Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-04-19

400GUeGS AASx 8s
 was neither one nor the other. If he could be assured that the teachers did not want the bill he would not peess t. Senator Phelan and Commissioners Lar kin then went into the features of the ballot taken by the teachers, and about which there has been . great deal said. Commissioner Larkin maintained thu; ballot was secret and it was utterly impossible to say what way. any teach. CT voted.
 s The chairman, smiling: Judging by the, letters we have received there U no doubt the teachers favor the biS."
 MT Larkin held that the city would not be called upon to pay cent, and that the American and Republican en- drosed the bill. Senator Phelan tried to show that the same people who con- trolled the stock of the Waterbury clock factory controlled the Waterbury American also; but Commissioner Lar kin said that however that may be he never spoke word to anyone connect ed with the American about the merits of the bill. A bill like the one in ques. tiOn is in force in New York city and there the teachers have surplus Of almost $500, 900. Commissioner LarkiH then read a list of cities where the school teachers are pensioned. In New York portion of the liquor license money is given toward the pension fund. Commissioner Larkin main- tained that a pension would attract the best talent to the city.
 Senator Phelan: "You recall that you. were an advocate for higher sal- aries for the teachers ??
 Commissioner Larkin: 'T guess not. said, and I say 1t now, that Sthe teachers are not paid enough, but yet we pay them as much as they are paid anywhere else in this state" Here the senator and the commissioner got into an altercation about the percentage of teachers that would benefit by the pension. The senator asked the com missioner if he would be willing to make the bill optional. If the commits sioher would so so, the senator would support it. Commissioner Larkin would not consent to the proposition He held that the bill was not c0mpul sory because the teachers favored it At this point the senator jumped ul and shouted that at least 100 of the teachers came to see him about the bill and told him that they voted fol it because they were afraid not to. q did not ask teacher to write letter to this committee or anyone else about this bill, or to come up here," he said The chairman said he had received no letters from the teachers advocat ing the bill, and Senator Chatfield sait he was sorry the committee on educa ton did not dispose of the bill. | Resuming, Commissioner Larkin sait the state guild of teachers had with drawn its opposition to the hill.
 Commissioner Chapman recited tn, history of the bill,. and added that on' of the minority on the board of educa ton voted with the majority for 1t The minority party in Waterbury hal generally some old scores to settl, about election time and on that ac count the teachers felt insecure il their positions. According to thu speaker the teachers must have beel
 living in m earthly paradise since hi
 party became the majority, and tha
 previous. to that they were living fl the other place. Politics cut quite
 swath in the schooisy rhes Ss1iA. H
 could not recall advocating the cuttfn
 of salaries of the teachers, this in repl.
 to Senator Phelan.
 Representative Blakeslee was sen
 sational speaker. The 100 teacher
 that complained to Senator Phelan, h said shOtlld he dismissed.
 Senator Phelan said he was willin
 that the committee should subpoen
 the 100 to the Capitol and be heard
 Representative Blakeslee said he di
 not think Senator Phelan's statemen
 was quite orrect, for Senator Pec
 had told him quite another story abou
 this matter. If, however, Senator Pht
 lan's statement was true, then he be
 lieved the 100 teachers were prett poor lot to say one thing to the ser
 ator and yet vote against their incllns ti0ns when they were given all tn } protection necessary. The senator an
 the representative got into a disput
 about the bill, the latter claiming tha this was the first time he saw the bi under discussion.
 CoCutddNC oIahColCo DdIu LII teachers did not see the bill it wa
 their own fault, and Mir Kellogg sai
 the bill had been published in the ps } pers.
 Vice. Chairman of the Board of A l dsrmen Beach and Representatiy ' Marsh spoke then, and they were fO . lowed by Superintendent Tinker, wh , presented a letter to the committe 1 showing the state guild had withdraw , it's opposition. There are thirty -or members of the guild in waterbw. he said.
 Miss Anna B. Cairns said the pei
 sion fund could not hurt the sta, . guild.
 , "Why are you in favor of the tenul : of office feature?" she was asked | l the chairman.
 Because" said she. i've ought
 feel secure and when we depend upC } an annual appointment we cannot fe 5 that way"
 3 The chairman asked if more Is m ] saved on a salary of $1,O0O when tl } teacher knows she is not secure ths