
ing is that the city attorney should be a
party to such action.
The republicans have only themselves
to blame for the condition ofaffairs. While
preaching the doctrine of nom partisanship
they have always. when in power, grabbed
everything in sight and sighed for more
With two republican members of the board
of road commissioners they are not salts
fed. The democrats only ask for equal
representation, which is denied, result
ing in the deadlock. This is really the
| ~ ~ INT "IOIt SlluhllOA ne Vacancy
on the road board belongs to a democrat
| Ii tn" republicans Cuucrdr this point all
may be well; if they refuse it will be a
| fight II "A finish
There Is really no cause for the hubbub
| over the action of the board of fire COM
miSoioners. ItIs not necessary for any
body to lose sleep because Samuel C.
SnnGg is taking a vacation. He has often
done so before. Once, we remember, Mr.
Snagg nbsented himself from the city for
several months because he thought a
| proper valuation hpd not been placed
upon his services Last summer he en-
| joyed a two weeks vacation. The world
moved just the same In both cases Mr.
Snagg is only ordinary mortal, like the
rest of US, and his temporary, or even per-
manent, retirement would hardly be
noticed. He has been SO petted and pam
pered that the action of the board must
have been a cruel shock. But this is a
practical world. The vote of the board
| of fire commissioners was perfectly
proper. They did not see fit to elect
chief and adjourned for four days, placing
at the head of the department a man who
has had twenty-one years experience.
This was not an unusual proceeding. The
| action of the aldermen, however, in inter-
ferlng with the fire board, was without
precedent.
The DEMOCRAT heartily commends the
action of the fire board and the democrats
of the court of common council. 1t Is
fight for principle