Waterbury Democrat., 1902-01-02
MUNICIPAL ORGANIZATION.
Much Good Would Come from One, as
 Suggested by Senator Hall.

Some people Jnlnk It Woulu uO At1A o ,nko keep up interest in such an orsaii- &zation as suggested by Senator Hall in his address to the guests at the pan 1uet in Odd Fellows hall the other night. He wanted to see men inter ested in public affairs brought togeln- er from time to time to discuss muni- |cipal affairs and thought that good re- sults in that direction could be oD- hained by organizing a club composed bf as many officials and ex-office hold- Frs as could be got together. While ft is a fact that many take no stock ill municipal affairs, still it should be re membered that others do. and proba- Zbly if heads were counted it would De Eeen that there are more people in Wa kerbury concerned in the affairs of the city than in anything else, not even eX- cepting sparring contests. They may Knot make so much noise. over things. 4but they want the news all the same, Hand look to the newspapers, as they have a right to do. to see that they are fully and fairly informed on what is being done with the money appropr1- Rted for public uses. Citizens who keep a close watch on what is going Dn in the city government rarely ever have much fault to find about the management of public affairs, because they are conyersant with the why and <wherefore of this and that petition and know that where there is not funds enough to meet all demands some things have to wait. It is different #with people who take no notice of pub lie matters until they want something done themselves. and then if they can hot be served right off they imagine that there is something wrong. Often times decidedly honest citizens make big howl over delays of one kind and another on the part of the city in teaching public improvements because they are not acquainted with the facts. This would not be so if everybody was as well posted on these questions as most people appear to be on sporting matters, and the best remedy that could be applied is to air these subjects thoroughly in the papers and in addi- tion to that have a society where peo- fple who feel aggrieved could be heard. land then if they were laboring under Ia mistaken notion probably they might meet parties there who would set them Wright
 Many measures are acted upon in good faith by the city fathers which probably never would have been Rpassed if those who have to do with them knew as much about them when they came before the boards as they earned later. It would be an excel lent plan to have public debate upon every ordinance submitted to the city government, and then the aldermen would be better able to judge of their good and bad points than they can be under existing conditions. In most in tances the fate of everything of any Importance is decided in private cau- fus by the majority representation of of the board of aldermen and the fact that the suggestion for a different ar engagement emanated from that source shows they realize the evil of it and ere anxious to introduce some system Whereby public opinion could be reach led on time to be of some service to fhose who are entrusted with the con- duct of the affairs of the whole peo- T ple. The trouble with most of us is rdhat all our criticisms and advice come when they can be of no benefit in kshaping the course of the city boards and as a result they hinder rather than help good government
 It is folly to say that enough citi- zens could not be induced to attend meetings of society of this character to make it of any appreciable benefit ito the community. Supposing the club was in existence to-day and q meeting should be announced to be held in the city hall tonight for the
 urpose of exchanging opinions as to
 what kind of men the people desired Ito see appointed on the several boards ito be named by the mayor and the board of aldermen. not to mention the positions in the gift of the members of the board of education Don't yor think enough would answer the call tC make an interesting session. Perhaps some will say that too many of the Undesirable kind would be present anC koo few of the other class and that il would be nothing short of a repetition bf a real old time town meeting. There may be some truth in this, but such [ condition could be avoided by confinins the meetings to members of the society and those whom a committee appoint ed for that purpose might decide to i'll q Nite to come in and be heard The same thing might be said in relation tt other matters of public interest, tht water question, bonding the city fol large sums of money, the sewage dis posal matter and various other thing! of much moment that come up iron time to time on which private citizens might throw light which could be uset to good advantage when these ques lions come up for disposition in tn, city boards. It is true that we hay, the newspapers and that their column are at all times open to people wh, desire to speak to the public, but it i also true that there are many men o 3EnFipe Judgment who can do much bet Ter at this kind of business in opel
 meeting than through the press. w would get the benefit of their counse W through society such as has beer | mentioned, while we rarely, if ever hear from them through the papers Most people fight shy of the paper and in consequence the views an 1 opinions of some of the best men il Waterbury form no part in shaping tn
 conduct of public officials. Some vii say that man who is chosen to til a public position ought to know wha to do without waiting for others t
 come along and point out his duty There is no logic in this. Waterbur
 does not possess men who are so wis that they know it all and it is doubtful if it ever had or ever will have put lie official who would not like to knoy