The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1905-03-06
FAIR PLAY NO. ONE
Replies to Article Of Fair Play Number
Two.

AWOs
Editor Times: | am glad my note
of Friday has led to reply in Saturdays
issue, as in answer to it ! have oppor-
tHnity to state few cold facts. Let
the public draw their deductions from
the same. write as an independent
voter, having no official connection with
Mr.. Barclays candidacy.
Probably his Press Committee viii
make reference to financial matters such
as those referred to in second paragraph
Of No. two's letter. / stated on Fri
day just how that part OF the con-
troversy appeared to me. As to the
mayors authority and management in
financial affairs, and the question Of
his economy or waste in the same,
repeat that he has done what he could
to curtail expenditure Ills all very we'll
to curtail expenditure. 'Tis all very
well to quote the city charter telling
how he may veto, and so on. Let him
try it. We have learned by bitter ex-
perience in the past, what it leads TO
when the mayor persistently refuses to
act in accordance with the vii or vote of
the city uncil,deadlock in municipal
business, bitter wrangling, council room
a bears den, our city government a
burlesque. Did we not see vivid rep
resentation of same, ON wheels, on a
certain 4th of July? Were not the
general public and our little ones edited
BY the spectacle7 All this we have gone
through, when to our grief and shame,
we were the laughing stock of the state,
at least; and the cause Of all this main
In 4hrrtrfrh a rofeacfnfr bas-
rightly or wrongly / don't know, to
sign or draw warrants for sundry bills.
In connection with above, and as an
instance Of what damage may be done
to city interests, let me state a few
particulars concerning money alleged to
be due city for rent The printing of
the annual city report was begun, but
not completed, towards the close of
above regime The aldermen refused to
vote payment for printing, for the alleg-
ed reason that certain items had been
inserted in report after the time it
was legal to do so. Result, printer
claimed that as he was not paid for
work done, he would not pay rent, to
certain extent, at least.
Tt will be remembered that we got
no report that year. If am in error
concerning the above, | am willing to
be corrected.
With regard to unnecessary expendi-
lures. The mayor has made his pro-
test against outsiders being employed,
when in his opinion the employees of
the city should have done the work
themselves. Before closing, | win cite
an instance Of three days work thrown
axpoxY 4hro,,nl 41,n ,,o,.oIo& ~ ;,4a,,,,,,e
tency of those in connection with the
water system. Concerning mot requir-
ed, ] understood the assistant in the
engineers department was dismissed at
the time Of the mayors protest, against
what he had believed was an nncalled-
for expense. | am informed they could
not be discharged until their contract
expired / acknowledge the error IN
stating that they had been removed at
once. NO. two has better knowledge
Of the details of city business than
| have. He has evidently been there
and in that respect has the advantage Of
an outsider
am informed that Mayor Barclay
emphatieally denies that he spoke to
Mr. Slayton about the FIRE horses, or
that he mentioned to any one price
be was willing to pay for one Of them.
His objection was that they were ILL
matched, and so say the public.
To put No. two's query shortly
What measure has the mayor been init
iative in or started for the good of the
city I'll might hurl the question at
his opponent, changing names, did not
my wish to avoid personalities and give
Aff sarava1f 1Afhc 1tsfrstsao tai
and favored the idea Of having an up
to-date and thoroughly equipped FIRE
station, at the same time contending
for economy in his plan to build it at
the rear Of the Richardson house, when
that lot was decided upon, and thus
secure to the city real estate of great
value, giving a good, steady income, in
shape Of rent, but was overruled9 The
house was sold for a paltry sum and
removed. BY the removal Of the barn