Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-02-15

men could be kept within proper bounds for the next twelve months. The statutes provide that the voters and taxpayers can instruct the board of selectmen in regard to their expenditures, and it is obligatory on their part not to ignore the voters in. structions, and makes it a criminal offense to exceed the appropriations Neverthe- less the appropriations were exceeded in almost every instance. The taxpayers ought to be entitled to some consideration, but it seems that the selectmen utterly ig- nored all votes passed at that meeting, and exceeded the appropriation by nearly $60.- GOO. sum nearly sufficient to run the ex- penses of the town a whole year. The original appropriation for the new alms- house was $60,000, but there was nearly $100. GOO used to complete it, and this enormous sum was used without consult ing the legal voters in regard to making any further appropriation. but they de- liberately spent $40, in excess of the appropriation. and asked the voters what they were going to do about it. The se- lectmen are supposed to be the servants of the people. but the voters must admit that the rule does not apply to all selectmen, and that our Waterbury selectmen are su- preme, with unrestricted authority to moke enormous expenditures, and the tax payers can walk up to the captains office aud settle. at their dictation.
 The town treasurer is compelled to give bond of $20, 900 to secure the town for the money in his charge, and 1t is the duty of the selectmen to pay bills in town or ders. drawn on the treasurer, and it is obligatory on his part to honor all orders so drawn, providing he has the cash on hand so that it is not necessary for the selectmen to handle any cash belonging to the town, and in the absence of a bond it is not consistent for them to handle any cash, as they are open to criticism, no matter how honest they may be. What protection does the town get from the treasurers bond if the selectmen draw the cash from his safe and put it into their pockets and disburse it at their discretion? I find by looking over the report of last year that the first selectpaan drew to his own account in the neighborhood of $25.- 900 to disburse as a pay roll for the man. tenance of the highways. The practice is
 not a safe one and should be discontinued. It Is hardly fair to require $20. .O00 bond
 from the treasurer with salary of Cnly $500 per year in order to protect the town, and allow the first selectman to draw cash orders in his own name, put the cash in
 his own pocket, without any bonds at all.
 1 say either do away with the town treas- urer entirely, and save the $500 salary, or let him handle the funds as the law re- quires. And the town is protected thereby. claimed at the time that the report of the board of selectmen. submitted to the
 last annual town meeting was mislead-
 ing. especially the account of outstanding | indebtedness. which was reported entirely
 too small. l noticed statement pub- lished in the DEMOCRAT a few nights ago, that the selectmen have already paid | many thousand dollars more for outStand- ing indebtedness than appears in their | report, and that they have positive knowl edge of several thousand dollars more stIll outstanding. What reliance can the tax payers have on such a report? In the re-
 port of 1892 and 1893 they covered up something near $35.000, and last year
 nearly the same amount, aggregating
 nearly S70,0O0 in two years. When you
 think seriously on such serious misman-
 agement, the only conclusion you can ar
 rive at is this. to attend every annual
 town meeting and vote a sum necessary to
 run each department properly. and insist | that the officials keep within the appropri-
 ations. It is an easy matter for the l selectmen to call q special town meeting. l if they fall short of funds in anc depart | ment, and ask for an additional appropria- | ton, (which under ordinary circumstances
 would not be necessary and If the tax
 payers deem it expedient they will vote
 the required amount. The selectmen are
 paid to do their duty. II they neglect to | do it, the statutes provide penalty.
 am aware that have dsViAtei some.
 what from the opening subject. but as l
 said before, that with the town reports
 before me could not resist placing the
 facts before the voters and taxpayers of
 Waterbury. These facts should be shown
 in their proper light. The voters and tax payers should interest themselves more
 in the municipal affairs. and It will result
 in better government in both town and
 city. If the taxpayers will do thelr duty | it will compel the officials to do theirs
 CITIZEN. Mrs. Emma T. \clson-wcight, 100 | pounds-who for the past 1G years had
 been posing as a fat woman in different l museums, died at her home in Camden