The daily morning journal and courier., 1895-04-23

|
 One gentleman said he was .n favor
 of this charter because he was q dom.
 ocratic politician. He was frank about
 it and admire his frankness. He has
 given you to understand just what he
 means. He was favorable 10 it just
 because 1t was favorable to his side. do not like this new charter that
 was presented by our friends, but they | felt that perhaps 1t was necessary.
 am in favor of town consolidation, but
 not city as proposed. Do not destroy 1 the town. I would sooner to-day we
 were under it, and would vote to-day
 ito consolidate on the old town basis.
 You cannot destroy the town govern
 ment. It is the selectmen of the towns that say who shall be voters It is the towns that send representatives to the | Legislature; the citizens, as such, do not send representatives. Do away with the mayor and the court of com
 mon council and make the president of the board of selectmen the chief officer
 as they do in Rhode Island; as they do in Europe.
 You have said that it would not in- crease in cost, but you have added sal
 aries and cost, and tell you, the people of New Haven do not like these sal
 aries. If they knew what consolida- tion really is, as proposed, if they knew 1t meant two governments, they would not like 1t. I will repeat, we would
 not be entitled to representatives in the
 general assembly. Cities do not send representatives, cities cannot make Vot-
 CTS, and there are many other things
 that make it necessary to retain the
 old government if you consolidate un-
 der a city charter.
 These towns are little republics in
 themselves; they are little powers in
 themselves; these little town govern
 ments, through their town representa-
 tives, create the city government, and
 the city only gets just such powers as
 the towns see fit to give 1t. I do not want to see the old towns destroyed, and you people who represent the towns do not want to see the towns destroyed.
 Some people have been working hard to get bill through the common coun- ell to present to you for your consider ation on another subject. It has been before the city council for a month, waiting to get the approval of one branch of the city. That one branch has not acted yet, the other has. The council will sit up all night and discuss whether the policeman at the burying ground shall be republican or demo- crat, but when it comes to getting their approval on a matter that is of some importance to the city, to wit, that of paving our streets, the bill makes slow headway under a city government.
 MT. Wilson-You have been giving us to understand that you do not favor a new charter. Are you satisfied with the charter you are living under?
 MT. Sperry-I should be perfectly sat- isfied with it, if the commissioners were elected by the people.
 o. Then you think it could be inn proved? A. It could be improved.
 Q. Do you think this charter submit ted by the city contains that improve ment? A. I do not believe that we | should have a one man power. I favor | the election of the commissioners by the | people.
 Mir. Goodhart-Assuming for a mo- | ment that one of these charters will be | by this committee, and | taking that portion which refers to con- what do you say as to the | fairness of submitting it to two ma jorities for adoption, first to the | council of the city, and sec- ond to that portion of the town which is outside of the city,
 MT. Sperry-I think it would be un- American to ask them to come in with out their voting whether they would or r t, Jv,o to J towns into the city unless they want to come.
 MT. Goodhart-By reason of their coming into the town they have acquir- ed an interest in the town. Do you think the consolidation act ought to pass unless approved by two separate majorities; first that of the city by their common council, and secondly a of those living outside? A. I would eliminate that section. They ought not to come in except by their 1wn consent.
 O. Do you think that having acquir- ed an interest in the town, having ceded ] large, a valuable tract of land, they ought not to be brought ip without the of the people in that section? A. think understand you. When certain portion of East Haven was an- lexed to the town we agreed that they should not be brought into the city without their consent; we gave them ,ur pledges and our promises that they jhould not be brought In except by of themselves. That was part if the agreement And this Is why Lm so earnest for the protection of the 'utlying towns; they should not be pulled into the city without they take vote to come in. The pledges and which we gave them I think { hould remain sacred, and if it is an at- empt to deprive them of the benefit of hose promises, think reputable citi- ems, if they wish to be considered hon. st. should be engaged in some other usiness. ie
 (Question repeated; receives practi- r ally same ansWer) ( MT. Morehouse-You say that a meas = re is hung up now. Is it because of he defects of the present charter? A.
 was speaking to show how quickly usiness could be done before a town ouncil. What I mean is that with a oard of selectmen you could get some- hing, with a common council the mat er is often too long delayed.
 0. When were the ballot boxes open 1o The uaa1% If G%arfiaIdtct aloo+io,,