Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-05-03
LET THE PEOPLE DECIDE
srhe Sehemers Who Are Trying to Rail- road the Charter Through the Legis- lnture are Digging Their Own POIiti- cal Graves.

It seems to be talriy evident that a | movement is under way to obtain for uSa charter revision whether We want it oI not Many of us are satisfied that our present system is not altogether success and that some changes are advisable and E even necessary. but it will take a pretty E thorough search to find man who does not find fault with the underhanded method which has been taken in present. ing the matter before the legislature. What do the public know about this pro posed instrument, anyhow? No one, with 1 the exception of a few who are inside the the circle, has any idea of what has been I presented to the committee at Hartford It is said that nearly hundred amend ments to the work of the charter commit | lee have been added, but as to what these are. our representatives at Hartford think { it best that we should remaiu ignorant un- | til 1t is too late for us to use any influence
 for or against them. Why is 1t they resort to this mysterious and underhanded way of doing business? If these amendments l are for the public interest. why are they
 locked in a safe and kept from the sight of | the taxpayers of this city? No legislator
 whose purposes are Honorable needs to hide from his constituents anything that is
 for their benefit, and our representatives at | Hartford will find that any resort to the | methods that are used only among trick l sters will meet nothing but disapproval | from republicans and democrats alike | The taxpayers of this city have a right to
 know what is going on at Hartford and it
 certainly will not be politically expedient
 for any man to conspire to keep them Tn | ignorance.
 Among the amendments, it is asserted | by prominent republican, there Is one that
 has for its aim the disfranchising of the of Wofarhnrr b,
 entitled to vote at school elections. It will | be remembered that one of our representa- | tiveS tried to take away from them this privilege but that lis bill IS somewhat un-
 Ceremonlously given over to the waste
 basket. Of course this indirect way ot gaining the same end will meet with his approval. The scheme Is to create four
 new wards outside the present city limits and allow one alderman to each. These, of course, will probably all be republicans,
 thus insuring a constant republican major
 ity in the board of aldermen; and then to
 have this board elect the board of educa- tion. Naturally, then. we should have a republican school board until the end of time.
 Now. no one objects to a republican
 board provided it Is fairly and honestly elected, but to bring about this end by any such grossly injust and partisan means as
 this will not meet with favor from any man
 who believes in fair play ana the rule of
 the majority. It is of course political
 move, pure and simple. and to an outsider appears unwise we'll as unjust, It is sald that one of our representatives is far sighted and acute enough to see this and that consequently his support of this amendment will not be very vigorous Such a course will be very difficult On' to follow, but Judge Cowell is doubtless shrewd enough to forsee the inveritable re- action that will follow any such partisan act and will try and escape the political ob- livion that will certainly descend upon the authors of it
 It is hard to see, outside of mere religi- ous prejudice, any reason for the opposi- ton that exists in many quart CTS to the board of education. Alth ough all their ac- tions have been under sharp srutiny and any mistake they might have made would have been eagerly seized upon for the sake of political capital. not a single action of theirs for many years has met with severe criticism. even by those who would have eagerly seized any opportunity. The re- publican and democratic members have worked together harmoniously; the strong est evidence of the fairness of the majority IS that for at least six of seven years no ac- tion has ever been taken by strictly party vote. 1nere IS no reason, AppaiSDtlN, Tor this departure from the former method of election, practically nullifying the state law. except the greediness ot certain re- publicans and their willingness to cater to an element which. to say the least. is mar TOW in its views The reputed author of this ingenious scheme IS a prominent city official. who surely Is not improving his chances of reelection to the place he now occupies, for success in which ke must de pend on democratic votes.
 But the control of the schools is not the only object aimed at. The men who are chiefly interested in this charter are plan ming for the building up of a machine ill this city which nothInp will be able to over- turn By the addition of four more wards the board of aldermen will be made per manently republican. By this board the city attorney, engineer. sheriff. board of finance and probably other officials will be elected and there you hnve everything in a nutshell. All the mayors appointments will be subject to the confirmation of the board of aldermen and no democratic mayor will be able to get hls appointments , confirmed except by a deal. How beauti- fully simple It all is. How enticlng IL must look to the professional politician Only let us get the clty offices as far be- yond the direct control of the taxpayers AS pOSSlDlc dIu lIen TUT tue rug anu tue machine. Is thIs what our representatives propose to give us?
 After all, there is only enc way to right ly settle the matter. Let the people have a chance 10 be heerd. Let the legislature draw up a just and equitable instrument and submit 1t to the voters. By their judgment let it stand or fall. Many are in favor of the proposed consolidation and a large body of influential citizens are op- posed. At any rate. no one with any sense of justice or right. approves any such pro- cess of railroadlng charter, for which We have not asked, through the legislature. and forcing it on us without our consent. Let the proposed changes be publicly dis cussed. and if the majority of the citizens of Waterbury approve the minority will submit, as in popular government they are bound to do. But one thing is certain. Any representative in the legislature who lends his influence or vote to any measure to force upon the city of Waterbury char ter against its wishes will dig his own po- htical grave. If he is self-sacrifcing enough to try and establish machine rule for his party in Waterbury at this cost to himself. he may do so, but he at least, no matter how great his present popularity. no matter how great his ability, will meet the fate that too often overtakes vaultipg ambition and be overwhelmed in political disaster.
 OBSERVER.