The weekly examiner., 1901-04-13
ADDITIONAL WATERBURY.
Continued From Page 8.)

most of his own property outside the city and town of Waterbury so as to be taxed here by either or both upon just as little property as possible
 CONSOLIDATION. Judging by the applause. from both sides at the hearing, it might be said that there were many more of Water bury's present rich men and taxpay- CTS who approved such a course in their own cases whenever possible.
 While the present legislative hear ing is much longer in time, it was re- marked by many of our leading and interested citizens who have made it a rule to attend and testify, on one side or the other, at all similar hearings on like bills for consolidation, as they have been argued and discussed at each session since 1895, that the pres pared by counsel nor so thoroughly handled nor the points and considera- tions for and against brought out so fully and prominently on either side, as was the case in the hearing before the judiciary committee two years ago; with City Attorney Kellogg and Judge Burpee for consolidation and Town Attorney Kendrick against it. It has during the week been repeatedly Gug- gested, as reason for this, that in the present hearing each side has been hampered by too many legal lights, some representing private interests and wanting certain specific conces- sions as a condition of their favoring consolidation, and others knowing nothing of the situation in Waterbury either past or present and picking up what information as lawyers they could gather as the case progressed. Of the former was Judge E. B. Gager of Derby, who represented certain manufacturers of Watervllle, and of the latter class were Hon. Joseph L. Barbour and Attorney Brocklesby of Hartford, for the anti-consolidationists neither of whom was familiar with the situation of affairs here, and both of whom were learners during the hearing of facts involved, and, acting simply as attorneys, had no personal, financial or Citizenship interests in the outcome. Of course, City Attorney Kellogg and ex-Mayor Kendrick were veterans in the business, had met each other in the same lines and on similar bills before, and hence were the only two attorneys, for and against consoli- dation who by long service were con fessadly perfectly familiar with every detail bearing upon the actual state ol affairs AS an example of the crldity and the inadvisable character of some. of the matters injected into the hear ing wy. outside counsel, take the sag gestfon of Judge Gager of Derby, when he made one of the absolute conditions under which Waterville would favor consolidation. We refer to the de- mand that the board of assessors, in- stead of being elected by the people as at present, be appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the board of aldermen. The people of the city of Waterbury - to say nothing of the town---would object to that course. They do, not want the appointing pow CT of one man-They seek consolida- tion, and it Is one of their strongest and most sensible arguments for it, in order to get away from the ire sponsible power of three men-the se- lectmen-in spending their money. Why. give to one man the irresponsible nominating of three men to. assess their property? The confirming vote of the board of aldermen, as every body knows, is of little or no check If you thinkrfit is, just look at the ut terly worthless, ,"a incompetent, sleepy headed board of pablic safety, which the aldermen confirmed. Everybody knows that the board of aldermen, if they had the nomination and election of that board, would have selected no one of its present members. Judge Gager thus made a slip-he injected into the hearing an issue which might be fruitful of contention among the best friends of consolidation. His ig- norance as an outsider, made this pos sible. If he had demanded, as his con- dition, the election of the assessors, just as our city attorney is elected, every one would have said to it Amen" .yE
 The Examiner man only uses this as one of many instances where too many (outside) cooks spoiled the broth," or made it less certain of easy digestion. But with the hearing on the whole, consolidation has or will score big victory, .and-as it is hon or to whom honor is due''-too much credit and praise for it cannot be ac- corded to Representative Lilley. He is capable, efficient and hard working public servant