Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-05-04
JUST AS WE SAID.

The Self Cons .ituted Charter Commit
 tee Forced to Show Their Hand and
 What the Democrat Said is Only Too
 True.
 A DEMOCRAT reporter received an apol- ogy from prominent citizen this morning in reference to a difference of opinion as to the truth of an article printed in these columns the other evening relative to some of the amendments to the proposed new charter. The man had stated that he did not place any faith in the statement to the effect that this self constituted com mittee intended to take the election of the board of education out of the hands of the people and hinted that the scribe's infor- mant must have been giving bluff. "Why," said he. "a bill to disfranchise the women voters was killed in committee and no sane man would believe that any measure having the same end in view would be brought up before the same body. In any case such a proceeding would be unconstitutional. It would deprive every woman in Waterbury of the use of the bal | lot at school elections, aud 1 feel quite certain that the members of the legislature | will not be a party to such an act of un- | fairness" He thought, too, that no body of citizens could be found who would try to force such measure upon the people. | The reporter answered that the infor- | nation had been obtained from a man of unquestioned veracity and that the DEMO- GRAF was fully informed on the matter before 1t was given to the public. Even then he was doubtful. To-day he took a different view of the situation and was profuse with apologies He pronounced it the most diabolical scheme ever attempt ed by any body of citizens and declared that he knew that the whole people, men and women, would rise en masse and petition the legislature to save them from these political tricksters.
 The original committee did not believe in meddling with the board of educa- tion and left it in the hands of the people with even more powers than it had before. No public citizen, no mat ter what his political belief, believed in dragging this board into politics Such men as E. A. Smith, Ex Mayor Parsons and several others whose opinions the DEMOCRAT has given to the public. be, lieved in lifting this board as far as possi. ble from the domain of politics, but few men, ,actuated by motives unworthy of men of honest minds, ignoring the opinion oi the charter committee and that of every other man who has been heard upon this matter, cooly goes to work and drags that board into the political arena by asking that they be appointed by a board of al. dermen. which, according to the new regime, is sure to be overwhelmingly repub lican. It is the boldest scheme known iT local politics and it behooves the people oi the town and city to be on their guard and see that their rights are not snatched from them without at least stubborn fight. The DEMOCRAT has lost no Oppor
 tunity to keep the public aware of what
 was about to take place, and indeed, Vt have it from reliable authority, that but fol the expose in these columns the amend , ments to the charter would have beer kept under lock and key until the day se
 for a hearing before the legislative com mittee. The advice given 10 the schoo and town officials a few days ago, to ge together, still holds good.