Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-05-28
LETTERS FROM THEPEoaE.
Another Protest From ID. f. Kelly.
70 the Editor of the DEMOCRAT:

Another Protest From ID. F. Kelly.
To. the Editor of the DEMOCRAT:
Sir:-As citizen and taxpayer of Wa
terbury and of which is my native town.
ship, please allow me space in your
paper not to in any ways seeking noto-
riety or wanting to at times to see my
name in print, but to defend in my hum
BILE way my interests and rights as citi-
zen and taxpayer. First allow me to differ
with your report of the town meeting of
25th inst, as you state in your issue of
26th, that an appropriation of $1O, 900 was
unanimously voted, without debate. Such,
Mr. Editor is unjustly untrue, but had you
put it, correctly that debate by humble
citizens would not be allowed you would
be putting 1t quite light, as desired in
my humble way to question the advisa-
bility and wanted to present the following
argument, but was confronted with
groans and Kisses and was compelled to
take my seat, but by the courtesy of the
chairman he succeeded in giving me the
floor again, but I, fully understanding the
temperature of the meeting, that when his
honor, the mayor, was jeered at it was
useless for me to try to oppose said reso-
luton.
Now the question comes, did I want to
oppose said resolution in the the face of
the circumstances, with SO many out of
employment and clamoring for work?
Yes, I wanted to oppose said resolution
and justly So when you take into con-
sideration the way the taxpayers is being
imposed on. But before going into Ire-
senting my argument of facts of the situa-
ton of how the taxpayers is being I'M
posed on allow me to state right here that
a portion of this army of unemployed has
my sincere sympathy, but the majority OF
them should in my judgment amend their
ways both in sobriety and clear thought,
not to be too ready to being used as cats
paws in dumping their own welfare and
the welfare of others, therefore, I felt
there was two very interesting questions
disposed of without the fullest considera-
ton at that town meeting, said questions
being the unemployed on one hand and
the taxpayers on the other. Well what
do we find. We find the unemployed,
which is the real taxpayer, going without
the first sight of his brother taxpayer, the
poor fellow who has, I might say, the mis-
fortune of owning a little home and who is
by every thought and energy trying to
mountain that little home, paying already
a very large tax. Then the large mortgage
has got to be met and with a reduction of
wages and short hours of labor he will in
the near future be compelled to hand over
to the MORTGAGE that which he through
sobriety and energy had him get, but by
the unwise consideration of his brother,
the unemployed taxpayer, he loses ALL
therefore, I claim there should have been
considerations and some sacrifices made,
instead of the poor property holder paying
the fiddler all times. Then again you take
into consideration the amount of money
the taxpayers are expanding for water,
sewerage, paving and public Improvements
in general, where I think I will not ex-
aggerate if 1 should put it an expenditure
of 81, 500, 900 for outside labor in Water
bury and vicinity this present summer,
and then to think OF it, people clamoring
for work and the taxpayer having to be
taxed more. I trust all thinking people
will consider the amount of an outlay that
is being made, and of where and who is
getting and doing the work.
I would say as being very unjustly criti-
cised for being an advocate of labor and
trying to oppose the appropriation as 1
was told when coming out of the hall that
evening THAT l was nice labor man; that
1 should have made it $500 instead of
troing to reduce it to SIS, OO0). Now, in
answer to this question which seems very
I would say that had such
men that speaks like the one that addressed
me as above, tried as hard as [ do for
humanity there would not need of all this
now. 1 have time after
time had sent to the proper officials from
labor resolutions asking that
home labor be employed and said organ
lied labor has always been ignored but
you bet the ones that ignored a fair propo-
sition won't get my suffrage to do it again.
Had the voters that is clamoring for work
now practiced this the officials would not
be continuing their cause on their award
ing your work to outside contractors, with
out considering your interest.
So I would ask for us all to continue to
study these matters not only at town meet
ings, but all along the line, and then pro-
badly we can be lenient to hear opinions.
Now a word if be permitted space to ask
what causes unemployment I will answer
that there is many reasons, but fearing
that am wanting too much space I will
briefly note one-that one is high taxation.
You will ask can that be. Follow me and
will try to explain. Say we 60 back five
years. In that five years | will ask how
many industries have moved out of Water
curry and located in other places? Will
his cause unemployment? Well then come
;urther, you remember about the same
OeFlOu DICK we OISdulAeu d OodIu VI tIdu0
n our city as their were several Industries
wishing sites in Waterbury and as they |
were not anybody that would give the de-
sired information this board was insti-
uted Well, what was the result? 1t was |
his. When a company was seeking quar- |
ers the first question asked was what is |
he taxes of your city, and when told, they |
would say they would take into considera- |
ion and they have had it into considera-
ion ever since and will continue.
But will close by saying that had my |
lesire been accomplished by the last town
Meeting it would be to put the places that |
re in a dangerous condition in safe con-
lition at very nominal expense and If
rou acquaint yourselves with the way your
money is handled you will make the first
Dad straight before you travel too far.
Please apply this test. The standard by
which all matters must be measured is the
luty of the individual to himself, so as to
Use his own resources as tC cause him to
cquire the greatest good in character and
n property. Having established this
tandard all economic teachings must be
ested by it. All measures must be
ounded on honesty, intelligence and JUS
ice. Therefore, before voting for any
person these questions must be answered:
s he the best of which he is capable of
,eing? Has he m" de and is he making |
he best possible use of his own resources
power to work, honesty, intelligence,
diligence, judgment, power to save, ard |
ime? D. F. KELLY.
CONNECTICUT INDUSTRIES.