Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-01-02
DEMOCRATS ARE
 GOING OUT OF OFFICE
Retire With Clean Records and Good Will of Their Fellow Men--Some of Them Served the City a Long Time.

There Is no truth that the retire. ment of the democrats from City hall building has anything to do with the half masted flag on the building. 1t is there as mark of respect to the memory of the late Henry A. Mat thews, one of Waterbury's ex-mayors, who died tho day before yesterday at his home in Southbury. It is fact, though, that the democrats are about to step down and out for the present so as to make room for the other fel- lows who will assume the reins of government next Monday The retir- ing officials have no reason to blush for any of their public acts. Indeed it is admitted that Waterbury never had cleaner or more competent set of public officials than acted for 1t during the past two years and in sup port of this statement doubting Thomases are referred to their re- cords. In fact nothing has been al- legged against them at any time so that they have the satisfaction of be- HE dDlG LO Sdy tO LIlc puDAI LAstL ShSJ have done their work we'll. t
 City Clerk Ryan retires after four years service and takes with him the good will and esteem of all who have had business relations with him. He has made many changes in the sys- tenn of keeping records which add to the convenience of those who find It necessary to consult them and also lightens the labors on the clerical force. MT Ryan will enter the em- ploy of the Hellmann Brewing Co.
 Comptroller M. D. Russell entered the employ of the city four years ago and assumed the duties of very inn portant position with considerably more work to attend to than ever came to that office before. This will be apparent to all when they recollect that the payrolls of the town and school departments hitherto kept sep arately all went to the comptroller's office after the abolition of the triple system of government. Mir Russell proved himself model public official, his work being commended time and again, not only by the democrats, but also by the other side of the house. He aimed at doing his work well and pleasing everybody and 1t goes with out saying that he succeeded in the former case and fell little, if any, in the latter. He has not yet decided what he will do. but it is said that he is thinking of engaging in the drug business. It is hinted, too, that MT Russell will be the first senator ftom the new Waterbury district.
 Sheriff Mcdonald has been ill the business so long that it looks like breaking up house on the part of the city government to see him move out. He has served the city for nearly. a quarter of century and has been. valuable coach for new men, republi- licans as well as democrats, who lack ed experience and wanted to be sure before going ahead. When they felt the need of counsel they turned to 'Jack' and after all those years the blue shirted warrier can stand face2to face with the representa- tives of both parties and say without fear of being challenged for proof, that he has lent all of them helping hand. Sheriff MNDonaId has q splendid public re- cord, probably no man in the state being able to show anything to equal it: and inasmuch as he is still in the prime of life and a valuable man for almost any position, if it is thought that he will not be out of a job long.
 Collector, Thoms will devcote his en- tire time to the practice of law. He has given the collectorship q good deal of personal attention and as a re- suit he leaves the office with prach-
 cally all his work finished and the
 money received by him paid over to the city treasurer. He kept track of doubles and other uncollectable bills charged against him and had them strengthened out from time to time. so that after January he will
 have plain sailing. MT Thoms was a courteous, competent public officer and like all his colleagues retires with very creditable record.
 There is no use talking about Mayor Kilduff. His record has been refer red to herein before and 1t would be Superfluous to 20 over it again. It rsay not be amiss to state, however, that Kilduff has fought more battles in the interest of the city than all the other local officials put together. He was constantly at war with men who wanted to use the city's property for their own use, and pay nothing for it. He also had & Ne sharp missiles anm- ed at him by | rites whom he knew were receiving the city's money and keeping it in their own safes instead of turning it over to the proper custo- dian. He was dubbed as slanderer because he had the courage to make such statement as this, but in the light of recent developments blind man cain see that Kilduff knew what he was talking about To all appear ances he went down in the struggle to defend the peoples rights, but the day will come when the rate payers of the town will regret that they failed to heed his warnings in time.
 Town Clerk Brett turns over to his successor an office that has been in his charge for several years. The of flee has been conducted in an eminent ly satisfactory manner, visitors to the place being treated with uniform courtesy, and the work carried on in manner which won the approval of all who had occasion to call, there for any purpose. MT, Brett will continue